But my television line-up isn't completely the point of this post. The point is how society is reflected within television shows...or how it is portrayed completely unrealistic and just picking up on certain social situations and placing them in an idealistic setting that only a lucky few of the population actually get to achieve (For this purpose, I'm excluding reality TV shows, the main focus of this post will be about teen shows).
Let's take a look at some of the most popular sitcom shows today targeted to teens girls:
90210
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Glee
Gossip Girl
Greek
Hellcats
Make it or Break it
One Tree Hill
Pretty Little Liars
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Vampire Diaries
Gossip Girl - one of the most popular TV shows of 2010.
Glee - Ryan Murphy's wonderous creation
Now, lets look at the basic plots and settings of these shows, in 90210, Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, all include a cast of wealthy girls dealing with basic everyday drama, just styled perfectly at all times and having an unlimited trust fund available to them. While I appreciate the fashion of these shows, it's a little too unrealistic for my blood. Include the conniving plot lines of Gossip Girl and the murder-mystery aspect of Pretty Little Liars, and they become the complete opposite of relatable to your average North American teen girl. (That is, unless, your best friend was also mysteriously murdered and you are covering up a secret and trying to figure out who her killer is, and who your stalker is?)
One Tree Hill used to be incredibly relatable, but after they all moved on from high school and Peyton left, the show turned into a miserable sap story with some relatable aspects, but sorry, I'm not buying that a movie director moves to a small town for fun and gives up his life's work for one girl, that a girl with a child from her teenage pregnancy becomes a famous music star then goes back to her small town with her superstar basketball player husband so she can be a teacher...and then she stops doing that (What the hell does Haley even do anymore?), and that the CEO of an incredibly rich and successful fashion label would give it all away and liquidate her company's, and her personal assets, to pay back an array of faceless investors when hitting a financial crisis. It's just too much fluff and slow music and people kissing each other now...whatever happened to the relatable drama of Brooke joining the purity club to get a boy and the Scott brothers duking it out on the river court?
And then you have The Vampire Diaries, which don't get me wrong, I love the fantastical series...but a town full of witches, werewolves and vampires doesn't exactly scream "I'm just like you!" to the average teenager. Even the everyday story lines aren't relatable, there's no drama about which guy you should go to the dance with, what pink skirt really makes you look the best, which nail colour is in style, and all that other crap that means so much to you when you're 16.
Despite the singing, Glee pretty much hits the nail of the head, and I believe that's why it has such a cult following, it shows teens how they are...which is nothing less to expect from Ryan Murphy. He knows teenage life, and damn does he portray it well. Add in the music that they sing which for the most part reflects the most popular pop and rock sensations, and you've got yourself a winner folks. I don't have much to say about Make it or Break it...it isn't so bad in terms of actual story line, but the setting of pro-gymnasts isn't too relatable to anyone...but pro-gymnasts.
Hellcats and Greek are set in college, and having gone to college (and being in a sorority) they are definitely top contenders in realistic story lines and situations that mimic factual life happenings. (The mystery aspect of Hellcats is a little far-fetched, but I've never been to law-school...maybe that happens?)
That being said, the top prize goes to Degrassi: The Next Generation for realistic story lines that teenagers can actually affiliate themselves with, but a little more drama is desired in the entertainment aspect. Second place goes to The Secret Life of the American Teenager, because a show all about teenage pregnancy is definitely a reflection of whats going on in North America. Though I have to admit, with the last season ending with Adrian being pregnant and considering keeping the baby, it's a little ridiculous. Why is it on all of these shows with teenage pregnancies there are no girls deciding on adoption, or I don't know...abortion? (Just a thought, take note TV producers).
Now these are the shows teen girls today are left to deal with to help them through the rocky road that is high school.
Growing up as a preteen in the new millennium with an older teenage sister, I'm one of those lucky few that got to catch the best of the 90's, and still watch the swag of new shows that came with the new millennium.
I find television shows in the 90's and early millennium managed to actually catch the teenage essence, what actually mattered to them, and managed to make it entertaining to boot, often using satire to poke-fun at the every day teenager and help them not take things to seriously. I often find myself re-watching the series and enjoying them signifcantly more than many of the shows that are presently on TV. I think YTV (did American's have YTV?) was probably one of the best channels back then, it had all of the teen shows, especially on TGIF, that everyone wanted to watch...and now its just kid - cartoons and crap like Victoria Justice and Wizards of Waverly Place...preteen stuff, not teenager stuff (Even the cartoons were better back then...anyone remember Doug, Pepperann, Hey Arnold, original Pokemon and Sailor Moon?)
Now comes my list for best of the late 90's and early Millennium.
Boy Meets World
Breaker High
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Daria
My So-Called Life
Popular
Radio Active
Student Bodies
Sweet Valley High
System Crash
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Funny and fantastical, take the Vampire Diaries.
Popular - Ryan Murhpy's best show ever.
You'll find I left off Dawson's Creek and Party of Five...but that's because I never actually watched them, but I'm sure they were awesome. The ones I did list all happened to have comedy, drama, relatable issues, and have entertainment value. Even Buffy, which is set with vampires was more relatable then than 90210 is today. Daria, although being a cartoon, is the perfect satirical comedy series evaluating teenage life. Some of the shows some people might not have seen, as they might have been only shown in Canada, but if you can, youtube them, cos they were epic. My favourite of all (aside from Buffy of course) is Popular. Popular, a Ryan Murphy creation, was the essence of 90's teenager, not too mention incredibly funny and the writing was amazing. I don't think there was a person out there that was unable to relate with either Brooke McQueen and her clique or Sam Macpherson and her group (I'm a Brooke girl myself). This show began my love for Ryan Murphy's work, and so when Glee came out, I knew it was going to be good.
For those of you wondering why you just spent 20 minutes reading my ramblings on television shows and how relevant they are to teens today (when you yourself aren't even a teenager...it's okay, neither am I (barely) and I still watch them.), the point is that television shows were better in the 90's when the cast actually looked like real people and not made-up barbie dolls, and actually reflected the social times of the day (ex: teens wore clothes they could actually afford, not everyone was wearing Dolce and Gabbana.) It also gives you a list of television shows you may not have watched before, and should definitely watch now because they are all pretty damn awesome.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got season four of Daria to get back to.
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