Even though I’m well past teenage years, I still love watching DVDs of hit TV series that are targeted towards teenagers. Over the last few years, I’ve watched a lot of TV series on DVD that probably have a mostly teenage audience, but I do have some favorites.
Most of what I think are the best TV series for teenagers are because of the acting abilities of the actors involved, unusual story lines, well written scripts, great music or even the towns they’re filmed in. Check out these TV series on DVD for teenagers, and see if you agree.
Dawson’s Creek – One of the first TV series for teenagers I ever watched was Dawson’s Creek. I loved it from episode one, partially due to it being filmed in the town my parents live in, and partially due to the wonderful acting by its teenage stars. I religiously watched every episode from beginning to end, several times, then bought every season on DVD.
The storylines were well written and, in some cases, quite risqué for a teenage audience – right from the opening scene with Joey (Katie Holmes) and Dawson (James Van Der Beek) in his bedroom talking about developing body parts to Pacey’s (Joshua Jackson) affair with a high school teacher and beyond, Dawson’s Creek talked about issues teenagers were interested in. Capeside soon became my favorite town and Joey the teenage girl I wished I had been.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – I initially started to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer because I was going through a vampire phase. That only kept me hooked for the first couple of episodes though. What kept me hooked even more was the smartness of every script, the acting of Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan, and the quick wit of the writers.
Every script has some of the funniest lines in television history, the stunts are fun, and the love affair between Buffy and Angel interesting to watch. Plus, don’t forget the music. Buffy introduced me to some of the best Indie bands and re-introduced me to music I used to play on air when I was a radio DJ. I now own every season on DVD and have watched each one at least ten times.
My So-Called Life – A short lived TV series for teenagers, My So-Called Life only had one season of 19 episodes before it was cancelled but in that time, for many teenagers, it hit the spot. Claire Danes, who was only 13 years old at the time, was cast as Angela.
Her teenage angst, understood especially in her famous voice-overs, was familiar to many teenagers and the issues she and her friends faced were typical of every day life for many US teens. My So-Called Life was cancelled after only one season partly because Claire Danes really didn’t want to do it anymore.
A shame, as it was the catalyst that shot her into stardom and was one of the best things she’s ever done. I’ve now seen the series at least six times, as I bought it on DVD as soon as it came out. Even on the sixth viewing, it wasn’t a disappointment. The only disappointment was how quickly it was cancelled.
Gilmore Girls – How could a TV series about two amazing women not be popular? From the minute Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore walked on the screen, I was hooked.
The fast-paced, smart dialogue, the pop culture references you’d have to be a genius to get all of them, and all the bizarre characters made this TV series for teenagers (and young adults!) a pleasure to watch. The only disappointment in the whole TV series was the ending of the series. Most of Gilmore Girls‘ fans expected more than that.
Also starring Alexis Bledel as Rory, Gilmore Girls is a must-have on DVD for anyone who loves smart TV series made for teenagers. It was also named as one of Time magazines Top 100 TV series of all time – not surprising, eh?
One Tree Hill – Another TV series for teenagers made in the town where my parents live and the same town as Dawson’s Creek (Wilmington, NC), One Tree Hill followed a similar path to Dawson’s Creek with teenage characters, smart dialogue and interesting plot lines.
The story of the two brothers, Lucas and Nathan Scott, starts out with them hating each other but, by season two the bond between them is growing and they are soon allied against their father. The show highlights issues of teen pregnancy, motherhood, adoption, and death. It also features some of the best music on any TV series.
One Tree Hill is now in its sixth season, with Seasons 1 through 5 currently available on DVD.
There are so many classic TV series for teenagers, but these are some of the best. They’re all available on DVD and all provided hours of entertainment, drama, tears and, in most cases, some awesome music.
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