An Indisputable List of The Top 5 Teen Dramas

Image courtesy of Time Magazine

Joseph Sannito, Staff Writer

The following list is my top 5 teen dramas of all time. Here we go–

5. Riverdale

Perhaps the most controversial addition to this list, Riverdale is known for its terrible acting and cringy dialogue. However, if you can get past that, you would be able to experience perhaps the craziest plot development in the history of TV. The general plot of the show is based on the unfortunate bad luck of Riverdale and how its criminal past leads to bad karma in the present and future. The death to episode ratio is obscene. With a little over 90 confirmed deaths and 95 episodes, the series is close to a 1:1 ratio. The genre of this show is that of thriller, mystery, and horror. As the charters uncover the evils of their town, one filled with murder, vengeance, mafia, and the supernatural, they realize that the world is not what it seems

4. Friday Night Lights: 

This show is centered around the people of Dillon, Texas who live and breathe high school football. Being that this show is relatively laid back compared to other similar TV series, it does not include that much “chaos.” Although it’s on the “tamer” side, you will still be drawn in by the great highs and lows of high school football, and of course the occasional murder plot. 

3. The OC: 

The Chronicles of Ryan Atwood and his adopted brother, Seth, leads the viewer on the adventures of high school in the wealthiest part of America– Orange County, California. Ryan Attwood, the poor kid, is taken in by the generous Cohen family. As the show progresses it shows the struggles a teen faces when assimilating to a new world. This show carries with it the terrors of tragic death, accidental murder, and the karma of vengeance. 

2. Outer Banks: 

This story has been told many times. Shakespeare first attempted it in Romeo and Juliet and it was later rewritten by S.E. Hinton in the novel The Outsiders. However, it was not until Outer Banks where a town rivalry and forbidden love were mastered. What many might consider being paradise on earth, Outer Banks reveals the evils of greed in society, as a man loses his humanity over the thrill of Gold.

1. One Tree Hill: 

A storybook town in North Carolina sets the scene for a sibling rivalry between the half brothers Nathan and Lucas Scott. Nathan is the star basketball player for the high school and when his half-brother tries to join, chaos ensues. As the show progresses it is evident that the real villain is the father, Dan Scott, as he tries to control the lives of his children. Jealousy, murder, and high school basketball are only a few factors that make this show so incredible.