As a big fan of Y2K culture, my love affair with the period also extends to the entertainment that flourished during the early 2000s. Time and time again, I return to my favorite shows and movies created back then, equipped with fleshed-out plots, filler episodes, and 22 episodes, seasons, and all. But glaringly over time, as I return to my favorite pieces of media, I’m reminded of how different TV and movies have become. We’re forced to wait two to four years for only 8 episode seasons; shows are constantly being canceled, and whole genres like romcoms and teen dramas are ignored. I’ve decided we must pinpoint the demise of teen drama media that I love (I’ve already discussed the downfall of romcoms)! Let’s see if we’re able to re-establish the genre’s formal glory.
the start of it all
Despite the hardships of being an angsty teenager (since essentially the dawn of time), teen drama is quite new. In the early 1980s, teen movies were being mass produced, credit to John Hughes, but television targeted at teenagers wasn’t a thing — yet. However, heading into the late ’80s and ’90s, the genre of teen drama was born through the creation of shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Beverly Hill’s 90210. Beverly Hill’s 90210 is truly the show that placed teen dramas on the map. Though certain shows like Party of Five have established audiences and commercial success, teen shows were constantly canceled — mostly after only one season too. The show catapulted its stars into mainstream Hollywood and success with a show set in a glamorous seaside town focusing on issues that affected everyday teens. Teens prior didn’t have much media or entertainment centered around them, and being given a show like Beverly Hills 90210, they reacted by being obsessed with the characters and show, providing a platform for other teen shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer to launch.
The 2000s
After the initial success of shows like Buffy and 90210, teen dramas would hit a stump but revitalized with shows like The O.C., one of my personal favorites, which filled the void of 90210. The O.C., also set in a glitzy seaside town, came out in 2003, focusing on a group of teenagers living in Newport, California after a kid from a “rough neighborhood” comes to live with the Cohen family after being abandoned. It had teenagers dealing with normal teen issues, and issues way above their years; it had drama and glam as well, the same formula as 90210, which audiences enjoy, setting it up to become the next big thing. The O.C., like 90210, created the boom of teen dramas that we saw in the 2000s and even the 2010s. Seeing how successful it was, television networks ran to create teen dramas of their own.
The 2010s
Here is where we see the formula of teen dramas truly change. In the 90s and 00s, they were mainly focused on teens and their problems. The genre eventually evolved into shows focusing on mysteries or the supernatural. It was no longer about Seth and Summer getting back together after spring break, or whether or not Ryan would get into Berkeley. Showrunners decided there needed to be an edge to these shows, something to draw viewers in, or a hook rather. Here, we see the establishment of shows like Gossip Girl in 2007, where the main characters are tormented by a mysterious gossip site, which — spoiler alert — is run by one of their friends and boyfriends! Also, shows like The Vampire Diaries, where a town in Virginia is seemingly plagued by vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures — and the friend group all turn out to be supernatural by the end of the show. However, I personally believe this began the downfall of teen shows as creators started to push the limits more and more.
the downfall
When we think of teen dramas, we think about first loves, best friends, graduation, and getting accepted into college. However, some teen dramas of the 2010s and after have strayed away from this model. Especially after streaming platforms have started to produce teen dramas of their own, allowing them to delve deeper into more adult and darker tones. Shows of the 2000s, despite being heavy and depressing at times, still had a warmth that would shine through. Like the relationship Ryan and Seth had, and their relationships with their parents, as well. Despite everything that happened in The Vampire Diaries, they were always there for friends in the end. Teen dramas of the modern era have seemed to forget all about this and aren’t even attempting to market themselves to teens or younger audiences.
A comeback?
I feel also that there’s a possibility of a renaissance for teen dramas. Teen dramas, especially those of the 2000s and early 2010s, have continued to have strong fan bases decades later. People are returning to these shows time and time again, as those created in this day and age are being canceled and/or terribly written and produced. Teen drama creators in this decade don’t have the understanding that those of the past had, leading them to create products for an audience that doesn’t exist. If showrunners return to the former model of teen dramas, I can sense that a comeback of the teen drama can emerge.