The whale's going through that awkward phase
As the nights draw in and the rain starts to dash against the windows almost as hard as it is in your heart, we thought now was the time to list the 5 tv shows that understood what it was like to be a teenager. Or how you reckoned it should be like to be a teenager were you allowed out/clear skinned/had friends. I imagine all these can be located on You Tube with a little creative spelling (or not). But as I would never steal a car, nick a handbag or kill a man I shan’t be linking them here.
1. My So Called Life (1994-1995) - It had to be on the list. Watching it recently I was surprised at exactly how droopy Angela Chase is. But even at 12 I knew it was all about Rayanne Graff and Rickie Vasquez. Angela Chase rebels by hennaing her hair, Rayanne Graff compulsively lies, wears increasingly strange outfits for which I am pretty sure the ‘It was the nineties’ excuse does not cover. Oh and after getting drunk and high on her birthday joins Alcoholics Anonymous. Cruelly cancelled after just one series the show covered some hard hitting topics and gave us the quote, “I bet people can actually die of embarrassment. I bet it's been medically proven.”
2. Daria (1997-2002) - For a cartoon Daria and Jane Lane were heart-achingly realistic for all those teenagers that couldn’t fit in even if they tried. Which is every teenager. Despairing at the contradictions of adults and the sheep-like nature of their peers Daria and Jane Lane revelled in their jadedness. With her debilitating crush on Jane’s brother Trent, Daria had a vulnerable side us shy girls identified with. Things I learned from this show? Red lipstick is a must , sarcasm is not the lowest form of wit and a bitching soundtrack wins every time. This show and I will always be freaking friends. Daria gave us many good quotes, here’s one.
Teenage boy: Where were you girls been all our lives?
Daria: Waiting for you. We were born in this room. We grew up in this room. And we're going to die in this room, alone.
Teenage boy: Where were you girls been all our lives?
Daria: Waiting for you. We were born in this room. We grew up in this room. And we're going to die in this room, alone.
3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) – I should confess I stopped watching Buffy by the third series. It just got a little far-fetched for me. Teenage shows where there’s a teen with a secret (think Sabrina) always go down well. Because every teenager thinks they’re monstrously different from everybody else. Or I did. So let’s just insist upon that as the norm, ok? I was also confused by what the The Bronze was, was every character toting a fake ID, was it a pub, a club, a youth club? And why was everyone allowed out on a school night? These things just never added up. I’ve started a quote thing now so here’s Xander, “"Man, Buffy! My whole life just flashed before my eyes. I gotta get me a life!"
4. Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003) – Ok by 1999 Dawson’s Creek script writers were starting to flog a dead horse here. I have a confession to make. I usually decide if I like something depending on the hair. I was late to the DC party and only started watching series 2. By which time Jen Lindley had cut her hair and It was VERY THEN! Every girl who watched that show wondered if they would suit cropped hair. The fact is I don’t recall much detail from this show other than Joey’s tendency to go cross eyed and Jen’s great hair. I do recall Sunday revolving around Dawson’s Creek and being Team Jen. Every quote makes me cringe.
5. Awkward (2011-ongoing) This is a new show that is not even a guilty pleasure for me. It’s good! It has the sarcasm of Buffy, the zany adults of Daria and the angst stops short of Angela Chase. If Mtv is insisting on no longer being…Mtv then I am far happier with this output as opposed to ‘reality’ shows. As with all the above shows the main character is kind of an outcast trying to find acceptance and unintentionally finding themselves the centre of attention… So my quest to find a teen show where a character has acne has yet to yield oily pus but the popular girl in this show is a mite overweight and struggles with it, making this the first teen show I’ve seen where the popular characters have ‘flaws’. Quote? “It was homecoming week and like an uncomfortably misguided tampon it was impossible to ignore.”
I like to keep Friday 5 vaguely UK focused but I can’t think of any UK shows that compare to these. Apart from Byker Grove.
Squeamish Kate
Related Posts
Generation Dressed
I like to keep Friday 5 vaguely UK focused but I can’t think of any UK shows that compare to these. Apart from Byker Grove.
Squeamish Kate
Related Posts
Generation Dressed
RSS Feed
