Netflix has made programs for our favorite teens one of its specialties. If the series available in the catalog are far from all unforgettable, certain fictions for teenagers stand out. Here are 8 series that are well worth the detour.
Don’t lie: we know that you love coming across an episode of Scott BrothersofHelen and the boys or Prince of Bel Air during their umpteenth rebroadcast on TV. Fortunately, you can even watch these “doudou” series on repeat on SVOD platforms. Netflix has a particularly extensive catalog in this area, with vintage, in-house productions and a good vibes full of nostalgia and feel good.
Whether you’re more of a musical way High School Musical, ambitious fantasy saga or adorable gay romance, you will easily find what you are looking for in this thematic selection to warm your teenage heart. And if you want more, you can also check out our selection of the best Netflix series.
Earth’s Cutest Gay Romance: Heartstopping
It was one of the most anticipated series of the year on the platform: Heartstopping is finally available on Netflix! The graphic novel series of the same name, created by American author Alice Oseman, was already a literary hit and melted our soft little hearts. And what a pleasure to find Nick and Charlie in this adaptation for the small screen of their teenage gay romance!
These two English high school students fall adorably in love with each other, in a cozy and delicate atmosphere. The soundtrack is filled with airy pop songs a la Life is Strange, while the production regularly pays homage to the original drawn format. On the casting side, Joe Locke and Kit Connor (Rocketman, His Dark Materials) are both flawless in blue flower teens. They are assisted by a band of young actors, all very convincing. This serial version thus fulfills all our expectations and enters directly into the pantheon of the best LGBTQIA+ series. Icing on the cake: Olivia Colman (The Crown, Broadchurch) is in the game.
The Fantastic Musical: Julie and the Phantoms
After creating High School Musical, the director and choreographer Kenny Ortega has decided to put his talent at the service of the small screen with this series with catchy numbers. Since the death of her mother, to whom she was very close, Julie no longer manages to compose music. Until Luke, Alex, and Reggie show up in his garage. Problem: these three musicians are ghosts straight out of the 1990s… They still decide to form a band together, defying all the laws of the paranormal.
Obviously, the series drips with good feelings and the school is always the scene of many numbers sung a bit kitsch. But let’s be honest, the show’s choreography and pop-rock songs manage to hook us right through to the end. We find ourselves humming the tunes composed for Julie and the Phantoms weeks after viewing. Kenny Ortega has therefore clearly not forgotten his basics. And this, after having created nothing less than one of the most popular musical sagas of the 2000s with High School Musical. The series with fantastic accents has unfortunately not been renewed for a second season, but these nine episodes should satisfy budding music lovers.
The slightly trashy English chronicle: Skins
It was the English series discussed in all playgrounds at the dawn of the 2010s: Tony, Effy, Chris, Sid, Emily, Naomi, Grace or even Rich accompanied all the teenagers in Converse and slim jeans. With its complex themes, such as anorexia, harassment or drugs, Skins quickly established itself as a new form of teen series.
Ancestor of the tortured Euphoria, this English chronicle with trash accents is distinguished by a cast change every two seasons and an episode centered on each character that makes up this merry band. Three generations of protagonists have succeeded each other during the seven seasons, from 2007 to 2013, all imbued with melancholy and biting humor. Sometimes criticized for its unreal aspect and its (too) pessimistic treatment of the thankless age, Skins nevertheless remains a cult fiction, which perfectly captured the spirit of its time. Note, however, that several actresses have since expressed their discomfort on the set of the series.
The Dazzling Fantasy Saga: Shadow and Bone
We already told you when it was released: this adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s novels is a success. The saga Grisha Where Shadow and Bone focuses on the kingdom of Ravka, cut in two by the famous Fold. This mist filled with evil creatures makes his crossing perilous. Alina, a young cartographer, accompanies the army and the Grisha, powerful magicians, in this fantastic epic. But during this trip, she may well discover more formidable powers…
Shadow and Bone is above all a visual success, with convincing special effects, meticulous sets and costumes and sublime sequence shots. A singular universe, which we already described to you as a mixture between the Russia of the Tsars and the steampunk of the Victorian era. Despite the presence of the usual cliches of the adult, this fantasy saga manages to impose its originality with its poetic world and endearing characters. English comedian Ben Barnes (Westworld, The Punisher) finds there one of his best roles. We can’t wait to discover the second season, which should be shot in the year.
The Christmas Marshmallow Romance: Dash & Lily
When the light garlands invade our streets and the cold sets in, we all need a series of comforters to devour while being snuggled up under a blanket. Adapted from the best-selling book by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn, this Christmas romance will meet your expectations. Dash & Lily rests, like many passions of the genre, on the expression ” opposites attract “. In New York, the grumpy Dash hates the end of year celebrations and decides to isolate himself to avoid the traditional family reunions. In a bookstore, he comes across a mysterious red notebook, the starting point for a correspondence treasure hunt and left by the enthusiastic Lily, who is looking forward to Christmas. Their meeting will make sparks…
Unfortunately canceled after only one season, Dash & Lily still contains eight colorful and adorable episodes. His silly narration is overtaken by the duo of actors formed by Austin Abrams (Euphoria, This is Us) and Midori Francis (The Sex Lives of College Girls). Without revolutionizing the genre, this miniseries will delight lovers of perfect glittery romances.
The hard-hitting heiress of 13 Reasons Why : Grand Army
In Brooklyn, Joey, Dom, Sid, Leila and Jayson try to survive their high school years. Between sexual assault, racism, harassment and terrorism, these New York teenagers face a ruthless daily life. Adapted from the room Slut by Katie Cappiello, Grand Army treats in particular the subject of rape with great accuracy. Always at the height of a teenager, this teen drama recalls the dark tone of 13 Reasons Why, while avoiding its pitfalls. The themes addressed, however difficult, are never voyeuristic and, on the contrary, allow the development of a very realistic subject.
Also canceled by Netflix after a single season, the series nevertheless develops a gallery of complex characters, which we would have liked to follow longer and with whom we identify immediately. The cast is solid, the production is effective, in short, Grand Army is an unfairly overlooked nugget.
The rebellion with supernatural accents: I Am Not Okay With This
“Dear diary, fuck you! ». This is how this British series begins, whose teenage anger transpires from the first minutes. The seven episodes, developed by the producers of Stranger Things and comic book writer Charles Forsman (The End of The Fucking World) amaze thanks to the story of Sydney, a disillusioned young woman with supernatural powers. As she seeks to channel her destructive telekinesis, she will also seek out herself and her emotions.
Led by the excellent Sophia Lillis (Sharp Objects, It), I Am Not Okay With This sends to waltz all the dictates of society. Perfect for understanding the desires for liberation of young people, all the more so in a context of Covid and the climate crisis, this English curiosity had already caught our eye when it came out. Two years later, it still resonates just as strongly with our news.
The essential dean: Dawson
If you knew the thankless age in the 1990s, it’s a safe bet that you spent entire afternoons in Capeside with the Dawson band, humming I don’t want to wait. At 15, the young high school student only dreams of becoming a director, while facing the problems of everyday life, between love at first sight and friendly quarrels.
Iconic credits, effective writing, avant-garde themes for the time, multiple references to cinema… The six seasons of Dawson are certainly essential and still well worth the detour, more than twenty years after its first broadcast. The American series has revealed many talented actors, from James Van Der Beek (Laid) to Joshua Jackson (Fringe, The Affair), via Michelle Williams (Shutter Island) and Katie Holmes (Batman Begins). We strongly advise you to take advantage of the full version on Netflix to (re)discover this teenage masterpiece.
