While teenagers around the world have been stuck at home doing online school and social distancing from all their friends, teenagers on television have been living their best lives. In fact, the new shows that premiered in 2020 catered towards teenagers saw teenager characters from all walks of life doing all sorts of things from traditional teenage antics to becoming full-on bounty hunters.
Not only did these new teen shows provide real-life teenagers a much-needed escape from their own stressful lives, but they were also more diverse and inclusive than ever before. From comedies to drama and even the hybrid dramedies, teenage television truly hit its prime in 2020.
10 Diary Of A Future President - 5.6
Disney+ launched at the end of 2019 with the hit teen series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, but the streaming service hit its stride with the original comedy series Diary of a Future President. One of the reasons Diary of a Future President is so successful is that it focuses on younger teenagers who are still in middle school.
The series centers on Elena, a 12-year-old Cuban American girl who just so happens to grow up to be President of the United States. While we do see a grown-up Elena from time to time, much of the show follows Elena as she navigates middle school life while trying to figure out what she wants to do with her own life in the future.
9 Control Z - 6.8
Control Z is an underrated Netflix original, mainly because the series is produced in Spanish which means many teenagers would have to read subtitles to enjoy the series. However, the mystery drama series is certainly bingeable and one teenagers will love.
The series centers on Sofia, an introverted high school student who takes it upon herself to figure out who is hacking her classmates and exposing their secrets to the entire high school student body. The series is reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars but the secrets being revealed are more personal and thus, cause havoc.
8 We Are Who We Are - 7.0
Knowing that teenagers are the key to launching a successful streaming service, HBO Max got straight to work making sure they had a killer teen series to launch within the first year. Thus, We Are Who We Are dropped in September 2020 just four months after the streaming service launched.
The drama series centers on two American teenagers who come from military families. Living on a military base can be rough but when that base is located in Italy, well, maybe living on the military base isn't so bad.
7 Everything's Gonna Be Okay - 7.2
In recent years, Freeform has branded itself as the premier destination for the Gen-Z teenage and young adult crowd and their mission has continued in 2020. Premiering in January 2020, Everything's Gonne Be Okay centers on Nicholas, a twenty-something who ends up becoming the primary guardian of his two half-sisters after their father dies of cancer.
Raising teenagers is hard enough for full-fledged adults and since Nicholas is basically still a child himself, this trio is in for a lot of ups and downs as they all try to navigate their new normal.
6 I Am Not Okay With This - 7.6
Netflix really knocked the teen genre out of the park this year with the plethora of originals released. I Am Not Okay With This seemed to kick off this stellar line up when it was released in February.
The series centers on Sydney Novak, a 17-year-old teenager who is still mourning the loss of her father while trying to navigate the highs and lows of high school life. In addition, Sydney has begun to discover that she might not be as normal as she once thought. In fact, she might have telekinetic powers.
5 Outer Banks - 7.6
Outer Banks certainly made an impact on teenagers becoming one of the most talked-about shows on social media when it released in April. The series also won the People's Choice Awards for best "Bingeworthy Show of 2020."
The teen series is set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina where it's rumored that a legendary treasure has been hidden that is tied to John B.'s own father. Determined to find the connection, John B. and his friends set out to find the treasure but they're not alone. With the wealthy teenagers also looking for the treasure, the hunt is on.
4 Teenage Bounty Hunters - 7.7
While teenage shows aren't necessarily known for being the most realistic, Teenage Bounty Hunters kicked realism out the door by making its two lead characters, well, teenage bounty hunters. The series dropped in August and instantly won over the hearts of millions. In fact, the series is so beloved that fans were outraged when Netflix canceled the show after just one season.
The series centers on twin sisters Blair and Sterling who get into a car accident with an actual bounty hunter. Needing to fix the damage without their father finding out, Blair and Sterling pretend to be professional bounty hunters who offer to help Bowser track down more wanted people in exchange for a cut of the prize money.
3 Never Have I Ever - 7.9
Never Have I Ever is not only one the best new teen shows to premiere on Netflix this year, but it's also one of the best Netflix original comedy shows too. The series is created by Mindy Khaling who drew from her own adolescent experiences to bring 15-year-old Devi Vishwakumar to life.
Devi has been through a lot in her short 15-years of life, most of which happened during her freshman year. After losing her father and her ability to walk for a year, Devi is determined to turn her life around and it all starts with becoming cool at her high school.
2 Love, Victor - 8.1
Originally supposed to release on Disney+, Love, Victor made the switch to Hulu becoming one of its most popular shows catered toward teenagers. Inspired by the hit teen romantic comedy Love, Simon, Love, Victor takes place in Simon's universe but with a new group of Creekwood High students.
Much like Simon, Victor has found himself questioning his sexuality, but unlike, Simon, Victor has a lot more on his plate. After all, his family has just moved to Creekwood from Texas, his family life is tense, and he fears his traditional Latinx family won't accept him if he is, in fact, gay.
1 Julie And The Phantoms - 8.4
While teenagers seem to love soap opera-y dramas, there's no denying that teenagers will flock to a good show that mixes comedy, drama, and music. Julie and the Phantoms managed to nail all three which is why it currently boasts a 8.4 rating on IMDb.
The series centers on Julie Molina, a young teenager whose passion for music has dwindled in the wake of her mother's death. When she's tasked with cleaning out her mom's old studio, Julie accidentally awakens the ghostly spirit of Sunset Curve, a teenage band who died from severe food poisoning in the '90s.
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