11 Shows About High School Ranked on Accuracy

Television has always had a hard time portraying high school correctly. With the emergence of paranormal romance, supernatural teen shows have surged in popularity. Some shows portray high schoolers as hypersexual drug addicts, while Disney Channel makes it appear as though those ideas have never crossed any high schooler’s mind. So, which show would be considered the most realistic? I have devised a list ranking some of the most popular shows depicting high school from the most realistic to the least:

1. Degrassi: The Next Generation

I grew up secretly watching this particular franchise of the “Degrassi” series every night on TeenNick. My mom didn’t want me to watch the show because of the sexual content and drug use. What she failed to understand then was that “Degrassi” was teaching me how to handle some serious real-world problems. The show tackles some very serious issues like teen pregnancy, sex, drug use, school violence, sexual identity, mental disorders and hate crimes in a clear, thoughtful way. While the show can come across as “soapy,” its uncensored honesty allows for a sense of credibility that is hard to come by in todays television shows. What “Degrassi” has that other shows seem to lack is an overall moral tone that doesn’t feel like you are being preached to or reprimanded which goes a long way with teen viewers. While the content of “Degrassi” can be heavy for younger viewers, it is also relevant for its target audience.

2. Awkward.

“Awkward.” made its debut on MTV in 2011. The show focuses heavily on sex between teens and the emotional repercussions as well. “Awkward.” also contains instances of cyber bullying, parental negligence and underage drinking. With witty dialogue and dry sarcasm, the show delivers a message that is not quite as deep as “Degrassi,” but a message, nonetheless. The message is that high school is awkward, but sometimes you just have to laugh at it and move on.

3. Euphoria

HBO’s “Euphoria” is anything but. These teens deal with extreme drug use, working through addiction. Girls are constantly being violated, whether it’s how they are being looked at, groped or touched without their permission. Zendaya’s character is fresh out of rehab and quickly falls back into her addiction once she is back home. While her mother tries desperately to save her daughter by sending her to rehab and providing her with at home drug tests. This show makes it to number three on the list because of its extreme drug use and sexual abuse content. Boys in “Euphoria” are tricking girls into having sex with them while also shaming them for it, an unfortunate truth that is prevalent both in high school and the outside world.

4. Riverdale

The classic “Archie” comics have been redesigned into a dark murder mystery television series. The show centers around the idea of finding out who killed Jason Blossom, the son of one of Riverdale’s wealthiest families. The teens seem to spend more time trying to solve the murder than they do in school. While the adults are keeping secrets, the teens are focused on solving the murder, finding out things that the police obviously missed. Add a talking dog and a groovy van and you’d have a better chance, Archie. What the show lacks in realistic investigation tactics it makes up for in realistic problems such as poverty, parental abuse, divorce and statutory rape.

5. That’s So Raven

You might be thinking, “Hey, why is a show with supernatural elements ranked more realistic than shows without all that?” and I’m here to tell you why. With the rise of Disney + I have had the great pleasure of rewatching some of my favorite childhood shows. As an adult, I have noticed that “That’s So Raven” has many realistic themes outside of her psychic powers. While her powers sometimes get her into more trouble than out of it, they can be useful at times. One of the reasons I picked for this show to be ranked more realistically than others is because of the issue of racism in the episode True Colors. In this episode both Raven and Chelsea apply for the same job at a clothing store in the mall. Raven is highly qualified while Chelsea is…lacking. After the interviews Chelsea is awarded the job. Raven then has a vision of the manager at the store saying that she doesn’t hire black people. With classic Raven comedy, she and her two friends expose the racist manager, resulting in her being fired. This was a heavy topic for Disney, but they get a pat on the back for touching on topics such as racism, which teens of color deal with every day.

6. The Secret Life of the American Teenager

“The Secret Life of the American Teenager” centers around the consequences of a teenage girl’s unexpected pregnancy that resulted from her losing her virginity at band camp. The show addresses issues such as sex, pregnancy and parenthood in typical ABC Family fashion: full of morals from an upper middle-class viewpoint. At the end of each episode Shailene Woodley gives the viewer a small talk about how you should talk to an adult about sex or if you become pregnant.  Amy struggles to continue her high school education during her pregnancy, displaying just how hard it is to have a child while you are still just a child yourself. Characters are portrayed as being overly promiscuous or as practicing complete abstinence. This show is ranked lower on my reality list because of all of the Biblical references and morals throughout the show, making it seem like the series is only geared towards white Christians.

7. Hannah Montana

Miley Cyrus plays a teen who is secretly a pop star. Somehow no one has ever looked at a picture of Hannah Montana while Miley Stewart was in the room, but whatever. The reality that Miley is able to keep up with her schoolwork while touring across the world is questionable at best. Where do her teachers think that she is weeks at a time? Does no one notice that Robby Ray Stewart is Hannah Montana’s manager? Wouldn’t people be vying to be Miley’s friend if they knew that? How come no one realized that Miley was Hannah when she was singing the bone dance song in biology? I have many questions, but I’ll just have to let them go.

8. Gossip Girl

Obnoxiously wealthy teens with little to no parental supervision reign over New York City. Kids who have less money, but still arguably more than the average person, are sneered at for living in industrial style apartments in Brooklyn. Exposed brick, the horror. While topics such as financial blackmail, embezzlement and stolen designer gowns are not realistic for most teens, “Gossip Girl” does focus on some more realistic problems such as cyber bullying, eating disorders and drug use. High school is the least of these elite teens’ problems, as they can just pay someone to do their homework and college applications for them.

9. Pretty Little Liars

The police in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, must have never completed their training, because no one thinks to track A’s phone at any point during the show. The show focuses on how technology and gossip can be a teen’s downfall, as an all-knowing bully is always poised to reveal the group of girls’ darkest secrets. Illicit student-teacher relationships go essentially unpunished, along with the murders of various other characters. People that you presume to be dead are actually really good at going off the grid, proving just how unrealistic this teen drama truly is.

10. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Witchcraft and Satan and Ross Lynch! Oh my! “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is nothing like the 1996 series “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” While most of the characters are of the same name, the plot is most certainly not. A young half-witch battles with feminism in her mortal school while struggling to decide whether or not she wants to sign her name over to the devil all in the same week. While the show focuses heavily on the struggle between good and evil, it also nods its head to issues such as gender identity, disabilities and parental abuse.

11. The Vampire Diaries

High school aged vampires, what a concept. High schoolers played by mid 20-year-olds put “The Vampire Diaries” last on my list of realistic high school shows. Classmates are constantly dying and being brought back to life, and don’t worry! The high school history teacher happens to be a vampire hunter. Two incredibly attractive brothers fall for the same girl who just so happens to be a carbon copy of the girl who turned them into vampires over a century ago. While grief is a strong theme, it never lasts for long with the help of Bonnie Bennett, a high school witch who can bring people back to life with a good enough pep talk. So for high schoolers, this show is not something to watch if you want a glimpse of the “real thing”.