teen TV & the extinction of the tween

[@missironmouse]

I never understood why they just don’t depict these characters being in college or younger adults (as in under 35).

[@devonmunn5728]

I saw a comment on Ada On Demands video saying a few reasons. Ranging from high school having more firsts to college not being as accessible to people

[@M-WG]

@@devonmunn5728 i would believe that if shows weren’t all set in the most expensively furnished and gigantic houses and condos either US coast has to offer. Plenty of college kids had and still have their first kisses, illegal sip of alcohol and late nights out, getting belated drivers licenses and live with their parents. I don’t buy the excuse beyond “marketing”, creeps and “that’s the way it’s always been” attitudes.

[@devonmunn5728]

@@M-WG I said a few, not "the one reason" Also when it does come to Hollywood they always love to show off wealthy and privileged people (because it is basically a way of showing themselves off and bragging "oh you poor folk who can't afford and will never or rarely at least experience this look at us!" type of attitude) I'm not saying that pedophilia isn't a contributing reason/big factor at all, just that there is other reasons. High school and college arent one big banner of people so do and say the same things because it does really depend on where you live, your environment, time you grew up in, etc. I don't doubt that pedophilia is a reason (whether the people who do that are aware of it or not) I don't think that its the one and only reason

[@devonmunn5728]

@@M-WG There is also pressures from society recently to grow up as fast as you can once you are a certain age and the by 18 you must move out and attend college and already be experienced in sex, drugs and rock n roll (due to how media portrays it to be) as well as other societal expectations and pressures but new generations are starting to realize we don't have to fit into what society tells us to fit into

[@amxzingseries1848]

I mean, I don't agree with a lot of the points raised, but it's true that some shows didn't really need depict high school. I think it has just become the go-to setting when making a show about younger people. I myself am currently writing a story set in high school tho. As it heavily revolves around bullying, I thought this was the most appropriate setting. Combined with parent-child conflict. It's not so much about being Teenager, but rather about the consequences of trauma. Although, I may have to add that I started writing this when I was 11 lol. I obviously altered it since then

[@carlaeyyy649]

What's weird is that when I was in middle school there was a serious rise of Middle school books (diary of a wimpy kid, iFunny, dork diaries etc) it's strange why that trend didn't translate to TV or visual media.

[@theprettypaw4615]

Those books were directed at young children. Dork Diaries reading level is for 5th graders. While 5th grade could be considered middle school, I was able to read the first book in second grade. Children are becoming worse and worse at reading so eventually dork diaries could be a middle school book, but by then would it matter? Many teenagers are getting worse at reading because they never read in general.

[@FruityHachi]

well, “diary of a wimpy kid” was made into movies but yep, no tv shows like that

[@zion639]

I'm in 9th grade and I love diary of a wimpy kid books The movies eh not so much

[@melodysafo5437]

I grew up reading these books

[@tnuoccaeht]

I don’t think it’s a mystery, I think it’s capitalism. Do middle school children and their parents have money? Is that the sort of thing parents wanna buy today?

[@wildindigo34]

the thing is that there is no middle ground anymore. disney channel shows nowadays seem to be targeted at really young kids for some reason and the so called 'teen shows' all just seem like adult tv reenacted with teen characters.

[@janibii_608]

TOH is good, all the characters are 13-14-15

[@yourunnie47]

@@janibii_608 TOH?

[@yourunnie47]

@Al S have you watched the babysitters club? It’s not for kids but not for teens either

[@bellah.8418]

Same it’s really hard to find something for my age I’m 13 and I can’t find the right shows

[@GenerationNextNextNext]

Before the late 1990s, actually, there was no middle ground either. I would argue execs built the "tween" entertainment when cable became popular. But before then? Just things for teens or kids.

[@Td-rs5dq]

As an 18 year old I find it pretty concerning that these "teen" shows are supposed to depict people my age or even younger than me. It's pretty unrealistic and doesn't let tweens and teens be kids. It makes us think we have to grow up too fast

[@n.ahliaa]

exactly!

[@aubrey5228]

I’m 16 and I agree

[@KookieDanish]

I agree

[@marinavasquez8813]

Exactly

[@FG-tu4fq]

That explains tumblr teen's obsession with their drugs and mental illness aesthetics

[@cheekblush]

it's honestly problematic how shows ABOUT teenagers like euphoria aren't made FOR teenagers. why are these sexually explicit shows about teenagers catered to adults? that's just messed up! euphoria is more explicit than any adult show i have seen!

[@paintedparadox4664]

SERIOUSLY 18+ shows about teenagers doesn’t sit right at all. I can’t imagine being an adult and wanting to see that

[@dylankennedy4539]

Im assuming youre still in highschool but its adults working through their traumas. Like Im going to take Euphoria. It really doesnt feel like Gen Z, it feels like Millennials. Like theres not really influencer culture or anything, just drugs and sex. Because its written by a Millennial who was addicted to drugs in highschool. A lot of Millennials who had friends in highschool and went outside sometimes seem to relate to this show. Because its meant to be processing a time in the audiences life thats already passed. Its rated mature for a reason, and the onus isnt on artists to scrub any and all provocative imagery from their work because 'think of the children'. Parental guidance ratings exist and its not Sam Levinsons fault that people dont control what their kids watch.

[@joegreenwell5476]

I feel like it’s ok to have adult shows with younger characters because it’s still things people can relate too from when they were younger. Sometimes they go too extreme, but I think it’s good to have different shows for different age groups. Movies and shows about age groups and different people don’t have to just be made for those specific groups.

[@DeadSezSo]

It's just fetishizing high school and it's just plain creepy and weird! Besides, euphoria is not even a good show. I watched season one and by the end, I was like why the hell did I watch that garbage? The actors are great but the writers are nearly incoherent.

[@sword_racer185]

@@paintedparadox4664 I just started playing video games there are plenty of characters that people can identify with examples, Gordon freeman from half life, master chief from halo, link or zelda from the legend of zelda, shulk, Dunban, Melia, and Ryne from xenoblade chronicles, just to name a few now these don't exactly show what typical teenagers go through they're still great stories with a good meaning. Link is a dedicated knight who chooses to stay silent and bear any burden that falls on him alone cause he's the chosen knight of the goddess and if he's worried or concerned it will make people panic, master chief is a super soilder who was kidnapped and expiremented on till he almost dies and has to fight a threat against humanity, shulks childhood friend gets killed and he go's out on a genocidal revenge quest and learns that he needs to forgive the people who killed and to fight the real enemy. Like I said great stories and none of them sex scenes or whatever they're all safe for teens

[@earthtoalaine]

i feel like shows like lizzie mcguire, boy meets world, sister sister, and the earlier seasons of gilmore girls are pretty good examples of show that catered to a tween/teen audience but (for the most part or until the later seasons) maintanied the balance showing what it's like to be a teen without going too far. I wish there were more shows that had that same spirit, so to speak.

[@xcobmi]

I loved Lizzie McGuire when I was a kid, such a good show

[@loveisanopendoor3532]

I feel like Gilmore Girls is such a perfect coming of age show (minus Rory's horrible "arc", if we can even call it that tbh) but the way it feels so homely and comfortable especially in the first few seasons. Rory's life consistents of school work and trying to keep her head above water which I think is the best depiction of a teenager at school. Most of these shows don't even acknowledge the existence of school work and the demands they bring that sometimes you don't even have a social life because of it. The Chilton part of Rory's life was the elite part of the show imo, there's something so sweet, innocent but utterly realistic about u

[@jasminexie379]

Oh! I miss Lizzie McGuire!!!

[@cc-gx8hr]

When I was 13 I definitely wasn’t watching Disney channel. I know I’m not the only one who was watching Skins & Jersey Shore at that age

[@AnaLu07]

@@cc-gx8hr I watched Disney Channel till i was 15. Girl Meets World was the last thing i watched before moving to more adult things. I don't regret being a later bloomer.

[@sapphic.flower]

I feel like teen shows can have mature plots while also being well lit and not so hyper sexual lol.

[@darienshields9218]

I definitely agree with you on the hyper sexual part ...but I kinda like the dark lighting tbh

[@kilimanjaro5537]

Disney did it very well in the early 2000’s.

[@TahtahmesDiary]

This! You can have a more progressive show thats not inundated with adult themes. Like come on, sex, drugs, serial killers, being robbed, someone getting killed? Too much!

[@TahtahmesDiary]

Also it gives such a false idea of what sexual relationships entail.

[@moxximain]

@@TahtahmesDiary I understand everything else but how is getting robbed adult?

[@Azulagirlboss]

This is why we have seen a surge in teenagers being s3xualised & teens feeling the need to s3xualise themselves. It’s tragic to see that we are constantly being told that we need to look like we’re in our 20s for social capital 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@ikeepscreamingbutgodwontan3132]

Honestly tho... After seeing these shows it makes you feel like you're not living your life enough as a teenager

[@cocojlly1375]

@@ikeepscreamingbutgodwontan3132 yeaaah, I realized that applies to me as well while watching. Because I'm 19yrs old and don't feel I've gotten the chance to experience the typical teenage years. That mostly has to do with myself as a person, my family, and the way I was brought up. However TV content as well as social media has made me feel appearing older, having a sex appeal, and engaging in lots of relationship/sex/hookup culture is forced onto us so much while young. I truly fear for my future children and I have a lot of self reflection to do, before that time comes

[@MadiLikesPie]

nobody is telling you "you need to look older". in fact, its the opposite. you do it to yourself because you want to fit in and look more mature but all it does is make people uncomfortable. im saying this as a 14-year-old female, who has friends that are like this.

[@Pink_pr1ncess]

@@MadiLikesPie The reason why some teenage girls want to look more mature is because the male gaze and Hollywood had fully developed adults portray 15 year olds and now everyone thinks all 15-17 year olds look 25. You don’t how many times people have talked to me like a baby simply because I don’t look like Nicki Minaj or Madisyn Beer at age 16, teenage girls are just tired of being held to a higher standard of beauty. It’s really frustrating having people baby me and treat me like a fourth grader no matter how much makeup or tight clothes I wear, they still talk down on me

[@jalapeno1119]

@@cocojlly1375 I spent my Friday nights in highschool watching movies and eating ice cream with the band geeks. If I was alone I would try out Michelle Phan makeup tutorials or listen to Taylor Swift. Very mild, but I don't regret my life not being like Riverdale.

[@goodbyetimetosay]

My favorite quote going around right now: “you’re not sexually liberated, you’re 16”.

[@icsx1797]

did you get it from that other girls yt, i think her name started with an m or her name is maddie

[@goodbyetimetosay]

@@icsx1797 yeah it was another KZbinr. Madyson Brown I think!

[@idkmyname1424]

@@icsx1797 Madisyn Brown?

[@icsx1797]

@@idkmyname1424 yeah

[@elitheeconomist5674]

This quote is straight from a black womens mouth btw

[@yelansgf]

With me being 14, I can definitely admit that the internet is a huge cause for teens to be growing up faster than ever. Most of us grew up being unsupervised on the internet and that caused us to be exposed to so much at such a young age. We grew up being able to have access to searching any questions we have that our parents say that we’re too young to know about yet. We grew up with seeing people that are older than us saying how cringe it is when a child is simply just acting their age to the point where everyone in that age group bullies other people who are seen as cringe for acting that way. Things constantly being sexualized has made teens start to sexualize themselves to seem valid and fit in with everyone. So much media such as the shows you said in this video really influenced how teens see how they should act in order to “not have a boring life.” Peer pressure and bullying is making us grow up faster than we should. It makes me sad when I realize how truly young I am and yet I know so much that I probably shouldn’t know all because of the internet and kids around me who also grew up using the internet :(

[@insertnamehere3971]

i am older and i can relate to what you said about the internet. ignore all the claims about cringe or whatever and be yourself. that is ridiculous. just makes sure you take care of yourself and spread as much love around you as you can.

[@yelansgf]

@@insertnamehere3971 Thank you so much

[@Prior2Popular]

Yeah it’s sad Exposure can really mess you up, and the worst part is you can’t just forget what you’ve seen

[@sophiagonzales8974]

I feel like the internet exposes dangerous content every now and then

[@jaelan0503]

@@Prior2Popular this bro, i got exposed to some VERY crazy things on the Internet at a young age and ian been right since 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@heIImiina]

Derry Girls is also a really great example of showing the awkwardness of teenage years and I especially love that it's friendship in focus rather than romance. The actors are all in their 20s but are dressed and styled to look awkward and much more realistic for the age they're supposed to portray

[@sophiebradshaw5277]

That's a really good example! I agree, Derry Girls have done an amazing job at portraying realistic teens

[@IshtarNike]

Derry girls is fucking brilliant

[@_mainlyKai_]

I love Derry girls it’s good and relatable

[@lilyluna6391]

Do you recommend it?

[@Hiphop618]

Yes! I'm glad someone mentioned Derry Girls, I love that show!

[@pinkmapviolin]

In some ways, shows starring adults made for adults (especially on network tv, e.g Grey’s Anatomy) are more appropriate for teens than shows starring “teens” acting like adults.

[@Boahemaa]

right?

[@CassieTranthesuperfitbabe]

I understand that-Grey’s Anatomy was SUPER popular when I was in high school as was Game of Thrones! I really want to see more shows about people in college or fresh out of college trying to get their shit together, undergoing quarter life crises, or trying to date in their thirties and even forties. Perhaps this is because the general population in America is becoming older and less people are invested in shows with teenagers as opposed to young or middle-aged adults. One could argue that these shows about kids in high school doing all the experimental puberty shiz is realistic, but whether or not it’s necessary to portray on camera is the question.

[@mattsaracen7]

@@CassieTranthesuperfitbabe have you seen Undeclared or Greek?

[@rrrraquel9314]

EXACTLY! Grey's Anatomy (for example) is an "adult" show but it's rated 14/15. While shows like Euphoria, Sex education, etc that's are "teen" shows have episodes that are rated 18😂🤣

[@taehyungoppa7208]

LITERALLY!!!!!!

[@naomm8832]

it‘s kind of sad how all the „teen“ shows nowadays ( euphoria, 13 reasons why, riverdale) are completely over the top and so fucking dark. we need more shows like young royals or like the movie eight grade where teenagers don‘t look like grown adults and act like teenagers

[@alina-wh3he]

euphoria isn’t dark?????

[@chrissy3875]

AGREE! but with that being said i love euphoria and I think it tackles important topics

[@fatoumatacisse3796]

@@alina-wh3he wydm??

[@tumblrforever681]

I'd say for the average teenager, euphoria is pretty dark. The lives of these teens, though depicted in a seemingly negative light, still give the impression that this is the life that most teens live, rampant with s3x, drugs, etc. when in my opinion, the problems that most teens experience are a lot more mundane, ranging from college to first relationships.

[@sabrinaa8485]

euphoria relates to people struggling with mental illness or drug abuse. rue is supposed to be bipolar and the show is written and produced in a way that shows a realistic case of bipolar disorder (there’s a specific episode that shows how it’s realistic) i can actually really relate because i have this disorder. i just don’t think euphoria appeals to and relates with a large crowd. there’s just a specific audience for the show. yes, euphoria is “over the top” in some ways, but it’s 1. meant to relate to a certain crowd and 2. an “artistic” show. just pay attention to the way it was filmed. it’s less of a tv show and more of a work of art. the color scheme, the lighting, the mood, it’s all supposed to be art in my opinion

[@samanthaholt2894]

As a girl who’s turning 16 soon and am leaving the “tween” age, I STILL don’t want to watch shows like euphoria. I’m old enough to talk about/understand the subject matter but I feel extremely uncomfortable seeing it on screen. I’ve told the adults in my life for YEARS that there are no shows for tweens, which is why I was forced to go literally from Disney to Riverdale. Thank you for making a video about this bc it’s so important that it gets talked about! Hopefully if enough of us speak up creators will get the hint and create more shows for tweens.

[@vaninarosales3376]

I'm 19 and I felt unconfortable watching the first episodes of Euphoria 💀If you'd like to watch series with a little more mature/ complex plot, I suggest animated series that are rated 13/16+

[@HadassaMoon144]

Good! You're not supposed to be watching Euphoria. It's an adult show about "teen" life that should have been set in college. It's rated MA so I'm not sure why so many teenagers are looking at it and saying it's "so realistic". I personally think that it's currently one of the most mentally poisonous shows out there for tweens and teens. Try watching some Korean dramas. I recommend"Dream High".

[@Dovey12]

Things like gravity falls and the owl house have been my go to’s for tween/teen cartoons

[@amelforeal]

some scenes are designed for u to feel that way, that means the actors are good

[@BriBee2468]

lol girl u been left the 'tween' stage tween is be'tween' kid and teen so 9-12 since 13 is the first number with teen in it.

[@meilizackrison]

I'm 15 years old and I'm not into lots of shows for kids my age. You know what I am into? Children's cartoons. Avatar the Last Airbender, She Ra, the Owl House, The Dragon Prince, all of that. Honestly? I'd love more shows like that for teens.

[@emmas.m]

Atla, Phineas and Ferb, and dragon prince are all great.

[@xsweetiebloomx605]

I need more of these shows, man. I feel like one day I'll run out of shows like these and I don't want to

[@itsshannen06]

I am 100% with you, these are some of my all time favourite shows and the stories are so compelling I love them 🥰

[@bellamozzarella6692]

same cartoons are the best

[@Jaenalana]

I’m 17 and since I was 14 those types of shows have always been my favorite. It honestly makes me so sad that some have ended like svtfoe for example but I’ll always love children’s cartoons more then the other types of shows.

[@CosmicYebin]

eighth grade is one of the most realistic movies about the tweenage/early teenage experience its like bo burnham stole my diary from back then

[@maxaroni39]

Agreed, I could see a lot of my younger self in Kayla. It does an incredible job tackling what it's like being a teen in the age of social media.

[@yuhyuh9652]

Yeah that movie reminded me exactly of what it was like being 11 especially the pool party scene made me think of all the tween birthday parties I’ve been to

[@kaylam.6264]

Fr and my name is Kayla so that's when I felt really called out 💀

[@chrissy3875]

i relate to it but found it so cringey- IS IT JUST ME LMAO 😭

[@yuhyuh9652]

@@chrissy3875 YES THE SECOND HAND EMBARRASSMENT FROM THIS MOVIE

[@kelseymull2633]

On Euphoria specifically… I loved that show watching it as a 24 year old. But I still felt uncomfortable that the characters were supposed to be teenagers. I wish they would have just made the characters 20 somethings like the actors actually are.

[@OceanIgs]

Simple fix would be making the characters set in college instead of high school

[@chavaspada]

@@OceanIgs The writers are trying to normalise p*dos, writers such as Dan Schneider, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa or Marlene King. The latter of them has gone on record to say they find those kind of relationships (adult with teen) "hot". That's why in PLL they changed Ezra from a complete creep as he's depicted in the books to Aria's main love interest.

[@Juju_30]

@@chavaspada that's so crazy too. The only thing I iked about euphoria was the fact that it displayed mental health issues well but it taken place in highschool being that sexual and made for adults showcases a lot pedo vibes.

[@michaelyagoobian6609]

Yeah like doing all those drugs, sexual acts, and seeing Kat because a cam girl as what a sophomore or junior in high school is just so difficult to watch as a 20 year old. If they set the show in college it would have been so much more realistic and honestly I feel like a lot of the situations on the show are more things that happen in college than high school anyway. Idk tho maybe I’m wrong bc I didn’t go to public school.

[@AliciaTheAdult]

I get that but I’m 17 rn and it’s kinda realistic. There’s a lot of ppl doing the same shit at this age and younger and I don’t think Euphoria has normalised it I think it’s just been broadcasted to make older ppl think that it’s so bad and taboo when it’s actually not nowadays even thought it’s definitely concerning. I recall watching Euphoria thinking ‘damn I know someone who’s doing that’. T

[@its_just_seb]

what kind of 8 year old has grown out of kids' shows and barbie dolls?? when i was twelve i watched lazy town

[@bgcrp2005]

Girl u was 12 watching shows meant for toddlers and pre schoolers we gotta talk

[@FaiaHalo]

@@bgcrp2005 what's the problem with that? I'm 23 and I enjoy watching cartoons after a long day of work. Can you tell me in which way is it wrong?

[@mylispandi7377]

naur cause i was watching Barbie movies, monster high and Elena of avalor well into the age of 14/15

[@jade_ehx600]

nah my cousin is 7 and watches the walking dead and vampire diaries.

[@mouse363]

I didn't grow out of kids shows and playing with dolls until I was in middle school and it was more because I didn't have time for it as much then me being uninteresting. My 7 year old sister though... She doesn't watch kids shows very much at all and she doesn't really care for dolls much. I think the entire way kids interact with the world is changing SO rapidly. 90% of what my sister watches is just youtube, and that would've been 10% or less when I was her age.

[@disco_eve917]

I think this is why anime is so popular among teenagers. It’s the middle ground you can’t find in much of this side of media. It’s a mix of craziness, feelings, action, adventure and drama all packaged within colorful worlds and fun characters. Not to mention anime has a wide range of genres, themes, styles and stories. Even the art styles are mostly mixes between children’s cartoons proportions and attractive realistic body proportions.

[@vk4165]

THIS!!! 😌✨✨

[@jes1636]

realistic body proportions? are you buggin? almost every girl character in anime has building-sized badonkers, even the teenagers

[@honeybeeami2654]

I feel like both in anime and in teen shows it’s not realistic at all. In a lot of shows with teens there doesn’t seem to be much variety at all in how the protagonists look

[@364-unbirthdays8]

@@jes1636 You are definitely watching the wrong anime

[@littlelady9801]

@@jes1636 what...what kind of anime have you been watching, my guy?

[@GenerationNextNextNext]

The fact that 8-year-olds are now considered TWEENS nowadays. I always thought Tweens focused on the double digits (10 to 12) that didn't have -teen behind it in the numbering system. It feels like the idea of a "Tween" gets younger and younger. And Imma have to stop you on one of your points. The fact that Sex Education focuses on teenagers AND have teenagers in compromising sexual situations is STILL problematic. Partially the reason adults ARE hired for these kinds of roles is because it isn't right to coerce or have teenagers subjecting themselves to these roles before they are full-fledge adults.

[@arthurr.r.lucasspublicdoma5621]

I agree. I don't really see an 8 or 9 year old as a tween or a 13-14.

[@alyssamarie3052]

@@hatethisupdate mmm well i still tween as 13-14 tbh

[@GoldenestLady]

Is say tweens are 11-14

[@lucieleairth]

I'd say 10 to 13 or 14. Middle school years basically. Sure you're technically a teen at 13, but I'd say you really become a teenager in high school, at 14 or 15.

[@brokensoul6573]

8?

[@bubblegumbxtch9616]

i watched shows like riverdale, skins, euphoria etc, and thought about how boring my life is actually, but then i remembered what i exactly saw in those shows and my opinion changed immediately. i'm content with having a boring life and studying my ass off all day with small exceptions of quiet days with my friends instead of drinking alcohol and getting knocked up left and right every week💀 edit: so uh i see people responding to this lately, and i wanna clear some things. i'm not really saying that studying all day and all that is bad, it just gets exhausting to have the same cycle of things and actions; and what i meant with my first sentence was that i never even had any interesting activities at my school and that's without even counting all of the shit that is depicted my those shows. hope the rest is fine, i'm gonna go sleep now bye

[@jaydenhughes]

I'm very happy with my life compared to the people in skins

[@ikeepscreamingbutgodwontan3132]

Same... I thought I wasn't living my life enough... Then I thought, "oh it's just a show" but when I read the reviews, and how everyone responded with, "soo relatable" and sh!t, I was convinced, my life was very boring... But then I stumbled across this video and I'm glad I did... It makes me feel so much better about myself

[@kiera6326]

You could always get drunk and knocked up whilst studying with your friends. Best of both worlds lol

[@scarlet8895]

euphoria was genuinely the most relatable show i've watched in forever, don't know how u guys are surviving

[@bubblegumbxtch9616]

@@scarlet8895 i mean, there were some relatable things there; but mind that they are 16/ 17 or whatever, wearing heavy makeup and the prettiest clothing(ngl, i'm envious of those and aesthetics of the show itself were really cool), partying every week, fucking like animals in heat, getting drunk, and nothing from above is relatable to me or most of the teens and those aren't only my words. i understand, that everyone's lifestyle is different as are schools, culture, education in different countries, but overall those are just overused and not realistic(enough).

[@Boahemaa]

I am happy you pointed out that there is no actual learning in these shows set in highschool.

[@oliviac295]

Yeah, real high schoolers barely have time to do anything besides studying. Meanwhile in these shows they literally do everything but study.

[@xylypotatohead3947]

There's a german show set in a boarding school where they have class and study a lot also the actors are actual teens and they are not sexualised either at least not really. But the plot is not that great. Another great show in that regard is H2O just add water, I think it's more realistic tbh

[@ikeepscreamingbutgodwontan3132]

@@oliviac295 I don't even remember how many times I've cried when I couldn't score good enough in the exams and how many mental breakdowns I had while doing maths homework... and it's not like I like to study, I really, really have to... And no, I'm not a nerd...

[@leelahasan3988]

@@oliviac295 Personally, I'm okay with them depicting students partying instead of studying, as long as they also show those characters struggling in school. Shows like Gossip Girl, where Blair and Serena spend all of their time scheming and drinking and partying and sleeping with their boyfriends only to end up at top 15 schools in the country? That bothers me.

[@alxandro5504]

because it’s a tv show? did she really make that a point 😐 wtf are they gonna do, show the actors sitting for 20 minutes staring at a book?

[@neivilde.1242]

something i noticed and can't unsee is that teenagers in shows made for kids are usually more realistic portrayals of teens than the ones in teen shows. like the ones in the disney and nick shows, the new disney+ shows (ex: hsmtmts, big shot, diary of a future president), a few apple tv shows (ghostwriter, home before dark), the tween category on netflix (alexa and katie, no good nick, the unlisted), every show aimed at either kids or families like sitcoms or whatever tend to have regular non-sexualized kids. like i find myself watching kid shows because they're way less dramatic and sensationalized.

[@kilimanjaro5537]

Yes! I prefer those shows to the ones targeted towards my demographic 🥴. They’re definitely more realistic.

[@pettylilthing]

I like Alexa and Katie, but a lot of Disney and nick non animated shows after like 2016 have a lot of slap stick, and aren’t as good once you become a teen, and shows on Netflix for teens are to adult for me at least, that why I just be on KZbin or watch 90 sitcoms like moeshea, sister sister etc.

[@neivilde.1242]

@@pettylilthing yeah it’s not perfect i mean it’s still for kids, like the shows on disney channel and nick right now have characters in middle school, so they’re not teens, they’re more kids, but in general if a show is more aimed at tweens and kids and has teenagers in it, like high school, they’re likely to be more accurate than those written for teens

[@Inurwalls02]

Wait a minut- Alexa and Katie and No Good Nick are meant for tweens?? I'm 18 and I've watched both those shows at least twice and I loved them 💘

[@jemappellemerci]

@@Inurwalls02 they’re really good! I’m 18 too and watched both of them as well.

[@akennan3817]

I think Anne With an E is such a good teen show. I'd say it's maybe the perfect one - even if it is about the teens of the past. It has romance, it has friendship struggles, school struggles, questions about sexuality... Things that most teenagers grapple with as they grow up. And never does it go over the top, but it's still so fun to watch! Wish they had made another season.

[@flyindogs]

anne with an e is so good 😭

[@2triedforthis830]

Bro I just finished the show yesterday and I absolutely love it! The fact most of the actors are actually kids and teenagers is also nice and it doesn’t show them inappropriately or anything. I really miss the show so much and wish other ones aimed at teens are like that show

[@mxar2074]

h2o was the best thing to happen to 2000s kids is all I'm saying. I'm glad I had that mermaid phase 🥲

[@opalhearst4227]

so true!

[@clarascats1365]

I still try to see if I have water powers about once a month 😂

[@williambuttlicker5654]

YES, i'm on ss3 and sadly the plot is becoming less mermaid and more teenage love drama, i specifically wanted to stray away from the genre but apparently it's impossible

[@ayarriba9093]

H2O was the shitttttt ❤️

[@potatowithgooglyeyes2458]

If you’re a tween watching this, here are some great show recommendations: -Raising Dion(AMAZING SHOW) -Greenhouse Academy -Alexa and Katie -Anne with an E -Boy meets world (all time favorite) -A Series of Unfortunate Events -Full House -Sister, Sister -Once Upon a Time -No good Nick - Victorious -Just Add Magic -Gortimer Gibbon’s life on normal street -Brainchild -High School Musical: The Series -The Mandalorian -Gravity Falls -I am Jazz -The owl house -buffy the vampire slayer -Julie and the Phantoms (im not adding more onto the list just look in the replies for more)

[@minnahvakil7135]

Thanks you! I’ve watched a couple of these shows and there awesome! No good nick is great for anyone 10+, Alexa and Katie is the same, but you should probably be 11-12 to watch umbrella academy ( recommended to watch with a parent).

[@juanekabrim6699]

A series of Unfortunate Events is my all time fav!! (im 12 btw)

[@MadiLikesPie]

alexa and katie is awesome, my mom loved it too haha

[@allurajane4979]

i recommend the owl house

[@potatowithgooglyeyes2458]

@@allurajane4979 that one is great too

[@goobertron9099]

I’m going onto high school. I still like a lot of “childish” things like watching Disney jr shows and Nick jr shows and a lot of anime meant for younger audiences, and you know what? That’s how I like it.

[@oliviac295]

Exactly, there’s nothing wrong with that! I’m 18 and my favourite show is miraculous ladybug. It makes me happier than all the other dark, intense shows I’ve watched combined.

[@tonkababic9826]

Love what you love, and don't be scared of liking stuff that makes you happy

[@karalynspeaks4267]

@@oliviac295 yeah I have seen shows like euphoria and then i will switch to spongebob

[@rnambala]

@@oliviac295 Same here!

[@jemimajanvier4706]

I’m 20 and I still listen to the songs I loved as a kid on Disney channel. Stay youthful❣️

[@catharticmemefairy2088]

tbh i’m 17 and every 12 year old I know is significantly wilder than me and has done EVERYTHING i’m waiting till college to do

[@ikeepscreamingbutgodwontan3132]

Well they only know about it, less than have of them have actually "done" it...

[@britney8884]

lets also talk about how I know middle schoolers saying they can't wait for high school cause they want to have a Euphoria story line irl.... like 1) why tf are you watching euphoria in ms? 2) did you ACTUALLY watch it or just look at it for pretty colors? Cause if you actually watched it you would know there is nothing aesthetic and the things that the characters go through are deeply troubling.

[@ikeepscreamingbutgodwontan3132]

@@britney8884 exactly...

[@aricarly]

I'm older than you at 23... and the stuff I have heard some 12-13 year olds do (who are my parent's friend's kids) make my skin crawl. Things not even college seniors do. They believe shows like Euphoria are realistic, and that you have to act like that to be "adult".

[@serenity3034]

@@aricarly The image of being an adult they they show on TV is false yet a lot of adults do it. Like, they make us young folk think that sex, drinking, drugs is all about adult life. No way, Jose. At least in my opinion and conversations I’ve had with my parents.

[@Solararisa]

Also, it was also disturbing how Kat's character arc was handled in Euphoria. Why is a child selling her own cp being shown to be s*xually liberated? And they just drop her arc, without addressing how harmful that can be for her doing s*x work as a child.

[@TheCoolJavelin7]

Bruh. Crazy. Also euphoria isn't for teens. There were kids at my old school watching it and the head stopped them.

[@jaycee3177]

I remember when Miley started doing some of her more "scandalous" things, and everyone was so horrified. It's kinda sad that you can look back now and think, "That really isnt as bad as the stuff on regular tv nowadays."

[@crystalaforetia2810]

I wish you had mentioned Tiny Pretty Things on Netflix. It's the show MOST guilty of sexualizing teens. The show is about the teenage ballet dancers, but there is no reason why these characters can't be in a college conservatory. Numerous times the characters are wearing nothing but a towel in the sauna, and the sex scenes are so explicit for no reason. It literally makes Riverdale and Gossip Girl tame in comparison.

[@DiscoBewts]

I thought this same thing while watching, a lot of the nudity and sex scenes did nothing for the plot, aging them up would have made more sense...

[@antonizajkowski9698]

YES YES YES

[@theprettypaw4615]

I thought they were in college… how did I miss that while watching??

[@ikeepscreamingbutgodwontan3132]

Have you seen Euphoria???

[@serenity3034]

@@theprettypaw4615 In the first episode I believe, when the lady that took Neveah to the dorm in the ballet school said something like, “these rooms are for ages 16-17.” Which implied that that dance school are for teens a bit under 18.

[@RaghadAmr]

I don't want to be that kdrama fan, but honestly I see it as an amazing alternative to american tv for tweens, the plots are extremely entertaining and unique and the characters are never overtly sexualised. And if we're talking about school dramas specifically, they handle issues that teenagers and tweens actually face which makes them way more relatable and engaging

[@es-jm5fg]

I agree with this, also jdramas

[@bougie_pink]

@@es-jm5fg same here and for Chinese dramas too I like how refreshing it is

[@aestheticcat8976]

@@bougie_pink J, K and C. I swear that's all I watch ever since I saw a few fan made edits, what I find is that based on the genre especially with teenagers or aged school kids I don't feel uncomfortable. I don't feel my skin crawling with what's depicted with people who are supposed to be minors, I'm twenty two for reference and there's come western shows with "teenagers" that makes me nauseated. Whereas with either J, K or C it's more refreshing than anything else and other times realistic.

[@bougie_pink]

@@aestheticcat8976 I agree as a teenager, Most western portrayal of teens often leaves me feel uncomfortable and only few out there really shows the awkward natural moments I personally face and other ppl my age, but with j k c drama they usually are good with simulating that feeling while being extra for the sake of it

[@bajabl]

Yes I spent my high school years watching those dramas! Also hannah montana

[@ArtemisMoon12]

8-14, too young for bras but too old for dolls Gonna sound weird, but I still played with dolls until age 13 (and by that time I had already gotten confused for a college student.) I got a lot of joy from those dolls. It was only shame from peers that made me stop. Makes me wonder how young girls are packing away their toys nowadays… god I’m sad now

[@chrissy3875]

i'm fourteen and i love dolls still 😭😭

[@aricarly]

I already commented answering to another comment, but I also was a "late bloomer" and played with dolls until the ripe old age of 15. I find it sad that tweens today aren't still playing with dolls or other toys at younger and younger ages. I'm not that old at 23, but I remember that in my "time" (making myself sound older haha), girls usually played with dolls until age 11-12, even the more "grown up" ones. Sometimes I babysit my youngest cousins, who are 9 and 10 years old, and it makes me so sad that all they want is a cellphone so they can watch TikTok videos.

[@PuppyPlootes]

I’m 13 and I loveeee AG Dolls. My family tells me I’m too old for them, tho

[@leelahasan3988]

I remember getting shamed by my peers for being "a big baby" because I watched shows like My Little Pony, Pokemon, and Monster High when I was 10. It's honestly ridicules how fast kids and tweens are expected to grow up nowadays. It always makes me feel so sad whenever I see a young kid watching or reading something that is clearly above their maturity level, because it always gives me the impression that they weren't allowed to be kids.

[@artemis3306]

@@leelahasan3988 yeah same, i was a MLP fan from ages 10-14 but was too embarrassed to tell anyone I watched it in case I would be ridiculed. Middle school and early high school are not a good time for kids who have “childish” interests. Or any kids really

[@nyabis8044]

I always believed that if you legally can’t cast actual teenagers to play the teenagers in a show, maybe your show shouldn’t be about high schoolers.

[@Rosemary46840]

YOU TOLD NO LIES💯💯💯 THIS.

[@Annaonesun]

I'm honestly so glad I got into Korean media in my early teens. There's so many k-dramas about teens for teens that are actually appropriate for actual teens to watch. I remember my classmates talking about Pretty Little Liars while I was watching Dream High. I'm not trying to sound like a "not like other girls", but I'm just glad the shows I watched were about fighting for your dreams and school drama, not about inappropriate relationships and sexualised teens. I'm now in my mid 20s and looking back I just think that was much better for my mental health.

[@ilmianafirmantika8079]

Dream High also has nuanced and complex characters. I also love the relationship and dynamic between the characters. The rivalry/animosity between the characters are treated as such and handled pretty well. The moment where the characters brush off their difference to achieve the same goal is believable because how well written it is. With PLL some characters have some problematic relationships but being romanticised and passed of as normal. The redemption of the characters are not done well enough that they seem more inconsistent rather than 'developed'.

[@mibbles2371]

Any ones you could recommend for someone new to Kdramas? Preferably on Netflix

[@Annaonesun]

@@mibbles2371 I'm not 100% sure which shows are on Netflix, I mostly watch on Viki, but i know at least some of these are on Netflix. Some recommendations for school/teen dramas are: Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok-Joo, School 2013, School 2015: who are you, School 2021 (the school series is a series of stand-alone shows that started back in the 90s, all the ones I've seen are really good, but these are my favourite ones), Reply 1997, Reply 1988, Dream High (stay away from dream high 2 for your own sanity), Love revolution, Sungkyunkwan Scandal, I could go on lol. If you just want good shows that aren't necessarily about school or teen life, some of my personal favourites are: He is Psychometric, Lovers of the Red sky, Healer, While you were sleeping, Chicago Typewriter, Doctor Stranger, Wanted, Two Weeks, One spring night, Arthdal Chronicles (super excited for season 2!!), My country: the new age, Devil Judge and so, so many more. If there is any specific genre or mood you are looking for, I can definitely give more specific recommendations. I've spent way too much time watching k-dramas, at least if I can give good recommendations I can say it wasn't for nothing 😂

[@footgoblin]

@@mibbles2371 I'm somewhat new to Kdramas too but so far I've watched Itaewon class, Doom at your Service, Weightlifting Fairy Kim bok joo, Jirisan and Lovestruck in the City. You can start with any of these. I loved all of them!!

[@JJLiew]

Korean shows always have such meaningful messages. Shows like Itaewon Class and Start-Up really do inspire young people to work hard towards their dreams.

[@asmileisspecial]

The Baby-Sitters Club on Netflix seems to be a tween friendly show, the characters are all 13 and have regular issues like divorce and how to speak to their crush. It's so comforting that even though I'm an Old, I can't wait for season 2 because it was just so family friendly and wonderful.

[@janibii_608]

I loved the comics as a kid, i might try this show out!

[@brendielahooha]

Nice to know

[@TahtahmesDiary]

I wasn't sure if I should start but now I definitely will 🤗💜

[@17Jahseh17]

Yes I love this show I want my younger sister to watch it once she’s old enough. I already read the book so I couldn’t wait when they announced it

[@Fantozz2]

Adding to that...Julie and the Phantoms is also a perfect tween show.

[@Shanspeare]

Truly such a great video!

[@agostoangosto9442]

It's definetly not on the same level as Riverdale, but I have seen people argue that there were certain elements in nickelodeon shows (specifically those run by Dan Schneider) that seem creepy in retrospect. For this and other reasons I actually think tween oriented shows and movies have always been weird. That's not an excuse for modern shows, if anything it makes its prevalence over the years more damning. this was an excellent video essay anyways and I hope you keep creating excellent content!

[@w.iroses]

Yes it’s always been weird but kids will never understand the the innuendos.

[@Lizardlarry2000]

I’m only gonna let my child watch Disney

[@IshtarNike]

Innuendo isn't all that bad. We do have to have a balance. As someone else said, if you don't understand the innuendo it has no effect. The mere fact that you can rewatch it as an adult and recognise the innuendo doesn't mean it has any effect on the teen viewers. I think the more explicit stuff is the problem if it's not handled right.

[@agostoangosto9442]

@@IshtarNike I think there's a difference though, between a show including some jokes that you'll get when you're older and a pattern of constantly pressuring teen characters and actors into uncomfortable situations

[@IshtarNike]

@@agostoangosto9442 yeah there is. That wasn't really made clear in the original comment though was it... Some people think innuendo is creepy, which is what I was responding to.

[@davids.7567]

One thing I noticed is that a lot of teen shows are pretty much in the drama genre. I'm thinking, "Why not make a high school comedy for a change? Kids deserve levity after a rough day at school!"

[@samash7302]

“Teens” in today’s high school dramas: *Having qUirKy and philosophical monologues and conversations, solving life threatening mysteries and crimes, extravagant trips, eNdGAme romances, etc* Me in high school: How dafuq you use this damn graphing calculator!

[@ilmianafirmantika8079]

I love that all your descriptions for 'teens' dramas fit well with Riverdale. But also, yes, I couldn't (and still CAN NOT) use a graphing calculator

[@jake-bg1qp]

i watched 7 seasons of SHAMELESS at 12… if that doesnt say that tween access is getting realllyyyyy bad, i dunno what does.

[@OReily08080]

I did watch Glee around 7 yrs old when it came out

[@karlacortez9510]

@@OReily08080 same

[@ohh7759]

Yeah I followed Skam loyally and now I’m so disappointed in actual teen life, pandemic and all ://

[@NOCLUEinvalid]

Me when first watching it: ah the nudity! Me after watching it:desensitized af

[@ikeepscreamingbutgodwontan3132]

I watched skins when I was 12...

[@oppaisenpai300]

Do you think part of this has to do with the way the internet picks on the (age appropriate) interest of teen girls alot? Which in turn forces teen girls to not want to be seen as uncool and childish so they try to appeal to the adults who were mocking the shows/interest in the first place.

[@keshagriffin3375]

Yeah definitely.

[@BriBee2468]

yea the VSCO girl trend was probably the best aesthetic for tweens and teen girls, but of course it was bullied to the ground by adults.

[@catsrule1343]

One thing I love about Degrassi is that it portrays the more serious teen issues as well as the more common (unlike shows like Euphoria which, as good as it is, only portrays serious topics). Degrassi has episodes about abortion, addiction, and suicide, but it also has episodes about making friends, academic troubles, and being nervous around crushes. It really helps the show be accessible to all teenagers and portrays a healthy balance of teenage life. I'm so thankful that I watched Degrassi as a tween and am only watching stuff like Euphoria or Gossip Girl as a fully grown teenager. I think it helped me learn so much that those other shows never could touch on in an authentically teenage way.

[@juliavargas13]

Degrassi kinda reminds me of an teen soup opera made in Brazil, my country, called Malhação. Each year is a new season, the characters and problems change. They also portray serious and commun issues (I was watching one season that talks about teen pregnancy, but also about a guy who can't speak to girls, 'cause he's very shy). There's no explicit s*x scenes, even though they discuss this themes in the show. Some of the actors are kind old for their roles, but most of them seem to be actual teens/very young

[@afilmbee]

As a fresh-teen myself (15), i find myself pretty “innocent” compared to people my age. I never grew out of loving animation, i don’t wear makeup, never really thought about the topic of s*x and never really thought about my love life either outside of fictional crushes. Seeing people my age on social media with all their dating, partying, smoking, etc makes me feel so.. weird. I am glad i don’t do those things but it’s hard to get people to take you seriously in my situation.

[@TheRealOceanicDreams]

That’s me as well. I honestly find it really weird that people nowadays only think of partying, drugs, s*x, love and social media. I’m happy living the way I am.

[@renaehardin7971]

I feel the same way and I’m glad I’m not the only one!

[@iiCounted-op5jx]

better start growing up when u turn 18 though cuz if u stay innocent forever you'll turn into an incel 💀😂😂

[@da45r]

​@@iiCounted-op5jx? An incel is when you want love but can't have it so you hate others for it. If they don't want love and sex even after 18, then why should you care? Do you think we all go through the virginity test when we turn into adults?

[@TheYoungKilljoy]

@@iiCounted-op5jx ?

[@xxivletxx]

Thank you for mentioning the failure of the sex education curriculum in America. I think the reason why shows like Euphoria are so popular is because many teenagers don’t have access to adequate sex education programs and are very naturally curious of how people perform sexual acts, so they turn to shows that glamorize sex. My sex education program didn’t even teach you how to have sex safely; they avoided the topic altogether (they literally just said to wait until marriage lol), so of course I just naturally turned to the internet to show me how “it’s done”. We need proper education for teenagers.

[@paulinaispunk]

this has actually made me so upset for tweens in this day and age :( there is already sooo much pressure and confusion during your tween/teen years, theres no doubt this will all be super damaging to them as they grow up :( bless them

[@DrawciaGleam02]

I know I felt sadness at not experiencing certain things in teen dramas.....

[@Shanspeare]

Excited!!!

[@dashingtherouxthesnow4017]

Omg this is a crossover I need, two of my favourite KZbinrs ❤️

[@gisellesami]

Knowledgeable goddesses!!

[@AS-010o0]

💗

[@stargirl8444]

seriously my jaw dropped when they said that zoya in the gossip girl reebot was 14 like what the hell

[@nickie2483]

THIS like?????

[@smarterperson16]

WAIT ZOYA AS IN THE BALD GIRL?????????????????? isnt her actress like 28................ ETA: nvm you were talking about whitney peak's character and afaik she was the only one in the cast that was the closest to her character's age at the time of filming and she's like what???? 17/18??? jesus

[@rubylou3620]

Honestly as a 15 year old girl it makes me feel really self conscious watching series’s and movies showing a *normal* teenager when in reality it’s a adult playing a teenager it makes me feel like I don’t look like a normal teenager should when it comes down to it I’m completely normal

[@amyluisa_]

Stranger Things is a show I’m very thankful for, since the kids cast is so relatable, and having the same age as some of the characters/actors (2004 gang!!!) makes it better cause I got to grow up during the exhibition of each new season of the show, now, almost 18, I start to relate more to the older teens spectrum like Nancy, Steve and Jonathan… I know this show isn’t exactly a teen show since it has that 80s nostalgia for our parents but I feel it’s very balanced and family-friendly… on a more tangible example season 3 exemplified perfectly the dilemma of growing up and start dating, like the Hopper-Eleven dynamic of overprotective father and daughter with her first boyfriend and how Will seems like a fish out of water when all his friends have girlfriend, a feeling that most of us might have experienced…. Your video is very well made and so aesthetically pleasing lol ❤️

[@Honeyr0ck]

AMEN, i agree about all you said about st

[@almanystromlarsson8021]

Young Royals was a really good teen show. the characters lokked and felt like real teens, and were'nt overly sexualised or made to act like adults. clothing were reused, actors have acne and it all circles around their school experience

[@ahavakatz1421]

Yeah i noticed they reused the clothing and it made the show feel so real

[@dianalovesbagelss8029]

Is it on Netflix??

[@adamnreader4599]

@@dianalovesbagelss8029 Yes it is!

[@catlulu00]

Derry Girls is another show that does teenagers and teen life so right despite using adult actors!

[@emjaysnow]

absolutely love that show! so good!

[@Millie7019]

Yass! That show is great!!!💜✨

[@melaninempress6068]

Ned's Declassified School survival guide was the GOAT tween show. ( Only second to degrassi of course)

[@miruonlive]

I remember that show so we'll, and that even as a 8 year old girl watching the rerunning of episodes, I felt understood. It was a really pleasing show to watch

[@whatever3440]

It was so GOOD

[@Jennifer-uh8th]

YES

[@alxandro5504]

that was a tween show? i watched that during elementary

[@alwaysrunning234]

THIS!!

[@matariki9818]

I remember watching Gossip Girl and Skins as a tween in the late 2000s. What strikes me the most as I'm now in my late 20s is that I thought that EVERYONE had sex in high school based on these shows, and even some more PG ones like Glee. It wasn't until I reached my age that I realized how wrong that narrative was : not only was I, myself, not late for having my first sex experience at the end of my first year of college, at the canonic age of almost 18, but it was actually pretty much the norm. And as I learned later, some of my friends didn't have that experience until their mid 20s - and before you ask, both of these friends, a guy and a girl, were very conventionnally attractive. This pressure to have sex so early, especially on guys but also on girls, is SO damaging. I remember talking to an old middle school friend of mine. Back then, she was the only one with a boyfriend, he was older, they were having sex, and she was 14. I remember how impressed I was back then, how she was so cool compared to us lame-teenage looking average girls. In retrospect, I was horrified by what she went through with what was nothing but a predator, and thankful for actually looking like a teenager at the time.

[@redribbon2]

As a tween myself, there isn't much content out there that suits our ages and current status.

[@final7423]

Sadly yea.. That’s why I basically only watch youtube

[@wednesdaysbliss1]

Love how a Dan Schneider show is used as the “age appropriate” example. Some of the “comedy” in those shows kinda states otherwise.

[@dianalovesbagelss8029]

Yeah literally victorious and Sam and cat are known for their creepy jokes involving minors

[@evers33n]

The foot fetish in them is so creepy

[@taliahturqoise9673]

Besides the creepy scenes, Dan Shneider shows sucked lmao

[@icecreamhero2375]

@@taliahturqoise9673 Nah I still watch them to this day. His shows are basically Monty Python for kids.

[@TheCoolJavelin7]

Feet!

[@Maced_with_Nightmares]

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it’s again, Euphoria isn’t for tweens and all the ppl who don’t understand the theme of the story are just watching it for the fashion and cinematography/aesthetic without digging to understand the message the story it portraying relating to sexuality and drug use.

[@pamelaleal3695]

Thank you!

[@jasminrodriguez0829]

I think regardless of it’s message and who it’s for it glamorized drug use/addiction. And I don’t see why a show who’s supposedly not teens is filled with teen characters? Why could they have not aged up the characters just a few years? Truly how much could it affect the message? There are many movies and shows that can show heavy topics with that, even including teens, without making drug use and addiction look appealing. Euphoria can and should have done better in trying to get its message across.

[@Maced_with_Nightmares]

@@jasminrodriguez0829 how does it glamorize it? Did u skip the scene when rue and her mom r fighting? Or when she’s yelling at Fez? Or when she ODs and Gia finds her?

[@aidafuentesv]

@@jasminrodriguez0829 i think Euphoria has a very good reason to be set up in high school and it’s the fact that the main problem revolves around Nate’s dad and the fact that he could go to jail for sleeping with Jules and the fact that Nate uses this information to blackmail Jules. Also, when Maddy goes to the police her mom is the one that presses charges against Nate, even though Mady is clearly against it, but she’s a minor and her mom is the one that makes that decision. Kat’s storyline also revolves around the fact that she’s a minor that thinks that has power, but that’s really far away from the truth. Rue is based on Levinson’s teenage self so that part is quite realisitic. It makes sense that this is in high school and not college because the main plot would not work

[@remytherat2929]

@@jasminrodriguez0829 how did it make addiction look appealing? as an addict myself i can say that it was an extremely realistic look on a teen girl struggle with addiction (so much so i had to turn it off a couple of times as it struck WAY to close to home as i literally experienced the exact same traumatizing situations)

[@imontosomething2609]

Now I know why I avoid mature teen shows. It’s just something about adults pretending to be teenagers pretending to be adults turn me off. If they were freshmen and juniors in college then I wouldn’t bat an eye and would probably watch. I think these shows should have a balance of maturity bc for sure not every teen’s life is happy and wholesome and ideally age appropriate.

[@dshwnk]

I would love to hear your thoughts on "Never Have I Ever" I thought it was phenomenal and as someone who dealt with grief and trauma alongside puberty and navigating middle my young teens- in my life I have never seen anything attempt to explore those themes. It has quickly become one of my favorite depictions of tweendom. While it has been made for teens it is unique as it does not attempt to "dumb itself down" in the way Nickelodeon shows might- there is an obvious respect for the complexity of a young teen's internal and external worlds.

[@pinkglitter93]

I really miss teen shows like Lizzie McGuire, That's so Raven even As Told By Ginger. They were fun, and showed a slice of life in a Tweens/teens life. Now it is all about "baddies", teen pregnancies, being with the "hot guy", full of drama....

[@sophiaisabelle027]

So technically teen shows are no longer being catered to juvenile audiences between the ages of like 10-17. Even the characters themselves dress a lot more like adults than tweens/teenagers. I miss the days where, say for example, I'd watch That's So Raven or Lizzie McGuire and most of the characters in there are evidently juvenile in a sense. Sigh. Times really are different nowadays even if it's going a bit downhill.

[@leelahasan3988]

RIP I watched That's So Raven when I was 5

[@esthervolzklassen5255]

I am 16, and that is the reason why I'm so thankful for my parents just letting me watch Disney channel shows and nothing over 13 pg util 2 years ago. Of course I would watch other stuff, but because of this restrictions watching something like degrassi was already too rebellious, so i would never get close to riverdale. And i see how it played a major role in me not being as insecure as the majority of my girl friends. At 12 they were talking about how fat or ugly they looked, and I felt bad and dislocated for not being insecure nor watching "teen" shows, but now I see the correlation, I wasn't insecure because I didn't watch this shows, and that is a blessing.

[@asheniza1168]

I'm 17 and I've seen Riverdale when I was like 15-16 and I found it very questionable in what they made the teen characters do..... I also used to watch Disney Channel when I was younger, but I grew out of watching TV in general so

[@leelahasan3988]

That's really interesting. I had the opposite experience. I always felt really shitty watching Disney shows that cast actual teenagers as a tween. Whenever I saw shows with adults playing teens I could always waive off insecurity because those aren't actual tweens or teenagers. Whereas watching the Disney shows made me realize how ugly I was for real.

[@esthervolzklassen5255]

@@leelahasan3988 wow, its really interesting seeing how diferent our experiences were. Thanks for sharing your perspective! 💛💛💛

[@TheLastMillennials]

Zoomers

[@ataliaibarra4777]

Same I would never go near Riverdale. My sister is 12 and she wants to watch pg 14. She keeps using my account Bc hers is still a kids account. I keep telling her to tell me before she watches anything Bc I want to know if it’s ok. I feel like she wants to watch more anime but I feel kinda insecure about that Bc some can be a little disturbing especially since we’re growing up in a conservative family.

[@singleminthugger]

Watch out for me in the future, girl. I’m going create media for tweens.

[@sadcatcowboy7207]

You go girl!

[@pete.the_cat]

YEAH

[@dianalovesbagelss8029]

SAME HERE

[@victoriabell9546]

Pop off, queen!!!

[@y2ktora73]

pls do, please created a new era for teen dramas where teens actually act like teens

[@god563616]

I feel like crying watching this and I want to protect all pre teen girls in the world and tell them to discard these years. You are beautiful and wanted no matter what the stupid media says.

[@vJocelynn]

Thank you for giving me protection:D

[@Rosemary46840]

Wanted ? Oh they definitely are wanted by pedos. No girl at that age should be tryna feel "wanted" smdh.

[@paralyza9998]

Heck i'm 30 and sometimes i still feel like a 14yo if i watch those teen series! because it feels i didn't do highschool right or something. Like you said they just could perfectly make it work in collage setting.

[@antonizajkowski9698]

"Everything Sucks" is one of my favourite tv shows and it depicts tweens. I honestly cannot recommend it enough

[@antonizajkowski9698]

@@hatethisupdate Yeah, it seems very real imo. I could relate to it even a few years older, not living in the 80 in America etc.... And honestly, what those kids managed to do was/is just a dream, hah

[@Mayakihara]

Definitely. Just look at how Cassie’s character from euphoria and the her character in everything sucks were presented, even though they are the same age

[@antonizajkowski9698]

@@Mayakihara I didn't watch Euphoria

[@Envwhyy]

They aren't tweens

[@antonizajkowski9698]

@@Envwhyy What? They are 14

[@ladybird5000]

Druck, Skam and Young Royals are definitely the best and most realistic teen shows out there

[@miriam1507]

I love each of them

[@guokfdukknbgjk9416]

young royals? really?

[@lebleuchat6209]

Young Royaaals ✊🏽😔

[@leelahasan3988]

The other versions of Skam are really good too! Flemish Skam (WTFock), Skam Italia, French Skam (Belgique). I would highly recommend those as well if you haven't already seen them.

[@Aster_Risk]

Skam was so good. I was like 27 or 28 when I watched it and it made me cry so much.

[@jmagayle]

Skins also used a teen cast each season, but that ended up being problematic for their protection from adult producers and writers and there was no real protection for them during sex scenes.

[@sallystake4225]

This is such a great video. I can only think of Anne with an E and stranger things as a good modern "tween" series. However, both shows are still set in the past :(

[@dianalovesbagelss8029]

Teen shows that take place in the past>>>>teen shows that take place today

[@reeeeeeeeee7192]

As a 15 year old teenager myself I totally agree that “teen” tv is affecting us a lot. The fact that I know drug addicts and dealers that are around my age is just sad. The media has glorified that stuff way to much.

[@pamelaleal3695]

I dont really consider Euphoria a teen show, even though the series is about a group of very problematic teens. I think before the show premiered, Zendaya put out a disclaimer saying that the show was not for teens

[@junienum137]

When you teenagers not to do something they usually do. Yes, they put a disclaimer but some may argue that the setting involves high schoolers why would they watch? I go to high school and as a senior it's sad to the younger grade dress way more revealing than us. Just the other day saw a middle schooler wear a waistband and the most revealing leggings I ever seen. But hey what can you do when media is such like this is pushed into our generation.

[@pozzsicle]

@@junienum137 What exactly is the issue with teen girls wearing more revealing clothing? Genuine question. If that's the way they want to dress, then let me express themselves. I can get why it would be an issue if they're doing it because that's what others want, but that has less to do with those girls, and more to do with the people that want them to wear that stuff.

[@RyanKhieu]

@@eybisborjasvargas6889 doesnt sesame street carry hbo branding tho lol

[@notablewisp2213]

I think the problem, and the problem that I have with it, is that they ARE teens, even if it's not targeted at them it shows 'cool' teens doing inappropriate things, and a 18+ warning isn't going to stop anyone. It at least helps to not tell teens that that's what their life should be to be like their cool favorite tv show

[@vilAvain]

Teens are gonna watch it anyway because it centers around the life of “cool teenagers”, thats the selling point

[@yaelsafiya]

I vividly remember in middle school how hard it was for me to find content that was in my age range. My parents were pretty strict about what I watched at that age, and so while my friends were watching Grey's Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars, and Scream Queens, I was still relegated to watching Disney Channel, and I remember being so embarrassed about it. I remember once I reached the age of about 11 Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, etc were no longer cool and it was cooler to watch teen shows that were definitely too mature for their target audience. The first show I ever felt kind of matched my demographic was Stranger Things. That came out when I was about 13 and it was perfect because my parents let me watch it, I wasn't embarrassed to admit to my friends that I watched it the way I was with Disney Channel shows, and the main characters were relatively around my age. But even in that show, it still had some slightly questionable teen portrayals (though arguably nowhere near as bad as Riverdale, etc). Now being a (barely) adult I can see the impact this had on me at that age, and I'm also seeing the cycle continue. I've seen my cousins as young as 13 watch Riverdale and I can't help but think about how there really isn't much content for tweens and anyone in that young teen age. I feel like making more tween TV that is actually geared towards that age group might help, but also I don't know how well that will work in the future as the current generation of young kids become tweens. I mean, I'm not sure how many young kids watch TV nowadays anyways, and so while changing what we know as teen TV might help now, I feel like in a couple of years it might not be as good of an option for the kids who didn't grow up on TV, but on KZbin and the internet.

[@blazinbhaddie2741]

same , Stranger Things things came out when I was 11 or 12 , watching disney or nick was uncool after I was 8 0r 9. With social media rising I started to stick to youtube or netflix. A lot of friends who were 9 or 10 like me were watching teen wolf, vampire diaries, gossip girl or screaming queens. But I can't blame them though because disney started to get bad.

[@jammyintears]

I swear that is the exact same thing that happened to me, watching kid shows until stranger things came out! I think it was a mostly harmless bridge between the age groups of tv, seeing as the kids were the main characters of the show and the plot was the drive of the show and not the characters’ drama

[@Jenviper]

thank you for making this! As a teenager, I feel like this needs to be talked about more! Many teens ARE in fact influenced by these shows and it is definitely something that can be detrimental to their mental health and representation in media. I couldn’t have said what you said better❤️

[@xavier84623]

The plot of the riverdale episode had 2 couples going on a romantic cabin getaway together, alone. That’s clearly something adults do.

[@mixtapemeg]

this is why i like sticking to and rewatching 2000s- early '10s shows

[@im_a_chair5556]

Side note but I think its wild that you have to censor "sex" but not "murder"

[@piss7610]

KZbin 🙄

[@rakata1987]

What if you say sex in the context of gender? KZbin is kinda idiotic

[@CitrusColors]

I know it's not a newer, modern show but highly recommend My So Called Life! It only ran for one season but it balanced a lot of realistic early teen issues like friendship, family, and school, with some more serious topics like sex and drugs in a very believable manner. It's somewhat dated since it's from the 90s but I think it's aged pretty well! Great video, loved hearing your insight into tween and teen media! And loved the examples you used.

[@elleliteracy]

ooh I'll have to check it out! thanks!

[@gabiyoutubeaccount]

I loove this tv show

[@amariahxo450]

Love that show

[@browneyedlolita]

A show I really LOVED in middle school (besides degrassi ofc) was Unfabulous it was on Nickelodeon and looking back I feel like it was the perfect ‘tween’ show oh and Neds Declassified is another good one ! I think they both did a good job of not being to childish or adultish and wish tweens now had shows like that :/

[@hxavens4227]

i loved unfabulous!! i played the guitar for two years because of it lol

[@modemrouter475]

One of the recent shows I watched was "Parasyte: The maxim" (it's an anime) where the protagonist is a teenager. He also goes through intense traumatic events, body horrors, etc. The difference was the show didn't try to overdo the violence or the romance part, everything was proportionate & relevant to the story. The highschool in which the protagonist studied, actually seemed like a normal highschool. The MC underwent huge character development, as the show progressively became darker. And his romance with his girlfriend was fantastically conservative, without over-sexualisation but with proper mature emotional drama. I highly admire the character development arc, and really think that's how late teenage shows should handle dark stories, not overdoing it like "13 reasons why" where the demographc should be young adults. People often forget, that late teenage is still separate from young adulthood.

[@moonbyuliduh8612]

I think Stranger Things deserves a mention here, since it shows about middle schoolers having love lives but is still wholesome and childhood friendly outside the mystery elements. All of the characters are so dorky which a usual tween/teenager usually acts.

[@oliviac295]

In conclusion, watch shows like avatar the last airbender and miraculous ladybug

[@-starvs213]

but don’t replicate marinette’s behavior towards adrian

[@oliviac295]

@@-starvs213 yeah absolutely not. That’s a whole hot mess in itself

[@ahavakatz1421]

YES everyone should watch atla

[@taliahturqoise9673]

No.

[@sofvpgn]

exactly

[@b.6666]

9:13 skam did SO well in this. the first season had actors who were only 16-19 in the time of the premiere. a wild aspect of the show is watching the characters grow up, too (looking at isak! he literally gets so tall lol it’s funny)

[@meaganl124]

We stan Degrassi respect in this house

[@tinytert]

As a teenager whos nearly 16, I feel this type of pressure non stop. I recently changed highschools and going into a new class, I realized just how young I look. Despite being half a year older than a lot of my peers, they all looked 17-18 while I am a lot shorter, without any piercings or dyed hair and still look 13. I only just finished the first week of highschool but I already feel pressured to dress older, or act older. It's really scary being my age in 2022, since I feel like I don't fit in with any of the other students.

[@RosesTeaAndASD]

I'm a 39 year old woman and it's interesting to hear this because I can remember in my day that all guys needed back then was to wear "cool" clothes, listen to Eminem, like sports and hate school. Dyeing your hair or having piercings wasn't important yet. It's worrying to hear how things have changed.

[@joke_character5549]

Love how adults make inappropriate programing and expectations for teens then chastise real teens for it Like the whole "teens these day" mentality is based on what adults think teens are like and have no bias on the group or even the individual child in question

[@laurenrogers]

This is why most of the programming I watch as a teenager is anime, shows like Toradora, Ouran High School Host Club and even sci-fi stuff like My Hero Academia and Assassination Classroom are way more relatable and fun to me than most of live action, American stuff targeted at my demographic

[@dianalovesbagelss8029]

Anime is just as guilty of this but in different ways yk

[@laurenrogers]

@@dianalovesbagelss8029 not the ones I watch, definitely true for some though

[@0325hjs]

Assassination Classroom was my favourite series when I was 14, it helped me so much. It's so relatable, especially for a series with the least relatable premise ever

[@marinavasquez8813]

Agree

[@protoncoccus3229]

Assassination Classroom made me appreciate my (science) teacher, and Cells at Work is my ultimate favourite

[@MsPoliteRants]

When you compared the photo of a real 14 year old to an actor portraying one…. It reminded me of another problem with adult actors playing teens: growing up too fast even outside of sexuality. Even something with zero sex in it, like Hunger Games…. Why were the main characters played by adults? The whole point was that it was supposed to be shocking and gut wrenching to see these LITERAL CHILDREN go to war… but you forget nearly immediately that they’re minors… it makes us all too comfortable with the idea of children behaving like adults, and LOOKING like adults. I’ve honestly forgotten what tweens are supposed to look like and when they’re supposed to make rational decisions. I’m thirty and so glad that my only exposure to teen drama was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. All other shows I saw as a teen which depicted adult behavior were shows about adults. Being a teen today must be so confusing, frustrating, and anxiety-inducing.

[@wickwebb4690]

this is an amazing video !! As a teenager who is probably asexual and also struggling with the expectations of both genders that society puts on me, seeing realistic teen representation can do you a world of good. Even if it still personally can't help people like myself who feel utterly undesirable and is okay with that, it's nice to know people still try. The pressure on young girls to immediately mature and dress like adults has been around for a while and I think the sexualisation of them has been around since like, the dawn of man. You made some really great observations in this video, it was a real good watch. It makes you wonder if girls really have ever had the same experience of early tweens than any boys have ever had -- nobody every criticises the way boys grow up, not generally. With girls, you can't win. You're either too modest or too attention seeking. It is the most annoying thing ever. Carry on making great content!

[@Randomaccount-zd7so]

The reason I hated teen shows is that it's always the same old thing. Boyfriends, break ups, popularity, sex, teen pregnancy, expectations. Watching teen shows made me hate being a teenager.

[@drtyscoundrell]

Something I hated when watching all those shows was how EVERYONE in the entire universe of the show, had perfect skin. Except for the "ugly" character, who not only had acne, but wore glasses, and sometimes braces. I forgot to mention, I have acne and wear glasses.

[@AlbinoAxolotl1993]

Or the token fat boy.

[@illumineex]

there's a lot more chaos in college than high school so their reasoning for choosing that setting is reallyyyy sus

[@mackenzieraye]

exactly! euphoria could’ve easily been set in college rather than high school

[@Tyrenexg]

@@mackenzieraye idk but I actually relate to euphoria, my high school experience was kinda similar especially the parties.

[@mackenzieraye]

@@Tyrenexg that’s understandable, everyone’s high school experience is different. i feel as though euphoria made it more intense and vulgar than what it really is. yes people drink and hook-up, some even do drugs but it was way provocative (in my opinion).

[@max_amillion]

the 14 dislikes are from the old gross men who want it to continue.

[@valtakestheworld2919]

I feel like everyone needs to take responsibility. You can't hype content that blurs the lines of the teenage experience, popularize raunchy shows and movies and expect young kids/teens to not be influenced by it and question why, and I feel like a lot of people are doing that (not you & shanspeare in particular)

[@Petrichoredits1]

Fun Fact: My parents almost showed me ᵀᴬᴺᴳᴼ Education, thinking it was an actual educational show on that 💀. I knew it wasn’t because I had seen trailers and I was like “No, that’s not what that is”, they didn’t believe me until they watched it and they were like “THANK GOD WE DIDNT SHOW THAT TO YOU” 😭.

[@ZestonN]

Euphoria isn't a "teen show", It's a Fantasy Shock Show for Adults, to have them think that's what teens are doing, so they'll actually talk to them and see what's really going on.

[@thxu4_the_venom657]

As a pretty young teenager this is why I adore shows like high school musical the musical the series, watching it feels like my own experience at school but more entertaining, I can relate to it, yea stuff is exaggerated but they’re not having sex or murdering each other, it also shows fairly realistic relationships (Imo) they fight over petty things, yes it’s frustrating but it’s pretty normal for teens my age to get annoyed over random stuff (not to mention there’s a wonderful open gay relationship) it also has a lot more room to be cheesy since it’s not trying to be dark and mature at the same time, and get this, the actors are like 17-19, not 26! idk man I love this show, it’s one of the only live action ones I can sit through

[@oppaisenpai300]

I remember growing up feeling so isolated and had a hard time making friends because i didn't have any common interests with the other girls around me. They would pick on me and call me childish or that i liked baby shows. I leaned really hard into my refusal to grow up especially since my body matured alot then too when i was 14. Even now I can't relate to many of my peers and have a hard time with other adults. I remember being picked on for not knowing who the Kardashians were or not watching bad girls club or not wanting to twerk or wearing big hair bows and leggings under skirts and shorts etc.

[@insertnamehere3971]

i hope that things are going better for you now. i can relate to that feeling of isolation and my experience is even more awkward because i was in hs into my 20s due to learning challenges, which makes some areas of this discussion ironically make me feel a bit insecure (people do graduate "late" and not everyone is gonna remember that but oh well) there is nothing wrong with you! just move at your own pace and be yourself.

[@Prior2Popular]

Yikes. Don’t worry about them , they’re going to regret being wanna-bes and confused. When you’re older you’ll be glad you didn’t let them change you.

[@marspacebun]

this is why skam and young royals are superior and the only teen shows I consider as actual "teen shows", not to mention they're amazing plot-wise.

[@okamiemi]

Started Never Have I Ever recently on netflix and it was so refreshing how much more relatable it was than other ‘preteen/teen’ shows right now.

[@thelovesickowl]

On my block was such a good show. I’m 22 now, and I watched it when I was 17 I think. The actors looked so young even though they were adults