Curate, connect, and discover
1. PANIC on amazon prime
i watched ‘panic’ at the very beginning of 2022, and have since rewatched it twice. i’m still surprised how it stuck with me and became one of my favorite shows, because typically i prefer more light-hearted stories.
the idea of teenagers playing this high stakes life-threatening game is so intriguing. the mystery behind who started and runs this tradition adds so much suspense. there’s also the additional layer of poverty and family issues that’s pushing the main character. it’s so interesting to explore the characters’ motivations, their reactions to pressure. it makes for a colorful complex story. and, of course, what sells it is the main romance. the chemistry between the characters is off the charts!! (not me thinking i wouldn’t ship them before seeing the show phaha).
even though ‘panic’ was cancelled after season 1 (which, sadly, is true for most of my favorite tv shows), i believe there’s a satisfying finality to the season that makes it work as a stand alone story.
2. QUEER AS FOLK on peacock
pure queer joy is what this show is. i’ve only experienced this level of happiness while watching “genera+ion” (which is my favorite show ever). and yes, “queer as folk” is more adult because - duh - it’s about adults, and one teen character. in a lot of ways it’s about forming your community and keeping it safe. it takes on serious issues, the characters are messy and make mistakes, yet it feels so warm and comfortable, like a home.
i’ve never seen the original show so i’m judging this show from a non-reboot perspective (which i’m pretty sure it is anyway, even though you can make parallels between some characters, it’s a new different story).
trigger warning: there’s a mass sh**ting scene in the first episode (it’s not very graphic).
3. HEARTBREAK HIGH on netflix
the new aussie it show, move over h2o just add water! okay i’m joking, but heartbreak high really took over the world as it should have! it’s a diverse well-written gen z teen drama with amazing fashion.
what you can expect: a lot of dramaaa, secrets & unexpected twists, sex scenes that don’t sexualize teenagers, actual ace representation (i’ve only seen it done this well in “genera+ion”), probably the best autistic representation i’ve ever seen, exploration of some dark themes (assault, police brutality) that are unfortunately a part of reality for a lot of teenagers, beautiful friendships and romantic relationships, teen angst and rebellion.
i fell in love with these characters and their dynamics, i can’t wait for season 2! plus, it turns out there was a lot of australian things i didn’t know about, so it was very cool to see australian culture represented in this fun bright series.
4. REBELDE on netflix
look at all these pretty faces and tell me you don’t want to know more about them. this show is one hell of a fun ride. it’s like elite mixed with violetta. there’s so much colorful potential in almost (looking at you esteban) all of these characters. they fight, they perform, they’re friends, rivals and lovers, and for the big moments they’re each other’s family. they’re rebelde. i want to steal their wardrobe and be their groupie.
5. WEDNESDAY on netflix
not suprised this show became such a hit, but i’m glad i watched it when it came out without any preconceived expectations. the style of this show is amazing and it’s an entertaining watch. there can’t be enough praise for jenna ortega’s performance. she’s outstanding in everything she does, and she carried this show.
6. HEARTSTOPPER on netflix
this is a fluffy warm ball of sunshine. comfort at its finest. i’m so happy this show exists and people talk about it. i just want to give every character a hug. oh, and i want those cute doodles in my life.
7. THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY on amazon prime
such a cute summer show. i think the creators did a great job of adapting the book for the modern young audience. it could’ve easily turned into another kissing booth with a “not like other girls” protagonist. even though you can see the original outline of the characters, they feel more evoled in the show. and that’s what i hope will happen to the story later on as well. i like when adaptations improve on given material and find their own identity.
i did’t really like nor understood the ending so i’m kinda tense about season 2. if it’s gonna turn into a belly x conrad love show, i’m gonna have to head out, and demand a jeremiah spin off (#teamjeremiah).
8. SINGLE DRUNK FEMALE on freeform
so this is one of the more underrated shows on this list. it’s a dramedy that follows a young woman battling her addiction in a town full of people who are right there to remind her why she drinks. sam makes quite an appealing lead character. she’s messy, she’s selfish, she’s confrontational, but she longs for real meaningful connections, even though she’s afraid of them. there’s a diverse array of characters who go on this journey with her, and i love every single one of them. i think this show has a very good trailer actually, helps get the feel of the show and what it’s about.
9. DOLLFACE on hulu
such a beautiful entertaining show about female friendship and finding yourself outside of a relationship. the cast is incredible, including kat dennings as the jilted ex, brenda song and shay mitchell as her estranged besties, matthew gray goobler as a love interest, and brianne howey and lilly singh as a nice bonus on the side.
the part that makes this show so unique is the daydream sequences that follow the main character. it shifts the rules of the world, makes it more fantastic and unpredictable. makes me wish i could get on a bus with the cat lady that would take me to my friends.
10. HEATHERS on amazon prime
no matter how much you like the original movie, THIS heather squad is way more memorable and charismatic. who wouldn’t want to watch an edgy dark comedy about teen phychopaths whose whole identity is “i’m not like the other people, i’m weird, i’m a weirdo”, toxic friendships, murderous romance & tumblr fashion circa 2016? maybe i’m just build different if it’s my jam and not yours.
seriously though, i unapologetically loved it. kinda reminds me of “the scream queens” (which is outstanding) and “insatiable” (which i couldn’t get into).