High School. Secondary School. Whatever you call it, I think we can all say with certainty it was not the highlight of our adolescence. The peer-pressure, the profound desire to fit in, the embarrassing mishaps, the fear of embarrassing yourself if an older student uttered a syllable to you, the kaleidoscope of emotions on a daily basis all piled on top of the existential stress that if you don’t do well in your exams, your whole life will be an utter failure.
Aside from the fantastic friendships that have endured to adulthood, as well as the nurturing academics and formative life lessons (for which I am very grateful), my time at school is emotionally all an awkward and anxious blur. And yet I find myself drawn to reliving this teenage angst in the form of numerous TV shows that regularly grace our screens. From 90s sentimentalism to more modern, realistic depictions – I’m a sucker for a good high-school rom-com or a secondary-school soap opera. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia, perhaps it’s escapism from ‘adulthood’, but there’ll always be a soft spot in my heart for a school-based drama. So as this second week in September comes to a close, and the Autumn term is well and truly underway, here’s my top five Netflix-based back-to-school shows.
5 – Gossip Girl
In 5th place we have Gossip Girl: pure unrealistic, upper-class escapism. Headbands, glittery handbags and afternoons lounging on the Met steps are all part and parcel of these teenagers’s hedonistic antics, as their love lives become intertwined and stresses over social statuses trump any homework deadlines or school marks.
4 – Atypical
Coming in 4th is Atypical. Following Sam, an autistic 18-year old on his quest to find love, Atypical is a refreshing, heartwarming comedy that reveals school life through the eyes of a teenager on the spectrum. Sam’s brutal frankness, expert knowledge of Antartica and super kind heart draws us in on his, and his family’s, journey to sort of ‘normal life’.
3 – Derry Girls
In 3rd place is Derry Girls. Set in 1990s Northern Ireland, Derry Girls sees a group of girls (and one boy) navigate teenage life in a Catholic school. This is a binge-worthy, and incredibly witty, show with candid honesty on teenage awkwardness against the more serious backdrop of armoured police and British Army checkpoints.
2 – Sex Education
A recent release, Sex Education comes in second with its refreshing candor on teenage angst, sex and sexual mishaps. In a liminal cross between an American-style high school in the English countryside, Sex Education sees Otis inadvertently set up a sex-advice business for his concerned and confused classmates. From sexually transmitted diseases to asexuality, sexual assault to homosexuality, Sex Education opens the conversation up on previously covert, or taboo, topics.
1 – Gilmore Girls
And in our top spot, we have Gilmore Girls. The comforting, homely, all-time favourite follows the lives, relationships and experiences of three generations of women. While not wholly centred on school, Rory’s time at Chiltern, and then at University, plays a big part in this beloved series. From high stone walls, tartan skirts, academic competition and admirable stationary buying skills, the Gilmore experience revolves around Rory’s scholastic ambition and we become invested in her journey from geeky teenager to fully-fledged adult.
Under The Cypress Tree 