Although teen television is generally set in or around a high school, rarely does the educational role of that environment take centre stage. As a …
Life Lessons After Class
Dawson’s Creek
How Cell Phones Kinda, Sorta, Ruined Teen Television
Back when I was a teenager, ten years ago, although cell phones were common in the outside world, they had yet to infiltrate the walls …
To Hell With Lazy Stereotypes!
Of all teen television shows that have graced the small screen, Friday Night Lights is special. There are so many little things that set it …
A Season Too Far
Single season series like My So-Called Life and Freaks and Geeks are often described as having been cancelled prematurely, before their time. Granted, both proved to be …
Experiencing Tragedy
I have no idea how common it is for teens to cope with tragedy. While high school students no doubt regularly fall victim to traffic …
All Growed Up
I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets excited when the stars of teen shows past resurface in pop culture. Currently gracing your TV, …
Maturity vs. Sexuality
Last week as I was taking the train in to Toronto I overheard a fellow passenger make the following pseudo-biological claim: “It’s natural for girls …
Six degrees of Rory Gilmore
I know I’m not the only one who gets a kick out of recognizing actors from one show when they pop up on a different …
Dawson’s Angst in Moody Creek
There was a phrase in my thesis that got snipped by my editors. Of all the cuts and changes that I had to make, this …
Teen Lesbian? I thought it was “just a phase”
I’m generally on the fence about Glee. Some things it does well (like including diverse characters), some things it does really terribly (like tell consistent …