Over the last few years, Netflix's best teen series have instantly won over the hearts of real-life teens and the young at heart. With no restrictions to adhere to, Netflix has allowed these teen shows to be unapologetically authentic depicting both the highs and lows of teenage life. From ensemble casts to shows that center around one main teenager there is certainly a teenage show for everyone to relate to on the streaming service. Whether it's a comedy or a drama, Netflix's teen shows are currently in a league of their own.
Several of Netflix's top-rated teen series has only had one to two seasons. However, Netflix continues to put out new, impactful, and authentic teen shows that push boundaries while confronting the very real-world issues that teenagers are growing up with in the 2020s. The best part is Netflix doesn't shy away from any of it and instead has aired teen shows centered on past generations and others in languages other than English.
20 Teenage Bounty Hunters (2020)
Teenage Bounty Hunters was released in 2020 and quickly found amongst fans of the young adult TV genre. The dramedy series centers around twin sisters Sterling and Blair who get mistaken for bounty hunters after helping a professional capture a bail jumper. The fresh take on the teen genre was well-received with critics praising the show's humor and the chemistry between Maddie Phillips and Anjelica Bette Fellini as the twins. Unfortunately, the series didn't perform to Netflix's standards and was canceled after one season.
19 Trinkets (2019-2020)
Trinkets is one of Netflix's best teen series despite being underrated when it comes to the general public of Netflix subscribers. The drama series centers on three teenagers who go to the same high school but become close after attending the same Shoplifters Anonymous therapy group. The series was based on a young adult book of the same name written by Kristen Smith and dropped its second and final season on Netflix in 2020 though it was ultimately canceled. Despite that, it's a well-received show that with great LGBTQ+ representation.
18 Julie And The Phantoms (2020)
Julie and the Phantoms quickly soared to Netflix's top charts when first released and held its place for several weeks. The teen musical series centered on Julie, a young teenager who has given up on music after her mother's death. However, when Julie accidentally summons the spirit of three teenage musicians, they team up to help each other reclaim their dreams of being famous musicians. Julie and the Phantoms was one of Netflix's biggest teen shows of 2020 which is why fans were outraged when Netflix decided to cancel after one season. Despite only airing for one season, it was highly praised and was even nominated for Outstanding Young Adult Series at the Emmys.
17 Everything Sucks! (2018)
Everything Sucks! was one of Netflix's most unique teen shows of the 2010s that aimed to parody nostalgic teen culture. It does so by setting Everything Sucks! in the 90s, making for a fun twist on what is typically seen by the genre. The dramedy centers around teenagers in the A/V and Drama club who team up to make a movie together. The series was praised for its handling of a teen's coming-out story and for its authentic light on the teen experience in the 90s. Despite its cult following, the series was canceled after only one season by Netflix.
16 Riverdale (2017-2023)
Turning the Archie comics into a moody teen drama might have sounded like a strange idea by Riverdale certainly struck a chord with younger audiences when it first aired. The show takes the classic characters of Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead, following them as they deal with the various unexpected mysteries of Riverdale, including murder and supernatural occurrences. Yet the show also explores the complications of teen romance, dealing with school, and family drama. In fact, fans seemed to enjoy when the series was more focused on those grounded aspects rather than the larger genre elements as Riverdale reaches its seventh and final season.
15 Outer Banks (2020-)
Outer Banks is of the most widely talked about shows among Netflix's best teen series. It quickly garnered attention on Netflix and was renewed for a second season three months after its initial release. Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the series centers are John B., a teenager who is the leader of his friend group the "Pogues." After John's father goes missing, John B. enlists his friends' help to discover the truth about his father's disappearance. The mystery adventure is a fun setting for the teen dynamics that include romances and tense relationships.
14 13 Reasons Why (2017-2020)
Easily one of Netflix's most controversial shows of all time, 13 Reasons Why ended its historic run after four seasons on Netflix. Loosely inspired by the Brian Yorkey young adult novel of the same name, the series centers on Clay Jenson, a young teenager who finds himself hitting rock bottom after learning that Hannah Baker has killed herself. 13 Reasons Why definitely pushed the boundaries when it came to teen shows exploring topics of suicide, sexual assault, and drug addiction amongst several others. While the subject matter is certainly intense, many audiences found it a powerful teen story.
13 I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
Even after getting canceled after only one season, I Am Not Okay With This is one of Netflix's most popular and beloved teen shows. It has since been praised for its themes and its representation of LGBTQ+ teen characters. The series was based on a comic book by Charles Forsman and follows Sydney Novak, a teenager who discovers she has telekinetic powers while also trying to figure out who she is in the world of high school. Sophia Lillis was heavily praised for her lead performance in the short-lived show.
12 Cobra Kai (2018-2023)
Though The Karate Kid was an iconic 80s movie that still has plenty of fans, it is still surprising that this legacy series managed to become such a hit. Cobra Kai takes place decades after the events of the first movie, which catches up with the original movie's bully Johnny Lawrence who seeks redemption by restarting his old controversial dojo for teens. While the show has a lot of interesting things to say about the characters from the original, it is really a story focused on the young characters finding confidence in themselves in the midst of an aspiring sports story. Cobra Kai season 6 will be the Netflix teen series' last, culminating the Emmy-nominated show.
11 Atypical (2017-2021)
Atypical is one of Netflix's most heartwarming teen comedies and comedies of all time. The series centers on Sam, a teenager on the autism spectrum, who is determined to find love while in high school. Sam's desire for a girlfriend affects his entire family as they adjust to Sam becoming more independent. All four seasons of the show were met with critical praise though Atypical has been the subject of criticism with many finding faults in its lack of autistic actors and generalized depictions of autism. Still, it is something worth checking out.
