Collegeis a rite of passage for many young people. It’s the time when they become most independent and reliant on their own skills and wits, away from an environment they’ve felt so comfortable in. Most people who go to college have just come out of their senior year of high school, a time when they’re part of the oldest groups in their schools, and have their routines down to a tee. They had just spent four years cultivating a life that was the center of their universe. When the move to college happens, everything changes.
Or at least, it’s meant to.When aTV showmade for teens becomes popular, it inevitably gets renewed for more and more seasons. The problem is that the teens get older and the decision of what to do once they graduate arises. In lieu of separating the entire cast, replacing most of them, or replacing all of them, very often, they all seem to stay in the same place, or at least within driving distance. Fictional colleges are invented, and some characters' whole life goals need to be rewritten to keep the show going.
10Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
Rory Did Not Go To Harvard
The first three seasons ofGilmore Girlsfocus on Alexis Bledel’s Rory Gilmore working very hard to get into Harvard. She transfers to Chilton, a prep school that’s meant to help her achieve this goal she’s had since she was a young child.The amount of time the characters spend discussing Harvard covers large portions of the show, and there are even two specially dedicated episodes where the university is the center of the storyline.
Placing more of the action outside the charm of Stars Hollow made the show feel different, and the sudden change of direction for a very driven character felt off.
Lorelei (Lauren Graham) and Rory go on a road trip to Boston, exploring the campus and even participating in a class. As the show gained popularity, the time eventually came when Rory (and the writers) had to decide. Boston is a bit of a longer drive, which would potentially put Friday night dinners and visits to Stars Hollow in jeopardy. So,Rory went to Yale.
Gilmore Girls
Cast
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
It became another bone of contention between the Gilmores. The idea was to keep the characters closer together, but the shift could still be felt. Placing more of the action outside the charm of Stars Hollow made the show feel different, and the sudden change of direction fora very driven characterfelt off.
9Saved By the Bell (1993-1994)
The Magic Stayed Back In Bayside
After a lot of hilarious escapades at Bayside High,Saved by the Bellwas still riding high on popularity. After graduation, the decision was made totake some of the original cast to college and create a whole other spin-offwith completely new characters and actors. Only Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins) and Screech (Dustin Diamond) stayed on.
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That becameSaved By the Bell: The New Class;the show lacked the spark of the original but somehow ended up running for 143 episodes. Meanwhile, at Cal U, Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), Slater (Mario Lopez), Kelly (Tiffani Thiessen), and Screech embark upon their college experience.
Saved By the Bell
An iconic sitcom of the early 90s, Saved By The Bell follows six students (Zack Morris, Kelly Kapowski, A.C. Slater, Jessie Spano, Samuel “Screech” Powers, Lisa Turtle) and their years at Bayside High School in Palisades, California.
Without the familiar setting of the colorful walls of Bayside and the Max, the new surroundings are designed to make the show feel more grown up. The gang tries new experiences, dates new people, and the general idea is to see them change. Unfortunately,that wasn’t what the audience wanted, and the show lasted for only one year.
8Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000)
Not Quite West Beverley High
Beverly Hills, 90210started out as an exaggerated portrayal of affluent high school students, with chiseled jawlines, fantastic outfits, and very adult problems. West Beverly High is a perfect microcosm to set an array of romantic arcs as well as the more typical “teen” issues such as sex, underage drinking, and bullying. There is even some academic prowess and educational content to be explored.
The tone of the show was always intended to be soapy, but the high school setting somehow made it feel more natural, as everything feels much bigger than it actually is during those years. Seeing as the show was still a ratings success, and the cast was hugely popular around the world, after graduation, they all basically went to the same college.
Beverly Hills 90210
Beverly Hills 90210 is a teen-centric drama series that ran on Fox from 1990 to 2000. The show focuses on twins Brandon and Brenda Walsh, two teens forced to move from Minnesota to the progressive and wildly different Beverly Hills in California. 90210 explores significant and controversial topics for teens that have remained prevalent over time, such as sex, racism, and drug abuse, and became a global sensation in the early 90s.
California University, or CU, became the new main setting for the show. The plot points started to become more and more outlandish, with the usually sensible Andrea (Gabrielle Carteris) getting pregnant, Kelly (Jennie Garth) having a drug problem, and Donna (Tori Spelling) being in an abusive relationship. The introduction of the Peach Pit After Dark was also a clear indication of the show trying to move the group into the realm of adulthood.
7Sister, Sister (1994-1999)
Even Roger Finally Went Home
Anyone who enjoyedThe Parent Trapwould have been drawn toSister, Sister. This quirky and colorful show was ’90s through and through and followeda set of identical twins who had been separated at birth. They grew up with different parents and meet at random on a shopping trip one day.
Brainy and ambitious Tia (Tia Mowry) was raised by a flamboyant and free-spirited mother, Lisa (Jackée Harry), while the more carefree Tamera (Tamera Mowry) lives in a big house with her straight-laced dad, Ray (Tim Reid). When they realize what had happened, the family all move in together at Ray and Tamera’s house, so the sisters can bond and make up for lost time.
Sister, Sister
Sister, Sister is a comedy television series about identical twin sisters Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell, who reunite after being separated at birth and adopted by different families. The series stars Tia and Tamera Mowry and explores their lives as they navigate high school and family dynamics, living under the same roof with their adoptive parents.
The first few seasons focus on the families blending to create a cohesive unit, as the girls navigate the ins and outs of high school. As the show progressed,Tia and Tamera graduated and went off to college, which completely threw off the dynamics of the show. A once wacky comedy with mismatched characters and a focus on their home lives became more slick and serious, with even the opening theme adapting to the shift.
6Smallville (2001-2011)
High School Was A Much Simpler Time
There have been quite a few forays into Superman’s origin story, with each film and TV show at least mentioning his life in Smallville. However, the very premise of this show was to explore his teenage years even more deeply. Seeing this super-powered young person navigating the ups and downs of high school as well as his developing abilities brought a lot of interesting drama to each episode.
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Clark Kent (Tom Welling) takes on football player bullies, shows promise at the Torch, and explores his crush on Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk), really making the show special in its first few seasons.Once the move to Metropolis University happens, the show starts toeing the linebetween the farm boy viewers had gotten to know andthe superhero they know he is destined to become.
Smallville
Smallville chronicles the journey of Clark Kent, portraying his origins from Krypton to his teenage years on Earth. The series explores his challenges and development leading towards his destiny as the iconic hero, Superman, set against the backdrop of Smallville, Kansas.
The big city setting removes the charm of rural Kansas, and the characters start to grapple with more and more outlandish issues. Lana even seemingly joins a witch coven at one point. Lex (Michael Rosenbaum), who is older than the rest of the gang, seems to age an extra 15 years, and the visits to Smallville are too few and far between.
5Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
Mr. Feeny Would Never Leave
Teen shows tend to jump from high school to college, butBoy Meets Worldsaw the characters start in middle school, and followed their journey all the way to university. The slightly strange thing about that was that they had the same teacher at each institution. Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) somehow manages to remain the gang’s educator at each stage of life.
The writers clearly knew that the character was too important to let go of. Each jump came with its ownadditional issues, and characters were introduced and lost along the way. Stuart Minkus (Lee Norris), who is a big part of the early stages of the show, completely disappears when the youngsters go to high school.
Boy Meets World
In this coming-of-age sitcom, Cory Matthews navigates middle and eventually high school, exploring his relationships with his friends and family and learning life lessons along the way.
He was hilariously brought back in one episode with the implication that he was simply on the other side of the school hallway. The one the camera does not see. By the time Corey (Ben Savage), Shawn (Rider Strong), and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) graduated, there had been quite a lot of mental gymnastics to ensure they all ended up in the same place after high school.
4The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
A Sort Of Vampire Academy
When TV audiences were introduced to the mystical world of Mystic Falls, Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and her friends were all in high school. Dances, formals, and sports games seemed to be as important as the supernatural goings-on and the romantic entanglements. This managed to ground the show in some sort of reality that was relatable and somewhat familiar to the viewer.
The Vampire Diaries
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
The focus on the relationships between the characters remained at the forefront, as the real-world stakes didn’t impact their day-to-day life quite as much.Once the teens (and vampires) graduated from Mystic Falls High School, the show experienced its first big shift.
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While they all remain in or around the same small town, the dynamics feel completely different. This focus on trying to be more mature, and an influx of new characters seemed to teeter on chaotic and disjointed. Familiar figures began acting out of character, and what had once made the show a hit in its demographic had lost its appeal.
3Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003)
Dawson’s Creek Could Have Done With A Time Jump
The teens of Capeside went through a lot during their high school years. Best friends Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) got together, broke up, and then reunited. Joey and Pacey (Joshua Jackson) fell in love and created a wedge between lifelong friendships. Jen (Michelle Williams) had her ups and downs with her Grams (Mary Beth Peil) and went through a rebellious phase that even led to the death of her frenemy.
Newer character Jack (Kerr Smith) came out and had to move out of his home to be able to be his true self.The move to college saw quite a few issues arise. Joey, who had lofty ambitions of getting out of Capeside, goes to the fictional Worthington College while the rest attend Boston Bay University, which is conveniently located very nearby.
Dawson’s Creek
In the small town of Capeside, Massachusetts, fifteen-year-old Dawson Leery and his friends — tomboy Joey, class clown Pacey, and many more — experience the highs and lows of teenage life and coming of age.
While Pacey had always been a loose cannon, seeing him take on very random jobs while still following the gang to Boston is out of character. Finally,Dawson’s love for movies could not have taken him anywhere other than California, but having him separated from the core group for most of the last two seasons completely changed the feel of the show.
2Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Sunnydale High Was Sorely Missed
Sunnydale High was home to Buffy(Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the Scoobies for three seasons before the group graduated. During that time, they face vampires, demons, and Principal Snyder. From a supernatural swim team that saw the competitors turn into fish-men, magical cheerleading try-outs, and a near-killer prom, the teens' high school experience was a very special one.
Buffy the Vampire Slayerultimately struggled with making the setting as enthralling as it was in the first few seasons, and it is certainly different to watch.
The juxtaposition of Buffy’s after-school activities with some seemingly mundane issues she had to deal with during the day skilfully highlights the double life she must lead. With Willow (Alyson Hannigan) being a genius who could get into any university in the world, her decision to stay in Synnydale had to be explained away by her desire to continue fighting the forces of evil with her friends.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.
Xander (Nicholas Brendon) embraces his life as a bit of a slacker, while Giles' role needs to be reevaluated as well.Buffy the Vampire Slayerultimately struggled with making the setting as enthralling as it wasin the first few seasons, and it is certainly different to watch.
1The O.C. (2003-2007)
The Reluctant Graduates
The O.C.crammed so much into its first season that there was little left to explore in subsequent years. Having the first part of season 1 take place during the summer gave the show a big chunk of time away from school in which to explore a new group of characters. By the time Ryan (Ben McKenzie), Marissa (Misha Barton), Seth (Adam Brody), and Summer (Rachel Bilson) even get to Harbor, they’ve gone through a lot together.
The school setting brings in a lot of new opportunities for drama and showcases the differences between Ryan and his classmates. Thejump to college after the end of season 3would perhaps not be quite as jarring if it didn’t also need to deal with the aftermath of Marissa’s death.
The O.C.
When troubled teen Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie) is taken in by his public defender (Peter Gallagher), he suddenly finds himself on the right side of the tracks. The O.C. follows as Ryan tries his best to fit into the affluent California community while navigating the relentless drama of teen life, but his new home of Newport Beach is a town filled to the brim with secrets and scandal.
Summer is a completely different personas she tries to lose herself in activism at Brown. Seth is still floundering while trying to figure out his next move, and Ryan is in full dark mode, trying to avenge the death of his partner. By the time everyone starts to heal, and the show had the potential to get back on track, it got canceled.
