Teen TV shows have long been a staple of the entertainment industry and a formative piece in many young people's lives. I was obsessed with them growing up, and a part of me still loves them. However, I can see that while these shows can be enjoyable and entertaining, they often present unrealistic expectations. From body image to relationships, this type of media can create a distorted view of what it means to be a teenager in today's world and what high school life is like.
One of the most common and apparent unrealistic expectations presented in teen TV shows is the appearance of the characters. Shows like Gossip Girl feature impossibly thin and toned actors, often in their 20s, conveying a standard that is simply unattainable for most teenagers. It is easy to recognize this as a comically unreachable norm as an older person, but being exposed to these expectations can lead to body dysmorphia. Kids see these depictions as the only portrayals of high school life, and may try to achieve the polished looks of stunning adult actors in full hair and makeup, despite still being mid-puberty. This can create a damaging disconnect between what “should be” and what really is.
The adult actors also match the adult themes in many TV shows aimed at a teen audience. Some shows present a skewed and over-emphasized view of romantic relationships. Often, the main characters are in committed relationships from a young age, with all the aspects of adult relationships, including sex, which isn’t necessarily realistic. In 2019, the CDC reported that only 38% of American teens had ever had sex, a very different picture from the media. Inversely, these shows rarely prioritize friendships, even though they are fundamental to the high school experience and growing up. The impact of this is, undoubtedly, felt by many teens who may feel pressure to enter into serious relationships before they are ready or to maintain them while setting aside beneficial friendships.
In summation, it seems like the general problem in teen’s media is the depiction of teenage life as too mature. From the writing to the casting, most of these portrayals would feel more realistic in a college setting instead of high school. Much of high school life is focused on academics and extracurriculars, which characters in shows tend to never engage with. Teens are still growing up and so don’t need to be fully formed, self-actualized people yet - that's what makes high school interesting. That is why it’s crucial to tell young people what I wish I could tell my 10-year-old self: TV shows are not a realistic representation of what your life will be like in high school, and you don't need to hold yourself to that impossible standard.
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