Hello there and welcome to Thursday Movie Picks a weekly series where you share movie picks each Thursday. The rules are simple: based on the theme of the week pick three to five movies and tell us why you picked them. For further details and the schedule visit the series main page here.
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This week's Thursday Movie Picks is TMP Television Edition - High School
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I still do enjoy high school series, they're light and fun and offers a break from some of the more gloomy serious dramas. Here are the ones I like past and present.
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000)
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–2000)
This was probably the first high school series I saw. I was very very young when I saw this, but I do remember liking it a lot. I actually didn't know it was on air for so long, I think I only saw it up until the end of high-school for the major characters.
The O.C. (2003–2007)
I love love the O.C. I saw the first season again recently, yes its soapy but I still love it. It was the series that introduced me to the San Diego Comic Con, and a few years later the con became this huge media machine. I also think it's the high-school series with the best soundtrack. I you haven't listened yet, go check it out on Spotify. ♫ C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A here we come !!! ♫
Gossip Girl (2007–2012)
Totally soapy, but soo fun. Also geek me love that all its episode titles, other than the pilot, are fun twist on movie titles. The O.C. (2003–2007)
I love love the O.C. I saw the first season again recently, yes its soapy but I still love it. It was the series that introduced me to the San Diego Comic Con, and a few years later the con became this huge media machine. I also think it's the high-school series with the best soundtrack. I you haven't listened yet, go check it out on Spotify. ♫ C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A here we come !!! ♫
Gossip Girl (2007–2012)
Degrassi: Next Class (2016 – )
I've never seen the other Degrassi series other than this new spinoff which is on Netflix and I really like it. It feels very current with its story lines, decent acting and has the most diverse cast than any of the high school series I've ever seen.
Riverdale (2017– )
While I don't love love it, I like that they took the Archie comic that we know and made it into small town mystery that's moody and gloomy. I just wish it's a little better written and performed. However, the mystery is interesting enough so I will keep on watching.
Bonus
Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000)
I saw this again recently and it's such a pity that it was canceled just after one season because I think it really is one the best high school series. It's 80's setting was fun and the show itself is often very funny.
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"WELCOME TO THE O.C., BITCH!" I love that show so much, it was totally addicting and I wanted Sandy Cohen for my Dad so badly! I remember being glued to the screen watching the first season finale with my whole dorm in college.
ReplyDeleteSandy Cohen is such a nice dad.
DeleteThe only two I saw of these, though never regularly, are 90210 and Freaks & Geeks which is popular today. I use to laugh at 90210 but Freaks was good stuff just on the wrong night of the week for me and then poof it was gone.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of the others and Riverdale interests me so I'll try and track that down.
I like the high school set series as well and through the years there have been tons and these are three I was a fan of including one like Freaks & Geeks that was gone before it had a chance.
Skins (2007-2013)-British series about a group of teens in Bristol going through what is known there as sixth form which in the US would be high school. Controversial when it was showing for its graphic depictions of sexuality, drug abuse, bullying and many other issues with more than its share of nudity. Well-acted but grim. Another element of its notoriety was the casting in one of the leads of Nicolas Hoult who at the time was most well known as the youngster in About a Boy.
My So-Called Life (1994)-Regrettably short lived series that chronicled the angst filled high school life of teenager Angela Chase (Claire Danes) as she suffers the agonies of first love with the handsome but vague Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto), tests her boundaries with new friend, wild child Rayanne Graff (A.J. Langer), redefines her friendship with childhood bestie Sharon Cherski (Devon Odessa), seeks to help and protect the abused Rickie Vasquez (Wilson Cruz) while next door neighbor the brilliant but nerdy Brian Krakow (Devon Gummersall) yearns for her. At home she watches as her seemingly happily married parents Graham and Patty’s (Tom Irwin & Bess Armstrong) relationship begins to fray. Outstanding on every level.
Room 222 (1969-1974)-Pete Dixon (Lloyd Haines) is a popular young history teacher at Los Angeles’s Walt Whitman High School. Along with guidance counselor Liz McIntyre (Denise Nicholas), amiable Principal Seymour Kaufman (Michael Constantine) and eager if occasionally bumbling student teacher (over time English teacher) Alice Johnson (Karen Valentine) they deal with the issues of the students, parents and the establishment in the changing face of education in the 70’s. Excellent Emmy winning series, one of the first to honestly portray multiracial classrooms and teaching staffs, looks at a multitude of problems including early marriage, corporate irresponsibility, freedom of speech, senility, the effects of unexpected death and more with many future stars, among them Bruno Kirby, Cindy Williams, Teri Garr, Jamie Farr, Rob Reiner, Richard Dreyfuss, Kurt Russell, and Mark Hamill, passing through.
Aww Skins!! Watched the first 2 series while I was at college, it perfect timing. Hideous perfect timing. But I gotta say the kids in Bristol were more crazy than the ones I knew in London.
DeleteThe US version was cancelled wasn't it? The 'graphic' images weren't that shocking to be fair... but that just minght be me.
I quite enjoyed My So Called Life, mmm so 90s, but there were a few filler episodes in its short life on air.
I didn't like Skins. It was too over the top grim that felt to me at least was just trying too hard to be gritty.
DeleteI did watch My So-Called Life too...but I was too young to really be into angsty high school shows.
Used to love The OC so much (why??) and I actually say through 2 seasons of Gossip Girl and picked up bits along the way. But Freaks and Geeks I did enjoy immensely.
ReplyDeleteThe O.C. was fun...it was the teen show of the 2000's
DeleteMy 14 yo is obsessed with Riverdale. She's on pins and needles waiting on season 2. I watched a little with her. It was okay, but I never put 2 & 2 together and got Archie comics. Wow. I might have to pay closer attention to it.
ReplyDeleteI hated 90210 with a passion. Way too crappy soap opera for me. I stayed away from all those others because that's what they seemed like. Almost. I did hear that Freaks & Geeks was good. I just never bothered for whatever reason.
Riverdale...haha yes it's Archie comics...they even have Josie and Pussycats in it.
DeleteWe match with Freaks and Geeks which was an excellent show. I did not see any of the others actually. I didn't even want to watch Riverdale because I prefer the Archie comics as they were...sweet, goofy and fun
ReplyDeleteWell I guess the mystery in Riverdale is fun.
DeleteI also choose Freaks & Geeks! Of your shows, I've seen a few episodes of each aside from Riverdale. But I was never a regular watcher.
ReplyDeleteI saw a few episodes of Beverly Hills and I liked them. I loved Gossip Girl and The O.C. was one of my favourite series when I was a teen.
ReplyDeleteI saw a few episodes of Gossip Girl, Riverdale, and The OC (entire season 4, it's my favorite from the whole show). I did enjoy some parts of Gossip Girl. Riverdale was not for me.
ReplyDelete