Are you suffering a hangover after bingeing My Life With The Walter Boys in a single day? Well, so am I! So where do we go from here? Let’s take a look at your best options.
Honestly, I have never been so hooked on a show that delivered such cheesy dialogue and equally cringey acting. Whether you’re Team Alex or Team Cole, we can all agree Jackie deserves neither. I said what I said … Luckily, if you’re craving more cringe and teenage romance, look no further. Here’s my list of best shows to cure your Walter Boys hangover.
The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022–)
Much like My Life With the Walter Boys, The Summer I Turned Pretty is adapted from books. Based on the series by Jenny Han, Amazon’s adaptation follows a teenage Belly as she goes to spend her summer in Cousins Beach with her family and the gorgeous Fisher family. Be prepared for romance, drama, and a whole load of swooning. I had moments screaming at the TV, but is there any other way to watch a teen romance?
One of Us Is Lying (2021–2022)
If you’re riding the high of book adaptations, well, here’s another one. One of Us Is Lying is based on a book of the same name by Karen M. McManus. This series is more of a mystery/thriller and will have you hooked, but unfortunately, the show was canceled after two seasons. That doesn’t mean this show is not worth your time. What we did see from the show made it worth the heartbreak of no more seasons. This show is focused on the death of a student Simon and five students are caught in the mystery … which one of them is responsible?
Never Have I Ever (2020–2023)
We all want to laugh alongside the cringe. Never Have I Ever manages to deliver heartfelt scenes while also making us belly laugh. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan delivers an incredible performance as awkward teen Devi as she navigates high school and boys. I adored how they perfectly captured the awkwardness that comes with puberty and the naivety of what it means to become an adult—worth binge-watching as soon as possible.
Heartstopper (2022–)
As a Brit myself, I definitely have a soft spot for teen romance Heartstopper. Based on the book series written by Alice Oseman, this heartwarming show focuses on teenagers Charlie and Nick as they discover their sexualities and embrace what it means to be with the ones they love. It also highlights mental health issues prevalent amongst the youth and not spoken about often enough. It’s another worthy watch for anyone, especially those who can relate to the subject matter shown, struggling with their own identities.
Alexa & Katie (2018–2020)
Even though Alexa & Katie does include teen romance, the main focus is the beautiful friendship between the main characters Alexa and Katie. As Alexa comes to terms with her cancer diagnosis, her best friend Katie stands in solidarity as they face being awkward teenagers while dealing with problems no child should endure. The friendships between Alexa and Katie’s families makes this show heartwarming and quite emotional.
Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003)
An oldie but a goody! Be prepared for swooning, drama, and of course, romance in Dawson’s Creek. They don’t make teen romances like they did in the late ’90s. Childhood best friends Dawson and Joey both face the changes puberty brings as they get older and discover what life has to offer. Each character brings forth a different perspective of a difficult time in everyone’s life: teen years.
XO, Kitty (2023–)
Created by Jenny Han, Kitty sets out on a mission to find love. This series is a spinoff of the film franchise To All the Boys and is filled with the same amount of romance and drama. As a matchmaker, Kitty is determined to find love for herself, but love isn’t always easy to find.
Emily in Paris (2020–)
This series isn’t focused on teenagers, but it may as well be. With the cringey dialogue and the messy relationships, Emily in Paris provides the perfect boost of romance and drama I crave. It follows Emily as she leaves America and her longtime boyfriend behind for life in Paris with a new job and a potential new romance, or many … I’m not ashamed to say I am eager to see what’s in store for season 4.
Everything Sucks! (2018)
Even though Netflix continued with its streak of canceling amazing shows with Everything Sucks! it’s still worth watching—a comedy/drama set in the 1990s as a group of teenagers are trying to deal with puberty, high school drama, and a world without smartphones (I feel old). As the name goes, everything sucks when you’re a teenager, except for this Netflix series.
Outer Banks (2020–)
In Netflix drama/mystery/romance Outer Banks, John B enlists the help of his friends The Pogues to find treasure after his father mysteriously disappears. This series is a wild ride, and the romance is merely a subplot compared to the drama that follows this group of unruly teens as they embark on the quest of their lives. You’ll be hooked from the first episode and, like me, binge-watch this series in a single weekend.
(featured image: Netflix)
