In recent years, coming of age TV series have been gaining popularity. These series take a look at what it’s like to go through life as a teenager, or young adult.
For this generation of young adults, there’s nothing more important than finding their identity, building connections with people who understand them, and making sense of the world they live in.
These new coming-of-age TV shows explore these issues from multiple angles and perspectives while also addressing some universal themes such as family dynamics, sex, love, race relations and many others.
Streaming channels like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+ has a magnificent collection of series and movie content. Some are too good to watch.
It is no secret that TV shows have grown over time. Netflix is one of the best platforms for coming-of-age TV series.
If you are looking for some amazing coming-of-age TV series to watch, here is a list of best that I have compiled for you.
18 Coming of Age TV Series to Stream—
Sex Education
Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’ is one of the popular teen TV shows on Netflix that follows the life of a number of teenagers and their journey to adulthood.
The series shows the lack of education about ‘sex’ that the schools ignore to teach about. How much it is important to have knowledge on sex, how it works, things every teenage should keep in mind to avoid unwanted pregnancies and other STDs.
Stranger Things
Netflix Original series ‘Stranger Things’ is one of the most-watched series on Netflix. There are a plenty of reasons why it is so popular among the teen adults and youth.
It is a science fiction horror drama series that tells the story of a group of kids trying to understand the world around them when they explore an unwanted experience that turned their life upside down.
The show has been praised for showing the 80s pop culture. With the high popularity, the creators have aired three seasons on Netflix and all of them are impressively perfect.
Talk about the plot, screenplay, performances, cinematography, and the magnificent special effects make this coming of age series one of the best till now.
Atypical
Netflix Original ‘Atypical’ is one of the best coming of age TV series that follows the life of a teenager, Sam, an autistic and his family.
The show portrays the challenges he and his family goes through, the struggles he faces in his daily life, his strange relationship with his father.
The show also highlights the other issues like marital problems, mental health, sexual identity, etc.
It is a beautiful series to watch.
13 Reasons Why
Yet another popular and most watched Netflix original TV series ’13 Reasons Why’ is based on the novel of the same name by Jay Asher.
It depicts the story of a high school student, Hannah Baker, who committed suicide and taped a series of flashbacks of her life, where she explains the events that pushed her to her suicide.
She recorded 13 tapes for 13 people, explaining how they are responsible for what happened to her.
The later seasons carry forward the story where the show portrays serious subjects like bullying, drug addicting, alcoholism, violent behaviour, sexual identity that teens face in the 21st century.
The series portrays and deals with some very concerning topics that teenage boys and girls face in their schools.
Queens’s Gambit
Netflix Original TV series ‘Queen’s Gambit’ is an incredible coming of age show to watch about an orphan chess prodigy Beth Harmon. Her life depends on the addiction of playing chess and winning. After struggling for years, she satisfied herself and that’s a quest to become the greatest chess player in the world.
Never have I Ever
Mindy Kaling’s coming of age drama series ‘Never Have I Ever’ talks about an Indian-American teenager had a traumatic year after losing her dad. She is experiencing challenging school and love life while trying to cope with her loss.
It’s a very relatable story and Mindy Kaling has created a perfect blend of amazing screenplay, pun dialogues and performances.
It’s a worth watching series on Netflix.
Everything Sucks
Netflix’s newest original series, “Everything Sucks” set in the 90s and revolves around a high school freshman, Luke O’Neil, who struggles with high school life, friendship and love.
I had the least expectation from this show but it turned out to be one of the best with sincere performances and story.
On my Block
Love this show about a group of high school teenager, dealing with their home life, school life, and friendships. I bet you will love this show and find a reason to fit this TV series on your list of best coming of age TV series.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,
Netflix’s new coming-of-age TV series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, is a perfect show for those who are looking for a wholesome show with some good laughs and a touch of supernatural horror.
It follows Sabrina Spellman played by Kiernan Shipka, a half-witch half-mortal teenage girl who comes to terms with her heritage as she tries to protect her family from the Evil Wizard while trying to live a normal life at high school with her friends.
The show has horror and witchcraft that are not scary at all, instead enjoyable to watch.
Derry Girls
The Irish TV show on Netflix is a coming-of-age story about teenage girls living in Derry in Northern Ireland in the 1990s.
The show depicts the social and political turmoil of life in Derry and how the four bright, funny and feisty teenage girls are handling the controversial environment while growing up.
It is a fun to watch, especially the accent and the performances by all the girls are incredible.
Elite
It’s amazing that Netflix has so much content to consume, even in other languages, too.
Elite is a Spanish Netflix Original series that follows a group of high school students who studies in an elite boarding school in Barcelona, Spain dealing with the ups and down of being an adolescent as they’re transitioning into adulthood.
There are mysteries, love, romance, hate, friendship, brotherhood, murder and cultural views that the show cares to show to its audience.
Teen Wolf
Who loves the wolf stuff? If you do, ‘Teen Wolf’ would be an amazing choice.
It’s about Scott McCall, a high school student who wakes up from a coma after being bitten by a werewolf and now he is turning into a wolf-human hybrid.
It changes his life completely. He is stronger than before, has power and faces supernatural challenges each day. There are 6 seasons and is quite an interesting show to watch.
River Dale
Riverdale is a coming-of-age TV series based on the Archie Comics. It has an exciting plot that carries forwards every season. There is a right amount of drama, romance and mystery, set in a small fictional town Riverdale, having dark secrets that’s getting revealed in layers.
The series revolves around four major characters: Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge and Jughead Jones.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager is a coming of age TV series that was first aired in 2008. It follows the story of an average American teenager, Amy Juergens, who became a teenage mother after a night of mistake and it ruins her plan for life.
The show revolves around her, how she deals with the routine of being a teenage mom. How her perfect life soon becomes chaotic juggling between performing her mommy duties and studies.
The show is quite underrated and one of the coming of age TV series indeed.
I am not Okay with This
This is an outstanding TV series that shows the dealing with the issue of mental health and social awkwardness in the most unique way. It talks about a teenager who discovers her new superpowers yet facing difficulties being out in the social.
How, what and when are the questions to ask. Because it is a superb TV series to watch.
The Society
“The Society” is a coming of age American drama series created and directed by Jason A. Matherne is about a group of teenagers living in the fictional town of West Ham. They are stuck without their families, with no knowledge about the outside world for an unknown reason.
With no rules, electricity or adults to guide them, they are on their own finding out answers.
Dawson’s Creek
Dawson’s Creek is a coming of age TV series streaming on Netflix that follows the life of Dawson and Joey, a lovely teenage couple and their transition to adulthood. It is a light-hearted drama series with a touch of an old way of love and romance.
I have watched 4 seasons in ‘Dawson’s Creek’ and I loved it. Highly recommended.
Anne with an E
Anne with an E is based on the 1908 ‘Anne of Green Gables.’ It is Netflix’s first original Canadian show, produced in partnership with CBC.
It follows the life of a young orphan girl, her adventures, her vivid imagination, and how she learns her way to the outside world.
Conclusion:
The above are some of the best coming of age TV series streaming on Netflix right now and are worth saving your time for them.