5. My So-Called Life
It's quite sad that today's world offers teenagers so little in the world of television. While shows like Degrassi and Gossip Girl exist they are but weak examples of what it truly means to be a young adult in the world. They offer only cheesy melodrama, unbelievable plots, and groups of young people you just want to smack. While some in the 90's were watching Beverly Hills 90210 - another example of the aforementioned shi**y series - others were tuning in to a little gem called My So-Called Life. Starring a young Claire Danes and co-star Jared Leto, the series focused on the life of fifteen year old Angela Chase as she embraces adolescence and seeks her identity. While many sitcoms and dramas of the 90's focused on important yet controversial themes - such as violence, censorship, homophobia, homelessness, and alcoholism - they tended to use them as a one-time "very special episode" in which the theme would be addressed and then forgotten altogether. My So-Called Life depicted a true sense of realism as these issues were congruent with the overall story. They weren't one-time plots that would pop up and disappear; they were very real problems the characters dealt with in their day-to-day lives. So why was the one young adult drama that finally got it right canceled after only one season? Well, lead actress Claire Danes didn't want to return for a second season. In fact, many of the young cast members were having trouble juggling their roles on the show with their schoolwork and personal lives. Danes, being only as old as her character at the time, was excused and the series wasn't continued. Though it was a true shame that My So-Called Life wasn't able to continue it really can't be denied that doing so without Angela would have been a bad move.