After a long winter, and almost a year of social distancing, we’ve been watching a lot of television at our house—and I’m totally okay with it. I’ve loved having the extra time with my teens and bonding over our favorite shows has been a highlight of this pandemic.
If you are looking for a few recommendations to watch with your squad, my three teens give these great shows their seal of approval. Stock up the snack drawer and settle in!
The Best Shows to Watch with Teens
The Wilds (Amazon)
If you loved Lost, or like storylines about resilient young women coming together to survive unthinkable circumstances, this show is for you. Your teens will love it too because it’s about a group of high school girls who are involved in a plane crash and have to survive after they’ve lost everything.
All American (Netflix and CW)
Every Monday night, I’m on the sofa with my daughter watching Season 3 of All American. If you haven’t seen the first two seasons of this show, which is based on the true story of NFL Super Bowl Champion, Spencer Paysinger, you can watch it on Netflix and get caught up. You don’t have to be a football fan to get into the story, but you just may become one after watching this compelling sports drama.
Lupin (Netflix)
My teens and I watched the first five episodes of this French mystery thriller one Sunday afternoon—and we were on the edge of our seats the entire time. Created by George Kay (who is also known for Killing Eve), the story centers on gentleman thief Assane Diop who, inspired by the novels about the adventures of Arsène Lupin, seeks to avenge his father for an injustice caused by a wealthy family. My family can’t wait for the next five episodes in the series, due to air in mid-2021.
Love Daily (Netflix)
My daughter and I love to watch romcoms together and Love Daily fits the bill perfectly. This charming anthology follows 12 different storylines over the course of the year, tracing how the characters find love in magical and unexpected ways. If you’re a romantic at heart, this is the perfect mother-daughter series to watch!
Cobra Kai (Netflix)
If you watched all the three Karate Kid movies as a kid (over and over and over) like I did, you will enjoy the nostalgia of this one—and your teens will find plenty to like about it, too. You’ll recognize some familiar faces, including the Karate Kid himself, Ralph Macchio. The teen characters we remember are now all grown up and have introduced their own kids to martial arts. There’s plenty of drama and humor and a little romance—just like the original films we love.
Zac & Mia (Netflix)
I love a good series that’s based on a book—especially if I can convince my kids to read the book before watching. Zack & Mia is based on the novel by A.J. Betts and follows the story of two teens who are both battling cancer in the same hospital. You will laugh and you will cry, as the two main characters grow to depend on each other as their relationship develops.
iCarly (Netflix)
When my kids spent hours on end watching this Nickelodeon series years ago, I had no idea how much I would miss it. If you didn’t watch catch it the first time around, the story centers on three young teens who become internet superstars with their own web comedy show called, you guessed it, iCarly. Netflix picked up this old favorite in February and my teens and I will definitely be watching—for the nostalgia just as much as the quirky humor.
