So often, a new teen drama will drop on some streaming service and suddenly my feeds are flooded with headlines and reviews comparing the series to The O.C., Gossip Girl, or Veronica Mars for good measure (I’m looking at you, Outer Banks). But here’s the thing: There will never be another O.C. or Gossip Girl or Veronica Mars. It’s better to embrace something new than try to recapture that magic. 

While teen soaps have been around long before the year 2000, the early aughts were truly the peak era for the genre. High school dramas fueled angsty teens week to week, shining a light on class disparities and trauma, and highlighting the day-to-day lives of (primarily white, cis) American youth. They’re not perfect, but these shows were more than just television: They were an aesthetic. They informed how many of us dressed and what music we listened to, and launched 20-something actors playing hot 16-year-olds into a new, complex level of celebrity status even before the Instagram age.

As the early aughts gave way to the 2010s, the number of these shows more or less died down, but the few that managed a similar cultural impact were often shrouded in mystery and the supernatural. (Let’s call it the Twilight effect.) Shows like Gossip Girl made way for The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, and Teen Wolf, but the results stayed the same: The generation watching was absolutely hooked, devoting themselves to ships and stanning their new favorite actors on Twitter, Instagram, and fan fiction platforms.

Then, with the massive success of Riverdale and 13 Reasons Why in 2017, there’s been a swift and welcome resurgence of the format on various networks and streaming services, all hoping to recapture the devotion and impact of their predecessors. So what better time to rank the top 20 teen dramas of the past 20 years?

Here are the rules: The show must have premiered during or after the year 2000 (sorry, Buffy) but before 2020 and center primarily on the lives of high schoolers, even if adults play prominent roles (that means you’re out of the running, Gilmore Girls and Friday Night Lights). Trust me, making this list hurt me more than it could possibly hurt you, but here goes nothing.

20. 13 Reasons Why (2017–2020)

XOXO, Gossip Girl fans: More drama is on the way. The HBO Max  reboot is officially coming back for a second season. 

Don’t worry: The remaining six episodes of season one will still debut this November, with returning stars Jordan Alexander, Thomas Doherty, Whitney Peak and Savannah Lee Smith. And then after that, a whole new season of Gossip Girl is coming. 

“You’ll want to keep your phone close, I won’t be gone for long. S1 continues this fall, with S2 to follow,” GG posted on Instagram in September. 

Here’s everything we know so far about season two: 

It happened because of huge season-one numbers. “Gossip Girl saw record viewership over its first weekend on the platform and also took over Twitter in the No. 1 trending spot,” a press release for the show reads. “The series had 15 billion total social impressions at launch and the series gained around 5.2 billion impressions from content inspired by the series on TikTok.”

A premiere date. Unknown at this time. 

The cast. Expect to see all the familiar faces from season one: Jordan Alexander, Eli Brown, Thomas Doherty, Tavi Gevinson, Emily Alyn Lind, Evan Mock, Zion Moreno, Whitney Peak, and Savannah Lee Smith. If any of these actors drop out of season two, we’ll let you know. 

The plot. Again, unknown, but expect the show to dive deeper into the themes of season one. “Certain things are essential to the Gossip Girl franchise: a strong, complicated female dynamic at the center, romantic triangles—which exist in the new show but are updated—and parent-kid relationships,’ co-executive producer Stephanie Savage told Glamour in July.

“And showrunner Joshua Safran said, “What this franchise explores, and how it explores it—you could make this show every decade. Gossip Girl is perennial.” 

This article will be updated with info as it comes in.

The Gossip Girl reboot scripts are about 85% pop culture references, “woke” buzzwords, and sharp zingers, but one line in a recent episode of the HBO Max series really didn’t sit right with Suki Waterhouse. 

On July 29, the model took to Twitter to scold the reboot over a disparaging comment made at her expense. For context: In the third episode of Gossip Girl, Constance Billard’s resident mean girls Monet (Savannah Lee Smith) and Luna (Zión Moreno) are in the throes of trying to salvage the image of queen bee Julien Calloway (Jordan Alexander), who recently broke up with her rich boyfriend and seems to be sabotaging her image on social media. 

But as any truly talented schemer knows, you always need a backup plan. Just in case Julien continues to go off script, the pair decide to help the competition: Julien’s half-sister, Zoya (Whitney Peak), who just so happens to be dating the Instagrammer’s ex-boyfriend. “Might as well get in with the new world order,” Luna tells Monet over drinks.

Later that episode, which aired on July 22, Luna attempts to school Zoya on the importance of image and style after she and Obie (Eli Brown) are dubbed The Prince and the Popo by a gossip blog. “When are you going to get it?” Luna asks Zoya. “As far as the press is concerned, he’s R-Patz and you’re Suki Nobody.” 

Well, as you can imagine, Waterhouse took offense to this comparison. The model, who has been linked to Robert Pattinson since 2018, tweeted about the joke a week later. “Another day to be reminded that women can also be the patriarchy,” Waterhouse tweeted over a screen grab of Monet and Luna proclaiming, “Fuck the patriarchy,” in an earlier scene from the same episode. She also tagged Gossip Girl writer, Lila Feinberg.

“Seeing critiques of the patriarchy and sexism, then I get name-checked as somebody’s nobody girlfriend,” she continued in a second tweet. “Make it make sense.” Both tweets have since been deleted. 

That’s so specific! Does this come up a lot for you and your girlfriend? 

It’s actually 50/50. I usually am ready first, but it’s not like she takes forever to get ready. She just doesn’t rush to do anything?  It’s funny, like, she doesn’t have really that much concept of time when it has to do with strict timing. [Laughs.]

What’s your favorite thing your partner does for you?

Rubs my head and massages my neck. Love that. I’m constantly tense, so those are much-needed.

What’s the thing you do that annoys your partner the most?

Want to ask her?

She’s there? [Laughs.] Okay, Gray, what’s the most annoying thing about your boyfriend?

Gray Sorrenti: Nothing! I love him so much. [Laughs.]

Mock: That’s so not the right answer. You’ll just have to follow us around for a week or two, figure it out. 

What’s the most romantic thing you’ve done for a partner?

Showing someone I love around where I’m from. Showing them the ins and outs and telling them things about Hawaii. I like showing people the true meaning of Hawaii, through my eyes.

Aki and Audrey hook up in a pretty public space on the show; where is the most surprising place you’ve hooked up with someone?

Maybe the bottom of a boat in the middle of the ocean.

So you’re definitely an ocean guy over a city guy. 

I feel like I can adapt to my surroundings pretty quickly. I feel just as much of a city guy now that I live in New York and also a waterman. 

What’s been the biggest change for you? 

Public transportation is a new thing for me, so maybe that’s a big difference. Hawaii’s so laid-back, you know? There’s things going on, of course, but there’s also not as much things going on. Compared to New York.

Do you miss it?

I feel like you would miss anywhere that you’re from. My destination happens to be Hawaii, so yeah, I miss it extra. Family is everything in Hawaii.

What has your family said about the Gossip Girl premiere?

They’re just like, “Make sure Mom doesn’t watch this.” That’s all they’ve said about it.

Has she?

I’ve honestly been ignoring her because I didn’t want to ask her if she saw it yet. In the first episode, I don’t know if you saw it or not, but I have sex more than I say a word.

Do you believe in astrology? What’s your sign? 

I’m an Aries. I don’t believe in it as much as 16-year-old girls on Instagram, but I think there’s definitely some really crazy and weird things that I can’t even explain. It must be real. 

Speaking of Instagram, you have over 500,000 followers. Do you consider yourself an influencer?

I’m more of a storyteller of what I’m doing. I’m not really putting things out there to influence anyone. Hopefully just trying to inspire people.

HBO Max drops new episodes of Gossip Girl every Thursday. Emily Tannenbaum is an entertainment editor, critic, and screenwriter living in L.A. Follow her on Twitter. 

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That’s so interesting that you met Blake Lively. Do you remember what she said to you at all, or did you get a chance to talk to her?

We actually met at this church that both of our families were at at the time because she was filming Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and her family was so kind to us. They invited us on set, and we were so excited. It was me, my two sisters, and my mom and dad, and we got to experience a movie set. Blake let me and my sisters pick what earrings she was going to wear. She had options for earrings for this day, and so she let us pick, which was so sweet.

The first Gossip Girl turned the cast into household names. Have you thought about that happening to your cast at all? 

That’s definitely been on my mind pretty much since I got cast, just because even at that point, the show was fairly high-profile, especially because it’s going to be on HBO Max. That’s a very high-profile streaming network and network in general. So I’ve been contemplating all of that for a while. Every lifestyle has its challenges and has its beautiful side. 

What about Julien did you most identify with?

I really identified with her desire to be herself. She’s trying to be herself, but because she’s got things at such a young age, she doesn’t quite know who that is. So it gets a little muddled because she definitely puts out this polished veneer instead of her authentic self. But at the end of the day, that is her goal, I think. And my goal, for sure, especially with having more attention and being in the public eye, is to really just allow—if people are going to see something of me from me, it’s going to be the truth. It’s going to be authentic. It’s not going to be edited or polished or whatever. It will just be real.

How did you prepare for the role?

With the role I had before on Sacred Lies, I was playing a young foster kid. And so I did a lot of research online to get real-life stories about people who had experienced that system and who were living that life. I did the same thing on Gossip Girl to understand what that influencer lifestyle was and to understand what being extremely wealthy was like. Also, I watched the entirety of Gossip Girl to get a tone and a theme for my performance and my character, because it’s a really iconic series. I definitely wanted to infuse as much of that in Julien as possible to give that nostalgic feeling.

I love that you watched the show. With some actors, if they’re shooting a remake or reimagining of something iconic, their relationship to that material varies. Sometimes they don’t want to watch it at all, but you’re saying you found it helpful?

I found it super helpful because the Upper East Side and that glamorous lifestyle, I don’t have any experience with it at all. It was really fun to see how they portrayed it, and the hyper drama of it all. I felt like it helped me get a beat on what I wanted to do. But there are different approaches, right? I feel like either way, we achieved what we wanted to.

A second season seems inevitable. Have you thought about where you’d like Julien to go?

I’m very excited to see what the writers and showrunners have in store for Julien. I hope she gets to break her facade a little bit. I think that’s probably inevitable with Gossip Girl being around.

Growing up, what was your idea of what it meant to be a successful actor, and has that idea changed as you’ve become a working actor?

I’m very passionate about expressing myself through art and having fun and being creative. And to me, that is success in any profession, just being able to connect with yourself and have fun and enjoy your life.

Are there any particular makeup or skincare products you’ve become a fan of from using them on Gossip Girl?

I am obsessed with Starface patches. I couldn’t believe how well they work. I was like, wait, what is in this? I’m scared because how does that work so well? I also just discovered this acne exfoliating toner by Peach Slices. It’s really affordable. I think it’s maybe, like, $10 or $12, and I find that really, really helps my skin. And then Hada Labo products and Sand & Sky. I’d recommend anything by them. 

What’s been your favorite fashion moment on Gossip Girl so far? 

That Christopher John Rogers gown from the first episode was fantastic. I actually got to wear two Christopher John Rogers gowns. That was a real princess fairytale moment. I live for the drama and the camp, and stuff like that in fashion really excites me.

Is there a snack or beverage you like to have on set?

I love tea, so I actually bring my own personal kettle and then a bunch of tea so I can have as much tea as I want. It’s really nice and just, like, a little comfort. Of course, everyone’s welcome to use my kettle. And then I’d say apples. They give you energy and they’re nice, fresh, and delicious. Apples and tea, for sure! 

Is there an issue or cause you hope to highlight with your larger platform? 

I really would love the world to be a freer place for everyone—just an overall sense of inclusion, equity, and diversity.  And then, of course, my beautiful LGBTQ+ alphabet mafia. I’m always riding for them. 

HBO Max’s highly anticipated Gossip Girl reboot premiered July 8, and while it’s a whole new show (with new characters), fans also spotted some familiarities. Some are big and obvious, like Kristen Bell as the voice of G.G. and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s steps as Constance Billard’s watering hole. But others are more subtle. Here’s everything viewers have spotted (so far). Warning: Light spoilers ahead.

The opening shot

A young girl returns to New York City. Feel familiar?

The fashions

Teacher Kate (Tavi Gevinson) would have come of age alongside students like Serena van der Woodsen, so when she wears a version of S’s outfit from the pilot, it’s more than a nod to the original; it shows the gap between her and her Gen Z students.

There are also shout-outs to brands that featured heavily in the original series, like Alice + Olivia and Zara. And a cameo from The Cut editor-in-chief Lindsay Peoples Wagner. This series has the fashion bona fides of its predecessor.

Specifically, the headbands

Former Constance Queen Bee Blair Waldorf wore her headband like a crown…but current school ruler Julien shaves her head, establishing a new look. In fact, she takes Zoya’s headband off and refashions it as a scarf.

Dan and Nate, etc.

Nate Archibald gets a shout-out as a distinguished alum of St. Jude’s. Dan Humphrey is mentioned as well; he’s now a famous novelist. 

“I did something terrible”

This is one to look forward to! Series showrunner Joshua Safran recently told Town & Country that in a future episode, the dialogue will slyly reference a big Serena moment. “In one of the episodes, a character says, ‘I did something terrible,’ and another responds, ‘What did you do, kill someone?’” he said. “Maybe fans will realize I’m riffing on Serena [van der Woodsen, an original Gossip Girl character] saying, ‘I killed someone.’”

Dumbo

The hip Brooklyn neighborhood–its name stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass –is where Dan Humphrey, the poor outsider of the first series, lived. And though a loft in that hood would have been pretty pricey even in the 2000s, prices have only skyrocketed since. Said Safran in the same interview, “In the original, Dan was the poor kid and he lived in Brooklyn, which was ridiculous then, of course…. And now the richest character of our show lives in Dumbo.”

Rebecca Sherman

Besides Nate, another mentioned alum is a student named Rebecca. “That character is actually Rebecca Sherman, which you’d never know because we don’t see her last name,” Safran revealed to T&C. “Rebecca Sherman is the name of a character that didn’t appear on screen but was discussed in episode 25 of season two of the original, when they’re trying to decide who Gossip Girl is. Somebody says, ‘It’s got to be Rebecca Sherman,’ and Blair says, ‘No, she always has her head in a book, it can’t be her.’”

Thomas Doherty: It’s different because we’re still in the middle of filming it, but I’m super excited. I’m so happy with the work that I’ve done—that we’ve all done. I think people are going to really love and enjoy it. I love doing it. For me, acting is not just about the final product; it’s very much how you’re doing it and the whole experience of it. And I’ve had such a good time. I’m excited for the rest of the season.

So tell me about your audition process. How did that go?

I was in Georgia shooting something else, and my girlfriend at the time was obsessed with Gossip Girl. This might have been in October 2019? She was watching it, so I kind of was there watching it with her. Then she left, and I was still in Georgia, and I just continued to watch it. I watched the whole thing at the ripe old age of 25. That December I was told they’re going to do another Gossip Girl. I was like, “That’d be really cool. I wonder what it’s going to look like. I wonder who they’re going to cast.”

And then I got called, saying, “Do you want to audition for it?” So I went in and auditioned a few times on tape. I actually did it for another character as well, but Max is definitely much more suited to me. I got the call when I was in New Mexico that I’d gotten the job, and then obviously production shut down because of COVID. So I had a lot more time then expected to prepare, which is actually really, really good. I’m happy we had that extra time.

And how did you use that extra time?

I always start off with the physicality of the character, from the writing and from what Josh [Safran] told me he wanted the character to be. I got into my body and tried to find the way that he would sit, how he would stand, how he would move as he walked. From there, I formulated a foundation for how the character physically was, and I built upon that with the way that he spoke, how he enunciated things, and how he would look.

I always envision Max to have a joke at the back of his head, or that he knows something at the back of his head while everyone is speaking. It was a type of character I had never played. Max is a pansexual character, and that definitely taught me so much. It was a huge education in how I viewed identification with sexuality and how we’re indoctrinated to think and feel and be a certain way. This really blew up everything wide open for me. Exploring that kind of thing was really, really interesting.

So what would you say was the easiest part of Max to tap into for you? Where did you feel the most connection to the character?

I’m quite cheeky, and I think Max is quite cheeky as well. Obviously, when you’re playing a character, you want to be able to draw upon things from your own experiences and your own style and try to integrate that with the character you’re playing. That cheeky charming-ness was definitely something I brought to the character that I could do.

Let’s go back to that October you were watching Gossip Girl. That was the first time you had seen it, correct?

That was the first time I had watched it.

What was your reaction to the show? You must’ve liked it because you stuck with it.

What was your idea of what it means to be a successful actor when you were a kid?

Being on a Disney Channel TV show. I really wanted to be like Rocky Blue in Shake It Up or Raven in That’s So Raven or China Anne McClain in A.N.T. Farm. I was like, this is the pinnacle of acting! This is success! But I didn’t really know it was a career path until I came to Canada and was like, oh, I can do this.

What is it now?

I love, love, love, love, love, love, love Viola Davis. I think she’s such a powerful actress and presence and human being in general. You can feel her. I think she’s really, really incredible. If I ever got to work with her, I’d probably dropped dead.

What was your audition process like for Gossip Girl?

It was a pretty ephemeral experience, honestly, because I got lucky. I got the long end of the straw or the stick or whatever because I did the tape and they really liked me and then they made me Zoya. It was pretty surreal. It was pretty fast.

How you celebrated getting the role?

I don’t think I did because I didn’t really believe that it was happening. And then, of course, COVID happened and I was like, well now it’s definitely not going to happen. So, it was sitting in the anticipation of what the next move was. I never really had like a moment where it sunk in. I’ve had multiple little moments of, like, wow, this is my life right now. It’s really humbling.

How do you relate most to Zoya? 

Past me relates to her, and I think the future me is gonna relate to her very different experiences. Obviously, I have dealt with the whole new school, new country, new world…being the only light-skinned girl in Uganda at a boarding school and the attention that comes with that. But then coming to Canada and receiving a different type of energy was very weird—it’s kind of like an amplified idea of being an outsider looking in.

I think future me is gonna relate to her because this is my first major recurring role in television. So the reaction that’s going to come with that is really scary, which I think Zoya feels when she goes to Constance and the Upper East Side is this fear of losing herself in all of it.