When a TV show is called “trashy,” it can mean a lot of things, but there are many cases when a series doesn’t deserve this moniker. A show being referred to as “trashy” tells the audience and critics that it’s a project that shouldn’t be taken seriously. Theylean into pulpy aspects like sex, violence, and over-the-top drama.While there are some TV series that do just that, others are playing with the concept of being trashy and creating something new and exciting. Many teen drama shows likeThe Vampire Diariesare unfairly deemed low-brow without being given a chance.
Many of these works are some of themost underrated TV shows of all time, as viewers were turned off by the reputation they earned. However, fans of these series know that they have a lot to offer and are typically in on the joke, playing up the campy melodrama to create an entertaining project.The era of prestige TV changed many people’s perceptions of television,showing that works on the small screen can be art. However, it’s important to remember that there’s room for art and fun on TV, and these shows prove that.
The early 2000s saw an influx of TV shows that undermined the concept of the American Dreamand the idyllic nature of the nuclear family. Few shows did this as skillfully as the offbeat dramaDesperate Housewives, which followed a group of women living in a seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood who are plagued by secrets and betrayal. ThoughDesperate Housewivesincorporated outlandish mysteries and murders into the fabric of the plot, it also saw its characters grapple with realistic and relevant issues.
As the seasons progressed,Desperate Housewiveshad ups and downs, but it earned consistent positive critical and audience reception well into its run.
The central actresses who ledDesperate Housewivesall demonstrated their skills as performers as the seasons progressed and their characters became more complex. As the seasons progressed,Desperate Housewiveshad ups and downs, but it earned consistent positive critical and audience reception well into its run. There’s a misconception thatDesperate Housewivestakes itself too seriously, but this isn’t true. The dark comedy thrives thanks to its self-awareness and humor.
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One of thebest supernatural teen TV showsof all time,The Vampire Diaries’s success has been proven by the series' longevity. Popular enough to warrant two spinoffs,The OriginalsandLegacies,The Vampire Diariestook the book series it was based on and transformed it into an enduring franchise. Premiering just a year after the firstTwilightmovie,The Vampire Diariesdid a lot for revamping the vampire genre in teen spaces and increasing interest in supernatural dramas.
Starring Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, and Paul Wesley as Elena, Damon, and Stefan,The Vampire Diariesthrived on the love triangles and romantic entanglements of its characters. Though it’s easy to write off teen romance TV shows for not being as complex or character-driven,The Vampire Diariesprovides plenty of concrete character development and interesting lore. Blending monster-of-the-week episodes into its season-long story arcs,The Vampire Diariespushed boundaries from the beginning.
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True Bloodstands apart in the vampire genre,as this campy, sexy series took the vampire metaphor even further than previous works. Though the comparison between vampires and their fight for civil rights in the series isn’t a one-to-one comparison to the ongoing work to secure LGBTQ+ rights, there are many similarities that can’t be ignored.True Bloodleans into the cultural and social implications of its story even as it furthers the central romantic plot points.
Drenched in sex and violence, it’s easy to write offTrue Bloodas a series meant to grab the audience’s attentionfrom the beginning, prioritizing style over substance. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.True Bloodis just as interested in the lore and magic of its world, and the development of Sookie (Anna Paquin) as a character. The Southern Gothic influences and many comedic moments that punctuateTrue Blooddemonstrated how complex the series really was.
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Starring Penn Badgley as Joe, the serial killer with a soft spot for romance,Youbecame an unexpected hit for Lifetime before moving to Netflix and getting an increase in budget and attention. While Badgley’s anchoring performance as the deranged protagonist is the best part of the series,Youhas done an amazing job bringing in fantastic actors to flesh out the world of the story and be the backdrop of Joe’s bloody fantasies.Each season has engaged with interesting cultural and class critiqueswhile unraveling why men like Joe get away with murder.
Youseason 5will be the final installment of the show, and it will be interesting to see if Joe ends up dead, in jail, or running away yet again. Whileit’s frustrating and unbelievable that Joe has been able to sneak away from the law and continue killingpractically indiscriminately since the beginning of the series, it’s also what makes the series so hard to look away from. Badgley has been outspoken about how he hopes the series works to show viewers how insidious the systems are that allow Joe to continue his rampage.
Ryan Murphy, one of the creators ofScream Queens, is known for making satirical and tongue-in-cheek TV shows likeGlee, but one of his most overlooked projects is also one of his best.Scream Queens, the comedy-horror show, pokes fun at both the teen drama and slasher genres,making it a gory and witty good time. Starring Emma Roberts as Chanel, the queen bee of her college campus,Scream Queenswas initially misunderstood, as the unique tone can easily put viewers off.
Fans of the series know thatScream Queensis campy and off-putting on purpose, reveling in the darkness of the beauty standards and expectations that can drive people to murder.
However, fans of the series know thatScream Queensis campy and off-putting on purpose, reveling in the darkness of the beauty standards and expectations that can drive people to murder. ThoughScream Queenswas canceled after season 2, it’s become a cult classic and is regarded as one of Murphy’s most cutting works to date. Featuring performances from many famous actors like Ariana Grande, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Glen Powell,Scream Queenshas a lot of star power.
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Pretty Little Liarsmoved at a lightning-fast pace, shocking audiences and critics at every turn. More serious and mystery-driven thanGossip Girland less supernatural thanThe Vampire Diaries,Pretty Little Liarssuccessfully carved out a niche for itself amid the teen drama landscape. Though the series wasn’t afraid to introduce truly mind-bending plot twists,Pretty Little Liarshas remained a classic because it’s self-aware.At its core,Pretty Little Liarshas an inherent sense of humorand makes fun of itself.
Any show with as much backstabbing and unexpected reveals asPretty Little Liarshas to be self-aware, and the central actresses of the series, notably Troian Bellisario, were committed to this balance of humor and melodrama. Though it’s easy to criticizePretty Little Liarsfor its plot holes and over-the-top spectacles, there’s nothing more fun than diving headfirst into the twisting story. While it isn’t perfect,Pretty Little Liarsknows itself and its audience very well and enjoys playing into its heart-pounding conceit.
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Smallvillemight not have been a prestige television, but the series was enormously popular and did a lot for the development of superhero TV shows today. Origin stories likeSmallvillehave been trending in recent years, and even thoughSmallvillewas concerned with the everyday dramas of teen life, this ended up uplifting the central conflict of Clark hiding his identity.Tom Welling’s performance as Clark is one of the best parts of the showand helped it go on for as long as it did.
As the series progressed, Clark left behind some of the ups and downs of adolescence, fully embracing his role as a hero and grappling with what his work as a vigilante means.
Smallvilleis afantasy TV show that’s worth the commitment, even though the series is ten seasons long. As the series progressed, Clark left behind some of the ups and downs of adolescence, fully embracing his role as a hero and grappling with what his work as a vigilante means. Sometimes, superhero TV series can have a difficult time being taken seriously by audiences who aren’t familiar with the lore of the heroes. However,Smallvillewas a crossover hit that appealed to everybody.
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Though screenshots ofDawson’s Creekhave created many viral memes in the past few years, there’s still something engaging about this classic teen drama TV show. Despite the fact that it’s easy to roll your eyes at the overly articulate way the teens assert themselves or the clumsy way the writing handles topical subjects,Dawson’s Creekwasn’t afraid to go there.It was an early example of a teen series that openly talked about serious topicsand tried to do them justice.
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Of course,Dawson’s Creekhas its fair share of over-wrought love triangles and betrayals. However,the enduring love story between Pacey (Joshua Jackson) and Joey (Katie Holmes) is one of the best-written romancesin an adolescent show. WithoutDawson’s Creek,many of the most iconic teen series of the 2000s and 2010s wouldn’t exist.Dawson’s Creekpaved the way for teen TV to be taken more seriously and do more than talk about homework and fitting in.
Lifetime isn’t a network typically known for its contemplative dramas or high-quality fictional content. However,UnREALbucks this trend by playing into it. Theseries chronicles the lives of a group of reality TV producers working on a show likeThe Bachelor.It doesn’t take long for the audience to realize that the people working behind the camera are even more dramatic than the contestants. Rachel (Shiri Appleby), the protagonist ofUnREAL, is often at the center of the darkest and most shocking plot developments in the series.
Though it only ran for four seasons,UnREALmade a mark and was well ahead of its time in its interrogation of how television has changed.
Reality TV is a genre of television that gets labeled “trashy” most often, andUnREALplays with the audience’s perception of what these series are like for maximum intrigue. Balancing its satire and cutting criticism of the reality TV market with gripping interpersonal drama,UnREALisn’t a guilty pleasure; it’s plain fun. Though it only ran for four seasons,UnREALmade a mark and was well ahead of its time in its interrogation of how television has changed.
UnREAL (2015–2018)
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Once Upon a Timeisn’t exactly “trashy,” but it did earn a reputation for relying on high drama and somewhat improbably plot points to push the story forward. Since it draws so much inspiration from fairy tales, it’s unsurprising thatOnce Upon a Timeleans fully into the intensity and high stakes of these projects. However, especially in the early seasons,Once Upon a Timedoesn’t get enough credit for being such a well-crafted show.
Not only does the series use the flashback and multiple timeline elements to the story’s benefit, but it also grapples with relevant and pressing themes. Emma’s (Jennifer Morrison) character development is a huge part of the show, and her arc tracks real, tangible change and vulnerability.As the seasons progress, we see genuine evolution in Emma’s characterizationas she learns to open herself up to love and adjust to her role as a mother.Once Upon a Timerises above the parts of its concept that could be contrived and engages the audience.
