Popular coming of age web series to check out on OTT
- Featured Film
Schenelle Dsouza- 12 minutes read
Schenelle Dsouza
An Indian remake of the Spanish series Elite, Class is currently one of the most popular web series on Netflix right now. While season 1 wrapped up a while ago, Netlix’s decision to renew the series for season 2 is what put the show back on everyone’s radar.
The story follows three lower-class kids who bag scholarships to a prestigious international school in Delhi. Expecting to fit in immediately, the students are met with contempt from the rich, elitist students. What makes this show so popular is the portrayal of real, dark subjects like the wealth gap, gender, sexuality, caste and culture with a healthy mix of romance, drama and murder. Season 2 might not be out anytime soon, so here are some coming-of-age web series to binge-watch in the meantime.
Euphoria
Like Class, Euphoria is a coming-of-age series centring high school students. Based in the quaint town of East Highland, the show is full of dark and intense themes, portraying the unspoken struggles of teenagers today, many of which include drug abuse, sex, gender and orientation, depression and anxiety etc. The show is narrated by the unreliable Rue Bennett portrayed by Zendaya who was particularly applauded for her performance, especially in season 2. The cast also includes Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie and Hunter Schafer who showcase similar disturbing yet brilliant performances.
Watch online on Disney+ Hotstar
Heartstopper
While we’ve seen plenty of cheesy PG-13 teenage rom-com shows, not many of them have been about the queer community. Young teenager Charlie recently came out, albeit reluctantly, thanks to bullies who made his life hell. He starts meeting up with a senior named Ben in secret because of his internalized homophobia. However, when Charlie meets Nick Nelson, a rugby player, he is instantly bewitched. Despite his friends’ warnings about Nick’s orientation, Charlie cannot give up on Nick because he knows there’s something between them. Heartstopper is one of the most adorable representations of gay teenage romance with sweet moments like the first touch, the first kiss, and not forgetting the infamous “Hi” greetings.
Watch online on Netflix
I Am Not Okay With This
Produced by the makers of Stranger Things, I Am Not Okay With This circles an awkward teenager who discovers she has telekinetic powers. Living in a Rust Belt town, she is mourning her father’s recent death and becomes distant from her best friend. She soon befriends Stanley who becomes her love interest, and the show focuses on her journey navigating the complexities of high school, her father’s recent suicide, and her budding sexuality.
Watch online on Netflix
Legacies
While there are n number of movies and series about vampires, witches and werewolves, The Vampire Diaries Universe remains the most memorable and iconic iteration. Created by Julie Plec, the initial series, The Vampire Diaries received a spin-off called The Originals which was then followed by Legacies. A common factor between the three shows is the presence of supernatural entities within the town of Mystic Falls. Taking off right after the events of the climax in The Originals, Legacies centres Hope Mikaelson, a tribrid, aka a half-vampire, half-werewolf, and half-witch. After the death of her parents, Hope moves from New Orleans to Mystic Falls and begins attending the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted, a safe house for young supernatural teenagers. The story focuses on Hope and her struggle to control her powers while tackling dangers that await outside the gates of the Salvatore School.
Watch online on Amazon Prime
Love Alarm
If dystopian dramas are your cup of tea, then this coming-of-age K-drama is surely for you. Exploring first love through a few dark themes, Love Alarm is about a dating app unsurprisingly named Love Alarm, that determines if you have a crush on someone within a 10-minute radius, announcing it to everyone around. Kim Jojo, a high school girl who’s coping with a set of personal adversities, navigates this complex dating world and has a set of experiences that are engaging to say the least. Watch for the complex plotline, and stay for the romance.
Watch online on Netflix
My First First Love
My First First Love is a story about a bunch of college students who discover love for the first time. When Yun Tae-o starts college, he moves to his grandfather’s old house and hopes to impress women with his pad. However, when three of his friends – the childhood crush Hang Song-i, naive rich girl O Ga-rin, and musician Choe Hun ask for a place to stay, he takes them in. What follows is a series of chaotic events that allows them to delve into their individual relationships with each other and discover what it means to be in love.
Watch online on Netflix
Never Have I Ever
Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever is a perfect watch for pretty much anyone. The relatable characters and questionable plotlines make for an entertaining watch whether you’re an Indian or not. While the first two seasons focused on Devi trying and succeeding in finding a boyfriend, Season 3 gets her out of the Ben vs Paxton drama landing her with a new desi hottie in the form of Des, Nalini’s friend’s son. But it’s never as easy and breezy as it seems, because Des it turns out is the typical Indian mama’s boy who does whatever she asks. Add to that, Kamala and Nalini’s respective love lives get a fair share of screen time making it a fun watch for adults as well.
Watch online on Netflix
Sex Education
A coming-of-age show that caters to all sexual orientations, British comedy drama Sex Education is one of the most popular shows on Netflix. The shows is centred around a bunch of secondary school children struggling to understand adolescent sexuality while trying to understand their own identities and desires. Among the many beloved characters is Eric, a gay son born to Ghanian-Nigerian immigrant parents. Eric’s storyline focuses on him coming out to his parents, while tackling his own cultural and religious clashes. But the reason we really love Sex Education is because of its inclusivity. It not only covers the homosexual and heterosexual relationships but also the more difficult conversations about asexual, pansexual and non-binary individuals as well.
Watch online on Netflix
Twenty-Five Twenty-One
