The best high school movies and shows, ranked

142 high-school titles from the recognizable third of the CouchRot catalog, ranked by quality and fame. Every page carries scare, gore, violence and emotional-weight tags, plus where to stream in the US.

1. 1Riverdale (2017) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-14Small-town secrets and surreal darkness bubble beneath a wholesome facade in this campy, suspenseful mystery.Netflix
2. 2Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14A 939-year-old immortal, a grim reaper, and a fated student navigate an epic, whimsical, and melancholy romance.
3. 3Rebelde (2004) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14Young adults navigate first loves and life lessons at a prestigious school, all while pursuing their musical dreams.
4. 4Teen Wolf (2011) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-MAA high schooler balances new werewolf powers with teenage drama, all while navigating broad comedy and brisk, campy fantasy.Netflix · Prime Video · MGM+
5. 5Sex Education (2019) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-MAAn awkward teen uses his mom's expertise to run a secret sex therapy clinic, navigating earnest and witty high school drama.Netflix
6. 6All of Us Are Dead (2022) · seriesProperly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MATrapped high school students navigate a relentless zombie outbreak with gritty, high-octane action and bleak suspense.Netflix
7. 7Heartstopper (2022) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14Teenagers navigate school and young love, finding heartwarming connections in a cozy, uplifting, and romantic series.Netflix
8. 8Love, Victor (2020) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14A new student navigates high school, family, and self-discovery in this earnest, heartwarming comedy.Disney+ · Hulu
9. 9Donnie Darko (2001)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA troubled teenager's visions of a giant rabbit lead to surreal crimes and a suspenseful, dreamlike mystery.Prime Video · Hulu · Kanopy
10. 10Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018) · seriesProperly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-14A half-witch teenager balances mortal high school and dark magic, navigating a world of chilling, whimsical, and darkly-comic suspense.Netflix
11. 11Merlí (2015) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-MAAn unorthodox philosophy teacher helps students navigate life with earnest, witty, and heartwarming lessons.
12. 12The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A shy freshman navigates the pangs of first love and friendship with witty, melancholic earnestness.Kanopy
13. 13True Beauty (2020) · seriesNo gore · measuredA high schooler transforms into a charming "goddess" with makeup, finding whimsical romance and feel-good drama.Netflix · Max
14. 14Twin Peaks (1990) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-MAAn FBI agent investigates a surreal small-town mystery, uncovering darkly comic secrets and dreamlike suspense.Paramount+
15. 15Love, Simon (2018)No gore · measured · PG-13A closeted teen's online romance blossoms into a heartwarming, earnest, and wholesome comedy.Max
16. 16Boys Over Flowers (2009) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA whimsical, heartwarming drama unfolds as a spirited girl navigates the broad humor of high school romance.Netflix · Prime Video · The Roku Channel
17. 17Girl from Nowhere (2018) · seriesProperly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavy · TV-MAA mysterious girl exposes the dark underbelly of high school, revealing grim truths with darkly-comic flair.Netflix
18. 18The Breakfast Club (1985)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RWitty banter and heartfelt confessions unfold as five detention-bound teens discover common ground.Hulu · Peacock
19. 19Love Alarm (2019) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA melancholy love triangle unfolds as an app reveals who secretly harbors romantic feelings nearby.Netflix
20. 20Gossip Girl (2007) · seriesNo gore · brisk · TV-14Privileged Manhattan teens navigate love and scandal under the watchful eye of an anonymous, all-knowing blogger.Netflix · Max
21. 21The Hate U Give (2018)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · PG-13A young woman navigates two starkly different worlds while seeking justice after a devastating event.Starz
22. 2210 Things I Hate About You (1999)No gore · measured · PG-13Witty banter and wholesome charm abound as new students navigate the whimsical world of high school romance.Disney+ · Peacock75
23. 23Defending Jacob (2020) · seriesLight gore · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MAA family's measured life unravels into a gritty, suspenseful mystery when their son faces a murder accusation.Apple TV+
24. 24Pretty Little Liars (2010) · seriesMildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14Four friends navigate intimate secrets and suspenseful threats after their queen bee mysteriously vanishes.Hulu · Max
25. 25To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)No gore · measured · PG-13A high schooler's secret love letters accidentally mail, sparking unexpected and heartwarming romantic entanglements.Netflix
26. 26Danny Phantom (2004) · seriesMildly scary · brisk · TV-Y7A half-ghost teenager balances high school, wholesome humor, and briskly paced, campy paranormal adventures.Paramount+
27. 27Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-14A chosen girl battles supernatural evil with brisk, darkly-comic wit and heartwarming, campy whimsy.Hulu
28. 28The Wonder Years (1988) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-PGA boy navigates childhood's earnest joys and melancholy struggles, all seen through a nostalgic, adult lens.Hulu
29. 29Julie and the Phantoms (2020) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-GA high schooler helps three charming ghost musicians find their harmony, creating a whimsical and uplifting journey.Netflix
30. 30Never Have I Ever (2020) · seriesNo gore · brisk · TV-14An Indian-American teen navigates family, friends, and feelings with brisk, witty humor and heartwarming results.Netflix
31. 31Sing Street (2016)No gore · measured · PG-13A Dublin teenager starts a band to win over a mysterious girl, finding heartwarming music and wholesome humor along the way.Max · Starz
32. 32Freedom Writers (2007)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13An earnest teacher inspires at-risk students to overcome gritty realities and embrace a brighter future.Kanopy · Hoopla · YouTube (free)
33. 33Normal People (2020) · seriesNo gore · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MATwo young lovers navigate an intimate, measured dance of connection and longing across many years.Hulu
34. 34A Walk to Remember (2002)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · PGA rebellious teen falls for a minister's daughter, discovering love's earnest beauty and melancholy secrets.Fandango at Home (free) · Pluto TV
35. 35Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)No gore · brisk · PG-13A quick-witted slacker leads his friends on a whimsical, brisk adventure through Chicago, outsmarting everyone.Apple TV+ · Paramount+ · AMC+
36. 36Girl Meets World (2014) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-GRiley and Maya navigate middle school with heartwarming, wholesome humor and earnest, whimsical adventures.Disney+
37. 37Freaks and Geeks (1999) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14Teenagers navigate the awkward, humorous world of high school, finding connection among burnouts and geeks.Prime Video · Paramount+ · Kanopy
38. 38On My Block (2018) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14Four streetwise teens navigate the heartwarming and gritty realities of friendship in a rough Los Angeles neighborhood.Netflix
39. 39Grease (1978)No gore · brisk · PGA wholesome, briskly paced romance unfolds with campy charm and nostalgic, feel-good musical numbers.Paramount+
40. 40Boy Meets World (1993) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-GA young Philadelphian navigates wholesome life lessons and coming-of-age events in this heartwarming, measured comedy.Disney+
41. 41Moonlight (2016)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · RA young man navigates intimate, gritty chapters of life, earnestly seeking himself amidst love's ecstasy and pain.Hulu · The Roku Channel · YouTube (free)
42. 42Boyhood (2014)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RAn intimate, earnest drama watches a boy's life unfold, capturing twelve years of melancholy and nostalgic growth.Netflix · AMC+ · Criterion
43. 43SKAM (2015) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-PGOslo teenagers navigate everyday scandals and heartbreaks, finding connection and warmth in their intimate, melancholy world.
44. 44Remember the Titans (2000)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGTwo football coaches overcome their differences, forging a gritty, uplifting team of champions in a true story.Disney+ · Hulu
45. 45Atypical (2017) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14An earnest, heartwarming journey of self-discovery unfolds as an autistic teen upends his family.Netflix
46. 46Daria (1997) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-PGA sardonic teenager navigates absurd high school life with dry wit and sharp observations.Paramount+ · Pluto TV
47. 47Superbad (2007)No gore · brisk · RTwo co-dependent seniors navigate a raunchy, cringe-filled night as their whimsical party plans go hilariously awry.Apple TV+ · Starz · Tubi76
48. 4813 Reasons Why (2017) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA high schooler uncovers devastating secrets, one by one, after a friend's suicide leaves behind a trail of mysteries.Netflix
49. 49Coach Carter (2005)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A true story of a coach who benches his undefeated team to teach them about life beyond the court.MGM+ · Starz
50. 50Mean Girls (2004)No gore · brisk · PG-13A new girl navigates high school's cutthroat social scene with sharp wit and satirical humor.Paramount+ · Peacock · Kanopy
51. 51Gilmore Girls (2000) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14A quick-witted mother-daughter duo navigates life and love in a charming town, always with warmth and whimsy.Prime Video · Hulu
52. 52XO, Kitty (2023) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14A teen matchmaker discovers love's true complications when her own heart is on the line.Netflix
53. 53Extracurricular (2020) · seriesLight gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MAA gifted student's desperate choices in a gritty criminal underworld lead to bleak, intimate suspense.Netflix
54. 54The Fabelmans (2022)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A young man's filmmaking dream blossoms amidst family turmoil, finding bittersweet truth through the lens.Peacock
55. 55The Wave (2008)Mildly scary · strong violence · emotionally devastating · measuredA teacher's classroom experiment in fascism spirals into a chilling, unstoppable wave of conformity and control.Kanopy
56. 56High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-PGEast High students navigate blossoming showmances and tested friendships while staging their school's first musical.Disney+
57. 57ted (2024) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-MAA foul-mouthed teddy bear navigates 90s suburbia, delivering broad, raunchy laughs with campy charm.Peacock
58. 58How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) (2019) · seriesLight gore · brisk · TV-MAA nerdy teen's online drug empire grows fast, fueled by dark humor and tense, gritty choices.Netflix
59. 59Insatiable (2018) · seriesLight gore · emotionally heavy · brisk · TV-MAA bullied teen's beauty pageant revenge becomes a darkly comic, pulpy satire with broad humor.Netflix
60. 60Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-GA young witch navigates high school and magical mishaps with her quirky aunts and a talking cat.Hulu · Paramount+
61. 61Baby (2018) · seriesLight gore · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MATwo Roman teens navigate a gritty underworld, leading double lives as intimacy and melancholy intertwine.Netflix
62. 62Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A high school senior’s anonymous world unravels while making bizarre films and befriending a classmate with leukemia.
63. 63Dopesick (2021) · seriesLight gore · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MAA measured, bleak drama exposes the origins of a drug epidemic, from mining towns to the halls of power.Disney+ · Hulu
64. 64X-Men: Evolution (2000) · seriesMildly scary · strong violence · emotionally heavy · brisk · TV-Y7Teenage mutants harness their powers while fighting for acceptance in a world that fears them.Disney+
65. 65Battle Royale (2000)Properly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RTeenagers on a remote island are forced into a brutal fight to the death by a dystopian government.Kanopy · Hoopla · Plex
66. 66Clueless (1995)No gore · brisk · PG-13A whimsical, brisk comedy follows a shallow Beverly Hills teen playing matchmaker with witty, wholesome charm.Netflix · Paramount+ · Kanopy
67. 67The Karate Kid (1984)No gore · measured · PGA bullied teen finds an unlikely mentor, learning karate and life lessons that uplift his spirit.Netflix
68. 6821 Jump Street (2012)Light gore · strong violence · brisk · RUndercover cops relive high school with broad humor and raunchy gags while busting a drug ring.Paramount+ · Starz
69. 69Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man (2012) · seriesNo gore · brisk · TV-Y7A teen Spider-Man balances S.H.I.E.L.D. training with battling evil alongside new, wholesome, whimsical teammates.Disney+
70. 70Veronica Mars (2004) · seriesNo gore · brisk · TV-14A sharp-witted high schooler balances teenage drama with gritty, brisk investigations in a pulpy California town.Netflix · Hulu · Plex
71. 71Saved by the Bell (1989) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-GWholesome high school hijinks and earnest friendships define these feel-good, nostalgic adventures at Bayside High.
72. 72The Heirs (2013) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA chance encounter in LA sparks a heartwarming romance between two teens from very different worlds.Netflix · The Roku Channel · Tubi
73. 73One Tree Hill (2003) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14Half-brothers in a small town navigate basketball, family secrets, and the yearning for belonging.Hulu · Max
74. 74The Edge of Seventeen (2016)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RWitty and cringe-worthy, a high schooler navigates shifting friendships and the awkward earnestness of growing up.Prime Video
75. 75Dazed and Confused (1993)No gore · measured · RTexas teens navigate the last day of school in 1976, finding wholesome humor and wistful freedom.
76. 76The Princess Diaries (2001)No gore · measured · GA San Francisco teenager's ordinary life turns royally whimsical as she discovers her secret princess lineage.Disney+
77. 77Project X (2012)Light gore · strong violence · relentless · RThree high school seniors throw a darkly-comic, raunchy party that spirals into relentless, high-octane chaos.
78. 78Another Cinderella Story (2008)No gore · measured · PGA modern fairytale unfolds as a lost Zune leads a dancer to his masked, musical soulmate.Tubi
79. 79Heathers (1989)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RTeenage angst and dark humor collide as a new student upends high school hierarchy with deadly satire.Prime Video · Pluto TV · YouTube (free)
80. 80Easy A (2010)No gore · brisk · PG-13A clever high schooler embraces scandalous rumors, finding humor and chaos in her suddenly public life.Apple TV+ · Tubi
81. 81The Inbetweeners (2008) · seriesNo gore · brisk · TV-14Four hapless suburban teens navigate cringe-worthy social scenes and raunchy humor with brisk, whimsical charm.Prime Video · The Roku Channel · Pluto TV
82. 82Roswell (1999) · seriesMildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-PGTeenage aliens with superhuman powers navigate high school crushes and a dangerous secret in New Mexico.Tubi
83. 83Booksmart (2019)No gore · brisk · RTwo brilliant students cram four years of raunchy, witty fun into one night of whimsical, heartwarming mayhem.
84. 84The DUFF (2015)No gore · brisk · PG-13A high school senior redefines her social standing with witty banter and heartwarming charm, embracing her true self.Prime Video · Hoopla · The Roku Channel
85. 85Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)Mildly scary · brisk · PGThree high school students must stop three resurrected, revenge-seeking witches from unleashing campy havoc on Salem.Disney+
86. 86The Girl Next Door (2004)No gore · brisk · RA high schooler's political ambitions collide with his neighbor's lurid past in this raunchy, briskly paced comedy.Prime Video
87. 87AlRawabi School for Girls (2021) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measuredOutcast girls at a prestigious school meticulously plot risky revenge, creating tense and gritty drama.Netflix
88. 88The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PG-13Vampire clans unite to protect a child from a false allegation, leading to a melancholy, suspenseful confrontation.Peacock
89. 89The First Time (2012)No gore · measured · PG-13Two high schoolers navigate witty banter and wholesome attraction after a chance encounter at a party.MGM+ · YouTube (free) · Tubi
90. 90The Half of It (2020)No gore · measured · PG-13A shy student helps a jock woo a girl, but their unexpected friendship complicates everything.Netflix
91. 91Licorice Pizza (2021)No gore · measured · RFirst love blossoms in 1970s San Fernando Valley, a whimsical and bittersweet journey of youthful hearts.Prime Video
92. 92Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14Teenage friendships and romances unfold with earnest melancholy in sun-drenched Beverly Hills.Paramount+
93. 93Twilight (2008)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A human girl falls for a mysterious vampire, igniting a dreamlike romance fraught with melancholy and suspense.Peacock
94. 94She's the Man (2006)No gore · brisk · PG-13A whimsical, brisk comedy of mistaken identities unfolds when a girl impersonates her twin brother at boarding school.Hulu · Paramount+ · Kanopy
95. 95It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A witty, whimsical journey through a psychiatric ward reveals the heartwarming, melancholic humor of finding a new start.
96. 96Scary Movie (2000)Mildly scary · light gore · brisk · RA brisk, darkly-comic satire delivers broad, raunchy humor as familiar horror tropes get campy send-ups.Paramount+ · Starz · Hoopla
97. 97Never Back Down (2008)Light gore · strong violence · brisk · PG-13An angry new kid finds purpose and discipline in the high-octane world of underground fighting.Prime Video · Kanopy · Hoopla
98. 98Freaky Friday (2003)No gore · brisk · PGA mother and daughter magically switch bodies, leading to hilarious antics and heartwarming new understandings.Disney+
99. 99Sixteen Candles (1984)No gore · measured · PGA forgotten 16th birthday unfolds with wholesome humor, navigating high school crushes and romantic whimsy.Hulu · YouTube (free)
100. 100Napoleon Dynamite (2004)No gore · measured · PGA quirky teenager navigates small-town high school and a bizarre family with deadpan humor and a hopeful heart.Prime Video

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This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Intensity, tone and pace tags are CouchRot's own.