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Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock//Shutterstock1The OC
It's now been two decades since hit teen drama The OC first aired, and its fanbase remains just as loyal today. Telling the story of Ryan Atwood – a troubled teenager adopted by the wealthy, but philanthropic, Sandy and Kirsten Cohen, who lived in the well-heeled Californian suburb of Orange County – the four seasons of this sun-soaked classic trailed Ryan, his on-off girlfriend Marissa, the Cohens' awkward-but-smart son Seth and his on-off girlfriend, Summer, as they navigated the dark dysfunction of California's beautiful elite.
2Ab Fab
Jennifer Saunders’s Edina and Joanna Lumley’s Patsy are two of TV's most comical and best-loved characters: a champagne-swigging, Lacroix-wearing, high-powered PR agent and a fashion editor constantly trying to find ways of reclaiming their lost youth. Ab Fab, which first aired in 1992, became famous for its iconic one-liners, over-the-top costumes and the unmatchable on-screen chemistry between Saunders and Lumley. There was even a movie spin-off, which starred Kate Moss – making for the best, Nineties-favourite cameo in memory.
3Dawson's Creek
Before The OC, there was Dawson's Creek, an angsty teen drama about four teenagers: Joey, Pacey, Jen and Dawson, played by a young Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Michelle Williams and James van der Beek. Among the first shows not to treat teenagers as sulky, monosyllabic reprobates, Dawson's Creek approached adolescence as a real period of growth, with young leads who were verbose and intelligent. Arguably, the show paved the way for the likes of Skins and Euphoria, both of which also credited teenagers with far more wit and know-how than film and TV had done previously.
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4Friends
There's a reason why Friends remains so many people's favourite show (and one of the most-streamed series on Netflix). The TV equivalent of a giant hug, the sitcom will forever be a comforting, calming on-screen go-to with the capacity to make you belly laugh. It's a show about relationships, both platonic and romantic, a universal theme to which everyone can relate. Though many of the storylines and characters are outdated (the 'fat Monica' plot arc and lack of diversity included), the show remains a classic, as well as a touching tribute to the importance of human connection.
5Gossip Girl
The addictive show that made Blake Lively a star, Gossip Girl is the fictional insight into the lives of New York's beautiful and wealthy teen socialites that inspired a whole army of Blair and Serena copycats in the late Noughties. And it's easy to see why: there's scandal aplenty, sexual tension in abundance and a whole lot of designer wardrobe choices that, even today, are nostalgically fabulous. Gossip Girl was so popular that the show was rebooted, with a cast of new, hyper-privileged teens taking over Manhattan.
6Sex And The City
TV series don't come more iconic than Sex And The City, the groundbreaking show that, decades after it first aired, remains a seminal moment in TV, paving the way for shows from Girls to Gossip Girl. Funny, clever and emotionally honest, SATC is a frank and warm look at friends, sex and single life. Although many of its themes now seem outdated, the central premise of the power of female friendship feels forever relevant, and the show moved the dial on some of the stereotypes around women at the time (just take the sex-positive Samantha Jones, for example). So missed was it that the creators launched a reboot, And Just Like That..., which is on its second season and features much of the same well-loved cast.
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7Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Feminist, funny and frightening, Buffy The Vampire Slayer twisted horror film tropes and made the pretty, high-school blonde (usually killed off in scene one) the vampire-fighting heroine. Buffy, memorably played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, and her friends (also known as the Scooby gang) empowered and inspired a generation, as well helping those dealing with grief, loss and sexuality issues. Today, Buffy Summers remains a razor-sharp icon of female strength, and the show is just as enjoyable.
8Gilmore Girls
An American comedy-drama starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as mother and daughter duo, Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, Gilmore Girls became a flagship series when it debuted in 2000 on The WB network. The show won critical acclaim for its witty dialogue and cross-generational appeal, while a growing following led to its status as an American cult classic. In 2016, the main cast returned for the four-part miniseries revival, called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which follows the Gilmores through a year of change.
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