Top 10 Teen Sitcoms

Starring “Saturday Night Live”’s Kenan Thompson as well as Kel Mitchell, this teen comedy follows the same-named characters as they get into various kinds of mischief. The show was a hit for the Nickelodeon network, as proven by the fact that four popular seasons were produced, along with a made-for-TV movie, before they ultimately called it quits. Winner of the “Favorite TV Show” category at the 1998 Kids’ Choice Awards, “Kenan & Kel” owed much of its success to its two hilarious main characters, who are best friends and high school students, and who also placed within the top 50 of VH1’s list of 100 Greatest Kid Stars.

A small screen spinoff of the 1995 film of the same name, which in turn was influenced by Jane Austen’s “Emma,” “Clueless” revolved around a popular and wealthy high school student named Cher and her friends. Originally airing on ABC as part of the TGIF lineup, many “Clueless” actors carried over from the film to the show, ensuring its success – although Rachel Blanchard took over for Alicia Silverstone as the lead. It was a ratings hit for ABC, averaging eight and a half million viewers per episode in its first season, and the way it amusingly brought to life the comings-and-goings of a Valley Girl and her clique gave newfound popularity to the movie that spawned it.

(2003-07)
A more supernatural-oriented teen show, “That’s So Raven” follows the adventures of Raven Baxter as she uses her psychic powers to get herself out of trouble and awkward teenage situations. A huge hit, the series produced higher ratings than any other show on Disney at the time, and it also drew critical acclaim, being nominated for two Emmy awards. Thanks to its creative use of character development and exploration of adolescence, the sitcom has even spawned merchandise, further proving the staying power and cultural impact it has had on teenagers.

Another show that was a part of ABC’s popular TGIF lineup, “Sabrina” follows the titular character after she learns that she has magical powers on her sixteenth birthday. The pilot episode was watched by over 17 million people, making it an instant success – it also helped that the sitcom was based on the popular Archie comic book series and was preceded by a TV movie. With its zany and memorable characters as well as lighthearted but entertaining episodes, the fantasy series received favorable reviews from critics, winning a Young Artist Award for Best Family TV Comedy Series. It has since spawned various spin-offs, including an animated series and video games.

A British sitcom lasting only two years, “The Inbetweeners” centered on protagonist Will McKenzie as he traverses high school life and its various aspects, such as indifferent faculty members and bullying. The teen sex comedy was a major critical success, earning the Best Sitcom and Outstanding Contribution to British Comedy awards at the fittingly named British Comedy Awards during its run. Half hilarious sitcom and half relatable high school story, the show is both funny and identifiable thanks to Will and his 3 friends.

Known as the breakout role for now-famous actor Shia LaBeouf, this show follows his character and his sister as they live in suburban California and the sibling rivalry that results from their growing up. Airing for three seasons and eventually spawning a movie, which served as the series finale, “Even Stevens” is especially notable for LaBeouf’s performance, as demonstrated by the multiple awards that he was nominated for during its run. It also stood out for its fast motion photography. The show itself has won numerous awards, including a Daytime Emmy and a BAFTA, and was thus a huge success for both the Disney channel and Shia’s career.

An extremely popular show and a huge success for Nickelodeon, it’s not surprising to find out that “iCarly” ran for seven seasons. The series follows teenager Carly Shay, played by “School of Rock”’s Miranda Cosgrove, as she starts a web series with her friends. Relevant to today’s world and with smart and funny storylines, “iCarly” was positively received and won numerous accolades, as did Cosgrove’s performance, which won her a Gracie Allen Award. The show produced an official soundtrack, video games and a spin-off series starring Ariana Grande called “Sam & Cat”.

Created by Dan Schneider, the man who brought us “iCarly,” this sitcom follows two young and very different boys who end up stepbrothers. While it was successful throughout its run, the live-action series received its highest ratings during its final season, with the series finale drawing between 6 and 7 and a half million viewers. Due no doubt to the hilarious clashing personalities of the characters and the charismatic performances by its stars, “Drake & Josh” continues to be remembered as a teen sitcom classic and paved the way for Miranda Cosgrove’s successful sitcom career.

This late ‘80s and early ‘90s teen sitcom follows a group of students and their principal, Mr. Belding, at Bayside High School. Named one of the 20 Best School Shows of All Time by AOL TV, the series drew critical acclaim throughout its four-season run due to its hilarious characters and relatable situations that it usually tackled in an upbeat and positive fashion. At the height of its popularity, became the highest rated program on Saturday mornings thanks to a large and loyal teenage audience.

Before we look at our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

- "All That" (1994-2005)
- "What I Like About You" (2002-06)
- "Victorious" (2010-13)
- "Student Bodies" (1997-99)
- "Awkward" (2011-)

Part of ABC’s famous TGIF lineup, this TV sitcom allowed us to watch protagonist Cory Matthews as he grew up and came-of-age starting from his middle school days through to college. Known as one of the quintessential television shows of the’ 90s, “Boy Meets World” was highly popular among teenagers and continues to have a devoted fan base today – case in point, the production of “Girl Meets World”, a TV sequel to the show that began airing 14 years after the original series ended! “Boy Meets World”’s success could be attributed to its ambitious time-span, but it was the friendship between Cory and his best friend Shawn, which was highly regarded at the time of airing, that was really the heart of the series. It’s a true teen classic that had us laughing, crying and everything in between throughout its run.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite teen sitcom? For more entertaining top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.