Teen romance TV shows are some of the best TV shows to watch if you need some lighthearted fun or juicy melodrama. Teen shows have been a major staple in the TV world for decades. The ‘90s and early 2000s felt like peak programming for fans of teen romance TV shows. However, they’ve only gotten better. 

The teen romance genre is one of them. The best teen drama series are a balanced mixture of comedy and drama, have relatable teen characters, and depict the multitude of teen love, including great LGBTQ+ love stories.

By Jerrica Tisdale

Based on David Levithan and Rachel Cohn’s book series of the same name, Dash & Lily follows two New York teens as they begin a game that involves dares and a shared notebook. It's a holiday romance TV show that stars Austin Abrams and Midori Francis as the title characters.

Unfortunately, it's one of the many great shows with one season. It’s a shame that Dash & Lily ended after one season because it was a really fun teen TV show. The main characters were equally as delightful to watch together as they were to watch apart.

For romance fans, Heartstopper is the kind of show that you run out and tell everyone about. Not only do all the main romances involve queer characters, but it’s such a genuine and sweet show about first love.

Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) are the main couple at the heart of Heartstopper. They may seem like opposites when they first meet, but their undeniable chemistry draws them together and keeps the audience glued to every longing look, secret kiss, and rain-soaked encounter. Heartstopper is also a great coming-of-age story that explores finding one’s identity and the freedom to be one’s true self.

In 2009, The Vampire Diaries launched and it became a global sensation. Its popularity led to two spin-off TV shows, and a war among the fans because of their favorite romance.

The Vampire Diaries could easily be renamed the show that launched a thousand shipper wars. The main triangle involved brothers Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) Salvatore and Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). For years, it was a much heated online debate about who Elena should end up with, until the show eventually made a firm decision on the triangle. 

Never Have I Ever has restored the love triangle-verse to its former glory with the Paxton vs Ben debate (played respectively by Darren Barnet and Jaren Lewison). Main heroine Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) has two equally appealing suitors with Ben and Paxton. This TV series isn’t only about who Devi should date, it also offers some funny commentary on the teenage experience and showcases  South Asian characters and culture. 

The great love triangle is a testament to the excellent Never Have I Ever writing team, because it’s rare that a show actually makes both love interests likable.

Saved by the Bell is a sitcom that relies heavily on the antics of Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and his best friend Screech (Dustin Diamond). One of the sources of Zack’s schemes was his endless quest to win the heart of Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen), especially away from his frenemy A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez).

The original Saved by the Bell focused a lot on Zack trying to win Kelly. The spinoff Saved by the Bell: The College Years also had Zack and Kelly’s romance at the forefront. This eventually led to a movie about their wedding. Those who watch the Saved by the Bell revival will find that Zack and Kelly are still happily married.

Similar to Heartstopper, Young Royals is a gay love story between two young men from very different backgrounds. Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) is a prince and part of Sweden's royal family. He is thrust into the world of an elite prep school where all eyes are on him. Simon (Omar Rudberg) is on scholarship and not exactly part of high society. Young Royals follows the boys as they fall in love and must keep their romance a secret, especially because as part of a royal family, Wilhelm receives a lot of attention.

Based on Three Meters Above the Sky by Federico Moccia, Summertime follows Summer (Coco Rebecca Edogamhe) as her summer job brings her to Ale (Ludovico Tersigni), a young famous motorcyclist. As with many summer romances, it burns hot as the summer months heat up. It’s an Italian teen romance TV show so the beautiful landscape makes this show even more bellissimo.

Atypical is a dramedy about a teen boy on the autism spectrum. Sam (Keir Gilchrist) decides he wants to experience more, like romance. He meets Paige (Jenna Boyd), who isn’t exactly Sam’s dream girlfriend but understands him in a way that most people his age don’t. Sam’s sister, Casey (Brigette Lundy-Paine) also has her own love and romance triumphs and woes.

Along with Sam’s struggles as someone on the autism spectrum, Atypical also deals with his parents' problems. It’s a family dramedy with plenty of heart.