Graduation 101

It's been a big year for the class of 2011 in the world of teen drama! West Beverly, Degrassi, and Grant all celebrated big graduations this year. Confessions, illness, proposals, everything you can imagine happens at these graduations.

For 90210, this marked the end of the high school chapter of the series. For Degrassi, this was a farewell to several of the main characters, and for The Secret Life it was a splitting up half the cast of high school and now out of high school.

Graduation is a big moment in the world of teen drama and has been used as a major plot device and story arc on nearly all long lasting teen dramas. It's a huge transitional step that can either boost or break a show. Critics have stated opinions that teen drama series' tend to "jump the shark" once they leave high school and move into the real world. Do any of you readers have opinions on whether or not a teen drama can be successful when taken out of high school? Shows like Degrassi have mastered the art of focusing on the school and following future generations of students. Then shows like Beverly Hills 90210 follow the main characters as they enter adulthood. Both attempts have been proven to be both successful and unsuccessful given the programs.

For now lets take a moment to remember some of the memories of teen drama graduations throughout the years!

Do you have a favorite? How do you feel about teen dramas leaving high school behind? How should a graduation episode be written?

LGBT Represent!

It's the end of pride month here in America. We feel it's time to give credit to teen dramas. As many fans know they are not take seriously that often in the industry. These shows have a history of bringing up the groundbreaking issues that other shows are too afraid to touch. LGBT storylines are becoming heavily represented in teen drama today.

Degrassi is known for having so far having seven LGBT main characters in it's 11 seasons, four are currently on the show. Gay athelte couple Riley and Zane are in their senior year. Fashionable, wealthy, alcoholic Fiona recently came out as a lesbian after her ended relationship with Degrassi's first transgendered character Adam who is an FTM.

Skins has had four LGBT characters of it's own. Franky currently identifies herself as pansexual, being "into people".

Pretty Little Liars has gained praise for having the character Emily come out as a lesbian and deal with her family drama involved in coming out.

90210 recently had one of it's main character's Teddy come out as gay. However Teddy's character is being written out in season 4.

Other teen dramas as well have really helped make the world more informed and accepting of LGBT youths and should be appreciated for proving that their is change in new generations.