40 Best Netflix Shows for Tweens and Teens
There's so much high school drama in these high school TV series.
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Oh, those teen and tween years. When they reach the end of middle school and the beginning of high school, kids are often looking to take a big jump up in the maturity level of their content. They're looking for stories with drama, shows with characters they can relate to and sometimes genre or fantasy elements that'll transport them to other worlds. But they're not yet ready for House of the Dragon yet — and you're not yet ready for all the questions a show like that might inspire.
Luckily, there are still plenty of great TV series that give them these thrills and still meet them where they're at developmentally. Netflix has a bunch of them, and the good thing about a streaming service is that, once a show is on there, it doesn't usually go away. It doesn't matter if a series aired its last episode years ago — it's still new to your tween.
The best Netflix shows for tweens and teens to watch in 2022 try to address what it's like to be that age. Whether the shows are set in high school or in some sort of imaginary world, they still know what it feels like to be at that in-between age when you're not a kid anymore and yet not a grown up.
Still, there's a huge range in maturity between tweens, young teens and older teens, so your family's mileage may vary. Some of these series are more appropriate for younger viewers, and some for the basically adults. There are gentle adventures for the tweens just trying to dip their toes into more mature content. There are epics the whole family can watch together. And there are dishy, soapy dramas for the older ones to get sucked into. Put it together, and you've got hours of entertainment. Then, when you're done, you can pick up some books for teens to keep the entertainment going.
The Umbrella Academy (2019 – )
Season 3 of this twist on superhero tales aired in June, and fans are already clamoring for a fourth. The good news: It's coming. The bad? The fourth season will be the last. It follows a series of estranged "siblings" with special abilities who reunite after their adopted father dies, so they can stop a threat to all mankind. (Note: There's violence in this one, so it's better for teens than tweens.)
Heartstopper (2022 – )
This heartwarming, British, coming-of-age tale follows two friends, Charlie and Nick, as their friendship becomes something more. It's based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Alice Oseman and has been praised for its depiction of young love. And if the first, eight-episode season isn't enough, rest assured that this has already been renewed for two more.
RELATED: Heartstopper Fans, Here Are All the Exciting Details You Need to Know About Season 2
Never Have I Ever (2022 – )
This teen comedy follows a 15-year-old girl named Devi as she handles teenage problems big and small, from mourning the death of her father to deciding that she wants to seduce the most popular boy at school. The show was created by Mindy Kaling, who based it off the spirit of some of her own teenage experiences.
Shadow and Bone (2021 – )
In this fantasy show, an orphaned mapmaker named Alina learns she has the power to summon light, making her a target to many different powerful forces who want to use her abilities for their own gains. It's adapted from the book Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, and a second season, due out in 2023, will cover its sequel, Siege and Storm.
Stranger Things (2016 – )
There probably isn't a tween or teen alive who hasn't already heard of Stranger Things, the show that pits the teens of Hawkins, Indiana against an Upside-Down world full of monsters and the scientists who try to control those creatures. And while Stranger Things 5 promises to be the last season, there's no word yet on when it will premiere, so teens probably have time to re-watch Stranger Things 4 (and come up with their own fan theories) beforehand.
RELATED: The Best Stranger Things Gifts, Because We're Still Not Over Season 4
Derry Girls (2018 – 2022)
This laugh-so-hard-it-hurts comedy follows a group of teens in Northern Ireland in the ''90s, when the country was coming close to the end of The Troubles. But it isn't really about that: The political strife is background to the girls' farcical problems at school, drama with boys, conflicts with parents and quest to score Fatboy Slim tickets. (IYKYK.) The final season hit Netflix in October 2022.
Young Royals (2021 – )
This dubbed Swedish show has been described as what would happen if "The Crown and Gossip Girl had a baby." It follows Prince Wilhelm of Sweden as he starts a new boarding school, and is generally filled with privileged teenagers behaving badly. A new season comes to Netflix on November 1, 2022.
The Letter for the King (2020 – 2020)
If Game of Thrones is too much, this series might fill the same sword-swinging role for young viewers. The series is about a knight-in-training who promises to deliver a letter from a dying soldier and give it to the king. It's a six-episode, one-season miniseries, so it's good for a holiday break or short vacation.
On My Block (2018 – 2021)
This show follows the lives of four friends who are starting high school in a fictional neighborhood in Los Angeles. While they deal with a tough neighborhood, which includes gangs, violence and hooking up, the show has been praised for how well-rounded and real the characters are.
The Healing Powers of Dude (2020 – 2020)
This series, which was a one-season-and-done show at Netflix, follows Noah Ferris, an 11-year-old boy who suffers from anxiety. (What tween can't relate?) When he starts middle school, he's allowed the help of an adorable emotional support dog, Dude.
The Baby-Sitters Club (2020 – 2022)
Though the show only lasted two seasons, many OG BSC fans reported that they loved watching this with their kids. Just like the beloved book series by Ann M. Martin, the show follows a group of middle-schoolers who start a babysitting service, but also become a source of support for what's going on in each other's lives.
RELATED: Alicia Silverstone Gets Real About What It Was Like Filming 'The Baby-Sitters Club' Reboot
Cobra Kai (2018 – )
Children of the '80s may remember going around the house crane-kicking and doing the "wax on, wax off" move, but you don't have to be a fan of the original Karate Kid series to get a kick out of Cobra Kai. In it, Johnny and Daniel are now adults, training the next generation of karate kids while still smarting from their old rivalry. A new season, the fourth, came to Netflix in September 2022.
RELATED: Cobra Kai Fans, Read the Latest Updates on Season 5
Brainchild (2018 – 2018)
Host Sahana Srinivasan goes deep into social-scientific concepts, delving into what research says about what makes a person creative or what motivates people. And while the scientific ideas are there, the show breaks it down for the layperson, so tweens and younger kids (along with any grown-ups who might be in the room) will find themselves intrigued.
All of Us Are Dead (2022 – )
For teens who like to be scared, this dubbed Korean series takes place at a high school that becomes the epicenter of a zombie outbreak, and kids must fight their way out. Zombie fans will be pleased to know the series has been renewed for a second season. (Note: This one is filled with violence, gore and foul language, so keep it to the teens.)
Ginny & Georgia (2021 – )
Ahh, the push-pull of the parent/child relationship — always a good premise for a series. (Not that you can relate.) In this one, Ginny is a mature teenager and Georgia is her immature mom, and the family tries to put down roots in a small, New England town.
Greenhouse Academy Brainchild (2017 – 2020)
Those who are definitely too young for Umbrella Academy can still find sibling drama, mystery and suspense in this show about the culture of elite boarding schools. The brother-sister duo at the heart of this story are placed into separate boarding-school houses — making them instant rivals — but connect again to unravel the strange circumstances surrounding the death of their mother.
Outer Banks (2020 – )
A YA series on Netflix aimed at older teens, Outer Banks follows a tight-knit group of friends in North Carolina who are thrown into a whirlwind series of events when the power is cut for the summer. What ensues involves a search for a missing father, romances, a high-stakes treasure hunt and conflicts with rivals. There are two seasons of the show on the service right now, but fans are going to have to wait until 2023 for a third.
Fate: The Winx Saga (2021 – )
Ashley Garcia, Genius in Love (2020 – 2020)
This Mario Lopez-produced show follows Ashley, a 15-year-old robotics engineer and rocket scientist, as she moves in with her Uncle Victor, a fun-loving, former football player. Though it only lasted one season, the show has its dedicated fans.
Moesha (1996 – 2001)
For Brandy fans, Netflix has acquired her classic '90s sitcom. It follows Moesha as she navigates high school, friends and family. This is another one you might find watching for the nostalgic thrill, whether your kids are home or not.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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