#5 teen dramas that ended at the perfect time

These five classic teen shows managed not to overstay their welcome

Off the top of your head, you could probably list a handful of teen shows that should have ended much sooner. Before that endgame couple broke up. Before this cast member left the show and those new characters arrived. Before that seventh season was better but not quite as good as the glory days.

But sometimes, teen shows get the timing right. Sometimes they listen to the numbers or recognize when the tank’s running empty. Other times, cancellation isn’t their choice, but in hindsight, it was the right one in the long run. A select group of five classic teen shows wrapped before wearing out their welcome, and here’s why their bittersweet endings were actually pretty sweet.

Here are 5 teen dramas that ended at the perfect time

Dawson’s Creek

Since ending in 2003, Dawson’s Creek has taken some hits for various reasons. Whether it’s the heightened emotions (c/o Dawson’s crying gif), unrealistic language, or the fact that the series finale used Jen’s death as a plot device (which is still infuriating), it’s always the butt of some sort of joke. But it’s time to give Dawson’s Creek credit for ending when the time was right.

The series devoted four seasons to high school and transitioned into college for the final two seasons. Luckily, putting some distance between the teens and the creek didn’t jump the shark, instead bringing the most formative chapter of Dawson and his friends’ lives to a natural conclusion that felt satisfying. Looking back, a seventh season would have been gratuitous rather than a victory lap. All things considered, Dawson’s Creek couldn’t have bowed out at a better time.

The O.C.

If it’s been said once, it can’t be said enough: The O.C. was a pop culture phenomenon that burned bright and fast. Although the early aughts teen drama didn’t have the staying power of those that came before it, like Beverly Hills, 90210, or its direct competition One Tree Hill, there’s something to be said about recognizing that your time has come and gone and not tempting the fate of your expiration date. The writing was on the mansion walls after Marissa’s death.

Over the course of its first and second seasons, The O.C. tore through season’s worth of storytelling with enviable breakneck pacing. Its dark but excellent third season entered rocky terrain as the light satire of its initial output became less satirical. Wisely, The O.C. closed shop following its imperfect but lighter final run, just shy of 100 episodes. Additional seasons could have further course corrected, but why risk tarnishing the legacy when it’s already an untouchable classic?

Felicity

Sure, Felicity isn’t popularly classifiable as a “teen” drama since the series takes place entirely in college. But its teen audience learned everything they needed to know about coming of age into young adulthood from the cathartic character-driven drama. Although The WB’s underrated darling with one of TV’s best love triangles could have lasted far beyond Felicity’s college graduation, that would have exceeded the scope of what the show was about.

Given the infamous hair scandal and subsequent decline in ratings, it’s something of a minor miracle that Felicity managed to complete its titular character’s four-year sprint of finding herself in New York City. Whether a network call or a creative decision, keeping teen shows tight for a finite period of a character’s life should be a more popular practice. Felicity ended at the best time for the character, even if she herself ended with a bit of time travel.

Everwood

Again, Everwood might be best categorized as a family drama, but the overarching theme of teen angst from Gregory Smith, Emily Van Camp, and Chris Pratt’s characters certainly picks up the slack. Regardless, The WB’s fan-favorite was a delightful charmer that wound up a victim of The CW’s inception. But Everwood’s unfortunate cancellation wasn’t all bad news.

Yes, it stings when a show gets the ax well before we’re ready to say farewell, and it’s no secret that we would have preferred Ephram and Amy’s love story to play out as intended. The expedited ending crafted to pull double duty as a season and series finale left us wanting more, but maybe that’s a good thing. Ending Everwood before we were left wanting less prevented the lackluster later seasons we’re forced to endure from many teen shows.

90210

No, not the original series, which definitely could haven ended sooner. We’re talking about The CW’s secretly great 2008 reboot, 90210. You might not have known 90210 evolved into an incredible slice of escapist teen drama if you only watched the spotty first season, but the reboot proved itself worthy of baring that famous zip code and knowing when to call it quits.

Unfortunately, 90210 wasn’t allotted much time to prepare a fitting ending to the series, giving the fifth and final season an abrupt ending. In retrospect, more care should have been taken from the network to honor the franchise and its undervalued offshoot, but that doesn’t mean a sixth season, shortened or not, needed to exist. By its last season, 90210 had already thrown a lifetime’s worth of drama at the next generation. What else could have plausibly happened?

Which other teen shows do you think ended at the perfect time, and which do you think lasted too long? Share your picks in the comments!