My So-Called Life, The First Actually Relatable Teen Show & How It Changed TV Forever

My So-Called Life totally changed teen TV forever with only one season. With its gritty realism and willingness to dive straight into the more uncomfortable, sometimes dark parts of teen life, it set the stage for later hits like Euphoria. The show made a huge impact despite only having a single season because even in its short time on air, it managed to really connect with the new generation that was struggling to find its place in the world and truly be understood. So let’s take a deeper look at what, specifically, made My So-Called Life so monumental and relatable, and how it made way for new voices to be heard!

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CHAPTERS
00:00 intro
00:54 Our peek into Angela's deepest thoughts
01:32 Living in the moment
02:35 Expressing her true self
03:18 Allows us to empathize instead of villainize
04:32 A perfect time capsule of the 90s
06:05 Making the fantastical feel grounded
07:11 The power (& weirdness) of dreams
09:09 The shows influence on modern teen shows


The Take was created by Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
This video was written by Jesse Hassenger & Jackie Ferro, narrated by Charly Bivona, produced by Jessica Babineaux, & edited by Travis Martin