15 Best TV Shows Like Euphoria

“Euphoria” is easily one of the best teen dramas of the last decade, led by Zendaya as Rue, a teen struggling with a drug addiction. In addition to Rue’s story, the show also shares the stories of other teens she goes to school with. Some characters are more toxic than others, but all of them are dealing with intense situations that are reflective of what many teens face today.

Though it’s been quite the wait for Season 3, there are plenty of other shows fans can watch that feature similar topics to help pass the time. Teen dramas always have an audience, but they don’t all look into identity, sexuality, and other teens trying to assimilate back into school after rehabilitation. For fans looking for series that include these themes or have a similar tone to the HBO project, these are the best ones to watch next that will remind you of “Euphoria.”

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Two teens on an American military base abroad discover who they are and fall in love in “We Are Who We Are.” Set in Italy, Fraser (Jack Dylan Grazer) and Caitlin (Jordan Kristine Seamón) are trying to figure out who they want to be within their more controlled environment on the base. The two meet in school, and Fraser accidentally discovers something Caitlin, who goes by Harper away from peers, is working through on her own. The two connect over this shared knowledge, and Fraser makes an effort to help without judgement. 

While there are many obvious themes of “Euphoria,” especially when it comes to Rue and her addiction, something that isn’t highlighted as often in discourse is its focus on identity. This is mostly featured through Jules (Hunter Schafer), a transgender teen, but also with Kat (Barbie Ferreira) and Cassie (Sydney Sweeney). “We Are Who We Are” is the show to see if you want to see a story that dives further into that arena. This is also a great watch if you loved one of Zendaya’s other projects, “Challengers,” since it’s from the same writer, Luca Guadagnino.

“13 Reasons Why” is a Netflix series based on the book of the same name by Jay Asher. Though not based on a true story, it is rooted in real situations. The first season sticks closely to the book, following Clay (Dylan Minnette) as he receives a set of tapes that he realizes were recorded by a classmate, Hannah (Katherine Langford), who died by suicide. He had a crush on her, and doesn’t initially understand why he’s a recipient, until he starts listening and hearing through her eyes what she went through. As the story continues, it explores the fallout from the tapes and how that impacts the teens’ lives.

Like “Euphoria,” “13 Reasons Why” covers heavy topics and how they impact teens. For Clay, that’s trying to understand why he’s been included on the tapes and how the details in them impacted Hannah’s life and death. This information ultimately changes how he views his peers. While “Euphoria” arguably covers these topics with a more delicate hand, the Netflix show, especially in its first season, presents a story told in a style not often used in teen dramas, and it is incredibly impactful and emotional.

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The British series “My Mad Fat Diary” follows Rae (Sharon Rooney), a 16 year old readjusting to life after spending four months in a psychiatric facility. At the recommendation of her doctor, she keeps a diary to work through her emotions. However, as she tries to reconnect with her friend Chloe (Jodie Comer), who thinks she was on a vacation in France, Chloe picks up on the fact that there may be something more to Rae’s story. Over the course of three seasons, Rae goes through a journey of personal growth while dealing with standard teen issues.

In “Euphoria,” audiences see Rue experience in-patient rehabilitation and going to Narcotics Anonymous after she returns home. “My Mad Fat Diary” also features the aftermath, especially as Rae tries to hide her difficulties from her friends. There are similarities in the characters, despite them going through different challenges, and both are representative of what teens around the world deal with and how that impacts their mental health. Since the British series is set in the ’90s, it reinforces that these aren’t new struggles.

HBO’s “Girls,” led by Lena Dunham playing Hannah, features a group of 20-somethings in New York trying to find their way as they navigate issues in their personal and professional lives. The series initially starts with Hannah being cut off by her parents, forcing her to figure things out and make mistakes. With her friends behind her, Hannah spends six seasons coming to terms with her own flaws as she flounders — which can make her unlikeable to audiences — and discovers what settling down looks like for her.

“Girls” has a very different tone than “Euphoria,” but still handles many of the same themes regarding mental health and identity. With the anticipated time jump for the latter, “Girls” gives audiences a chance to see what that could look like in a different friend group, and how what they experienced as teens can still impact them as adults. Both shows have stacked casts, with “Girls” also featuring Adam Driver, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Kathryn Hahn.

The “Degrassi” franchise started with “The Kids of Degrassi Street” in 1979, but the series we are talking about is commonly called “Degrassi: The Next Generation” before its rebrand to “Degrassi” in 2010. It follows a variety of teens and the issues they face as high schoolers, from poor grades and detentions to addiction and gang violence. There is always a new group of teens to follow and someone to connect with, especially since different cliques are well represented, from cheerleaders and football players to academic decathlon members and theater enthusiasts.

The long-running series touches on plenty of the same topics as “Euphoria” multiple times over because “The Next Generation” aired from 2001 to 2015. It always focused on problems relevant to the times, so while several storylines are repeated, they are always designed to best reflect the issue of the moment, like the transition to cyberbullying. There are some amazing moments in “Degrassi,” especially as the teens realize who they are as people. The series has a bit of a lighter tone than the HBO project, and with over 300 episodes to binge, it’s ideal for someone looking to have one show to watch for a long time.

A fictional series following the lives of five teens in the largest high school in Brooklyn? That’s what the Netflix show “Grand Army” is. The group struggles with everything from financial instability and writing college admissions essays to drug use and relationship difficulties. Though it only has one season, it included plenty of what real teens in New York go through, and there are some happy endings to celebrate despite the intensity of the topics.

“Grand Army” is what “Euphoria” would look like if it was set in Brooklyn instead of East Highland, California, where “Euphoria” takes place. They tackle similar topics, especially where identity is concerned, and the Netflix series doesn’t shy away from political and racial discussions. As heartbreaking as many of the scenarios are, they are realistic and resonate with audiences in the same way “Euphoria” does. With nine episodes, it’s the perfect project to binge on a day when you just wish you could watch the HBO show for the first time.

“Everything Now” is a British series following Mia (Sophie Wilde), a teen living in London who heads back to school after receiving treatment for an eating disorder. She makes a list of things she wants to experience, especially because it looks like her friends have done everything while she was in the hospital. She’s trying to live life to the fullest, even though she feels like she’s behind as she hears about how much her friends have moved on without her.

While the teens on “Euphoria” aren’t trying to achieve things within a certain time frame, Rue and Mia are in the same boat of trying to find life again after in-patient treatment. There are moments where they feel like they won’t be able to readjust, and that’s something everyone can relate to in a way. Both shows feature incredibly vulnerable moments for their main characters, adding to the emotional weight of the featured topics.

If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA’s Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).

What happens when a teen takes the blame for a sex map gratified on her school? That is the premise of the Australian series “Heartbreak High.” While Amerie (Ayesha Madon) didn’t create the drawing alone, she takes sole blame to protect her friend Harper (Asher Yasbincek), who she’s in a fight with. Amerie doesn’t know why Harper is upset with her, because it seems deeper than just the graffiti. Amerie tries to gain the forgiveness of her friend — and several of her other classmates — as everyone on the map is sentenced to a sexual literacy course.

“Heartbreak High” is more upbeat than “Euphoria,” leaning into the comedy part of its comedy drama designation. That isn’t to say the situations the teens are put in aren’t as intense. Someone is kidnapped from a musical festival, there is a focus on gang violence, and sexual identity comes up for most characters. Though it’s wrapped in a more humorous package, “Heartbreak High” tackles serious topics through that lens, making it great for “Euphoria” fans that want something that packs the same punch but makes them laugh.

The Spanish show “Elite” follows teens at a private high school. While most of the students come from wealth, Christian (Miguel Herrán), Nádia (Mina El Hammani), and Samuel (Itzan Escamilla) earn scholarships to attend after an accident at their previous school leaves it unusable. It’s difficult to blend in due to the wealth disparity, but also because one of their classmates is murdered. Not only are they all being questioned about it, but the teens have standard issues to deal with on top of that, from fitting in to relationships.

“Elite” is a great foreign language option for fans of “Euphoria.” The students deal with many of the same things, diving deeper into the idea of perception and what you put on display for the world. While it comes up in the HBO series, especially with characters like Maddie and Cassie, it’s a central theme in the Spanish show because of how much money the majority of the student population has. There are eight seasons to binge, giving you something to watch for a little while as long as you don’t mind subtitles or dubbing. You might even recognize the actress who plays Marina, María Pedraza, from another popular Netflix series. 

“Sex Education” features Otis (Asa Butterfield), a teen giving his peers sex advice even though he is not sexually active. His mother is a sex therapist, which is how he’s getting such great information to spread around. However, things go slightly awry when he starts to have feelings for his business partner, Maeve (Emma Mackey). While many of the issues the teens face surround sex and relationships, others include their school being shuttered and applying for exchange programs.

The Netflix series really leans into the premise, making it more of a comedy than a drama. It’s interesting and fun, while still highlighting realistic problems teens face and how they handle them. The concept of a peer providing sex advice does feel like something out of “Euphoria,” though the HBO show might go down a darker path with it than “Sex Education” does. There are four seasons to watch, as Otis goes from offering sex advice to navigating a long-distance relationship.

While many shows on this list are from the 21st century, there is a great ’90s option in “My So-Called Life.” Claire Danes stars as Angela, a Pittsburgh teen, as she narrates her life. She meets new friends, lies to her parents as she heads to clubs, tries to buy a fake ID, and falls in love, among other things. And, the people around her go through similar experiences, covering a wide range of subjects from learning disabilities to sexuality and identity.

While “Euphoria” gets a ton of credit for the dark, gritty tone it often has, “My So-Called Life” is where that trend started. Up to that point, many teen dramas only covered these topics in one-off episodes, forcing the content into a bubble away from the rest of the plot. It was realistic in a way many series weren’t at the time, and that helped it stand out. Like Zendaya, Claire Danes won acting awards for her role, winning a Golden Globe and earning an Emmy nomination, showing both projects have strong female leads.

The British anthology series “Skins” follows a different teen character in each episode as they work through a personal struggle. This could be anything from issues related to school to substance use and mental health. Identity is a key theme, from someone trying to relate to their famous parent to a crisis of faith. While each episode focuses on an individual, previously introduced characters continue to appear, showing how they’ve attempted to cope with their situations. There’s someone for everyone to connect with and relate to.

We can’t talk about “Euphoria” without mentioning “Skins.” The latter was ahead of its time, and while it was a popular show when it aired in the 2010s, that popularity has only grown in the decade since it ended. The series really is what “Euphoria” would be like if it were set in the United Kingdom, and fans of British humor are sure to like what it offers, though there may be moments that go too far. There are seven seasons to binge while you wait for new “Euphoria” episodes, meaning there’s plenty to watch.

Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) was a huge pop star, only for her career to implode after she canceled her tour due to a nervous breakdown. “The Idol” explores her trying to mount a comeback, but something is always popping up that her team has to handle to prevent their efforts from being derailed. However, after she meets a man at a club, she scraps her album and her life moves in a different direction.

For “Euphoria” fans looking for something else from its creator Sam Levinson, “The Idol” is the way to go. On the surface, it may not seem similar, but both series feature strong female characters trying to move on after a pivotal moment in their lives. They are different scenarios, but the amount of pressure on Rue and Jocelyn is the same. The premise of “The Idol” is a bit odd, but it shows the lengths young adults will go to to convince themselves they are overcoming a struggle.

“In My Skin” is about Bethan (Gabrielle Creevy), a teen in the closet because she goes to a conservative school balancing visiting her mother, who is described as having bipolar disorder, in the hospital. It’s a lot to put on a teen, but over the course of two seasons, Bethan learns that it’s okay to take the reins of her own life and do what she wants to.

Like other shows on this list, “In My Skin” highlights common issues of teenagers. However, Bethan deals with not only her identity, but her mother’s, especially because the matriarch accuses her daughter of being the reason she is in the hospital during a manic episode in the first episode. This immediately sets the tone of the series, presenting everything that Bethan will have to overcome if she wants to leave home and go to university. Bethan feels like someone who could be introduced in “Euphoria,” and because of that, “In My Skin” feels like a character study rather than a teen drama.

“Gossip Girl,” the iconic CW teen drama, follows the children of rich elites in New York. More money just means more issues for them as the series highlights topics like self harm, bullying, and trading your girlfriend for a hotel. Serena (Blake Lively) disappeared for a year, but now she’s back and ready to retake her spot in New York high society. The only problem is that there is an unknown entity documenting everyone’s dirty laundry in blog form, making it difficult to keep secrets and escape the past.

On the surface, “Euphoria” and “Gossip Girl” may not seem similar at all, but at their core, they are about teens dealing with stress — the latter just features teens with the means to bury the causes. It gives a look of how these topics look in a different social class, inadvertently speaking to the impact of economic situations in the HBO series. If Rue had access to unlimited funds, her life might look different after her in-patient treatment, as shown by Serena’s brother Eric (Connor Paolo) throughout the first season of “Gossip Girl.”