10 Shows We All Watched As Teens That Prove We Lived In The Golden Age Of Television

Let's face it, with a few exceptions, television as it stands now, sucks. "Reality" TV has taken over the air waves and it is systematically making us stupider for watching it. What ever happened to the golden age of TV? Throughout the 00s we were privy to some amazing characters and story lines; that was real entertainment.

And if you happened to grow up during that period you were witness to some truly iconic television shows. The current generation will never know the joy of watching these 10 shows on a weekly basis, living through them like you were part of the story.

Here are the 10 best teen shows from the late 90s and early 00s.

1. Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

This show had a great seven year run. Most fans of Gilmore Girls suddenly found themselves with aspirations of living in a small town for that small town way of life. It was such an iconic show that that Netflix decided to bring it back.

2. Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)

Sure the series started in the late 90s, but realistically it really didn't start getting amazing until we got past Y2K. Usually the lead character gets the girl, but not this time. Joshua Jackson, James Ven der Beek, Katie Holmes, and Michelle Williams had teens everywhere dancing to the beat of the nostalgia-laced drama.

3. 8 Simple Rules (2002-2005)

If the legendary John Ritter hadn't suddenly passed away while the show was in production, this comedy sitcom would have gone down as one of the greatest shows to ever grace the air waves. It showed us that there was no one "right" way to be a teenage girl.

4. Gossip Girl (2007-2012)

Even though the show was filled with serious plot holes (Dan eventually being revealed as Gossip Girl), it was good television. Seriously, who didn't want to watch extremely rich and privileged go through drama that none of us could actually relate to. But isn't that what television should be, escaping your own reality for a time?

5. Everwood (2002-2006)

Chris Pratt starred in this show long before he became the Hollywood heart-throb that he is today. Who would have thought that a show surrounding a teenage piano prodigy would have spoken to a generation of teens during the beginning of technological revolution.

These next five shows will have you logging into your video streaming service for a little marathon.

6. One Tree Hill (2003-2012)

This show was edgy before being edgy became a prerequisite for any show aimed at teens. Seriously, it had characters being stalked, people getting kidnapped, hell, it even had a dog eating a man's heart...  

7. Zoey 101 (2005-2008)

Zoey, aka Britney Spears's little sister, starred in her own teen angst show. Before she found herself a pregnant teen, Jamie Lynn Spears made being sent off to a far-away boarding school seem super cool.

8. The Hills (2006-2010)

What started out being marketed as a reality TV show, but quickly became scripted. The Hills introduced you to a slew of characters that people loved to hate. Personally, I'm glad that it ended after only 4 seasons.

9. The O.C. (2003-2007)

The O.C. had a little bit of everything; love triangles, unexpected friendships, romance, and of course families that obviously had no skeletons hiding in the closet. You can thank The O.C. for the holiday of Chrismukkah.

10. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

This was teen high school drama with a twist; its heroes fought demons and all other forms of evil monsters and the like. It didn't matter if you were a guy or a girl, if you were hitting your teen years during the show's seven season run, you were watching it every week.

What do you think of our list? How many of these shows did you watch religiously?