By Max Sheikh
In television shows and movies revolving around the aura of high school adolescence, the teenage-portrayed actors frequently occupy themselves in absurd and impracticable situations. Without regard for the poor portrayal of their young viewers at home, the media would rather concentrate on developing over-the-top adult plotlines. The portrayal of high school students as excessively upbeat and happy, or contrarily pessimistic and sad, is both unrealistic and fails to capture the realism of the teenage years.
The show “Euphoria” (HBO Max) attempts to relate to teenagers’ troubles with sex, drugs, alcohol, and other issues, but the extent to which the producers go to depict these struggles is extremely exaggerated. All the oddities and sub-plots occur simultaneously, making teenagers’ lives appear overwhelming. In addition, “Euphoria“shines a bright light on many of the shady wrongdoings the teen characters display in the narrative’s themes, setting, and conflict, which runs the risk of deceiving the young, naive intended audience into fallacious beliefs about the teenage experience. It is important for young viewers to approach teenage shows with a critical eye and not take everything at face value.
Other television shows, such as “Outer Banks” (Netflix) and “Grand Army” (Netflix), include teenage main characters venturing on trips, becoming engaged in tremendous trouble, and suddenly facing the most crucial decision of their lives. These adult plot lines lead teenagers entering high school to expect significant revelations, only to end up feeling disappointed, believing they are missing the “real” high school experience. Although the plot for these productions would not be as entertaining, creating a more accurate teenage lifestyle would certainly do better for teenagers’ perspectives and expectations.
“Nearly giants, I couldn’t imagine trying to guard them one-on-one in any sport” and that their performance is “almost unintentionally laughable.”
Brandon burton (11)
The actors portraying the teenage characters do not reflect the way teenagers actually look. Frequently, by adulthood, the actors have stopped evolving, which falsely summarizes the teenage experience of puberty and maturity. Adult actors are not subject to child labor laws, resulting in the film industry’s imitative casting. The high school, football-based television show “All American” (The CW) demonstrates this notion to an extremely high degree, with some of their actors pushing the age of 40 all while portraying sophomore students in high school. Student Brandon Burton from Ponte Vedra High School describes the performers as “nearly giants, I couldn’t imagine trying to guard them one-on-one in any sport” and that their performance is “almost unintentionally laughable.” With the impact held within the film industry, teenagers are unsurprisingly likely to be subjected to false expectations in the physical department.
As time goes on, the media shifts its focus to more truthful depictions of the teenage experience. However, quite a few realistic television shows, such as “The Wonder Years” (ABC) and “Atlanta” (FX), include episodes of the brash actualities teens will have to endure and overcome with no filter. Not only does accurate portrayal lead to a more realistic plot, but it also creates down-to-earth expectations from teenagers awaiting their upcoming experiences.
