We have gotten plenty of YA dramas this year, but ‘Sterling Point’ is not your typical coming-of-age story. It has all the staple tropes: a summer adventure, family secrets, and complicated love triangles. Yet, everything still feels so surprisingly fresh.
It uses a nostalgic 1990s atmosphere to explore grief and self-acceptance in a thoughtful, modern way. On top of it, there is a compelling central mystery that keeps you hooked till the very end. If you are looking for more such inventive takes on coming-of-age stories, here are 10 teen dramas to watch after ‘Sterling Point’.
10. Outer Banks (2020-2026)
If there is any show that took treasure hunting to its peak, it is ‘Outer Banks’. Set in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the series follows the Pogues, a close-knit group of working-class teens who clash with the wealthy Kooks.
The Pogues’ ringleader, John B., is determined to uncover the truth about his missing father, but it leads the two groups on a relentless chase for lost treasure.
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9. The Good Girl’s Guide To Murder (2024-)
All you really need for a compelling coming-of-age mystery series is a small-town scandal and a smart protagonist determined to uncover the truth.
‘The Good Girl’s Guide To Murder’ follows Pip, a teenage sleuth who decides to reopen a case that everyone in her town wants left alone. As she refuses to stop digging, more secrets and unexpected truths emerge, changing everything the town once knew about itself.
8. Everwood (2002-2006)
This is that one nostalgic series worth revisiting anytime. ‘Everwood’ follows NYC neurosurgeon Andy Brown, who moves with his two children, Ephram and Delia, to a picturesque small Colorado town after the death of his wife.
The move gives the grieving family a chance at a fresh start as they adjust to the small-town life while also confronting their grief. The show might not match ‘Sterling Point’ when it comes to genre, but its exploration of coming-of-age is very similar.
7. The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022-2025)
Romance might not be the most dominant theme in ‘Sterling Point’, but we can’t deny that we were instantly hooked. And when it comes to love triangles, nothing can beat the sensational ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’.
Belly Conklin has spent every summer since she was a child at Cousins Beach with her family and the Fishers. But now that she is sixteen, she finds herself facing all the messy complications that come with growing up.
6. Cruel Summer (2021-2023)
When it comes to ‘Cruel Summer’, the thriller is taken up a notch. It unfolds during the summer of the 1990s and uses an anthological format. Its first season follows Kate, a popular girl from a small Texas town who goes missing.
Her disappearance sparks an unexpected transformation in her shy classmate, Jeanette. Told across three years and alternating between both girls’ perspectives, a dark and twisted truth slowly comes to the surface.
5. We Were Liars (2025-)
Another sun-drenched mystery, ‘We Were Liars’ follows Cadence Sinclaire. After suffering from amnesia, Cadence returns to her wealthy family’s private island and reunites with her close-knit cousins and friends, known as the Liars.
Soon, she begins to uncover what really happened behind the incident that left her with no memory. The mystery is incredibly messy, and the stakes are very high as she ventures into deep and dark family secrets.
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4. The O.C. (2003-2007)
With an iconic theme song that immediately transports you back to the early 2000s, the nostalgic atmosphere of ‘Sterling Point’ is instantly reminiscent of ‘The O.C’. It follows Ryan Atwood, a troubled teenager from a broken home who is adopted by the wealthy Cohen family.
What follows is a genuine class clash as Ryan navigates the glamorous world of the elite. Interestingly, ‘Sterling Point’ is produced by the same producer who created ‘The O.C’.
3. My So-Called Life (1994-1995)
Though it only ran for a very short time, ‘My So-Called Life’ has had an influence on teen drama that remains unmatched. It is set at the fictional Liberty High School, where we follow the emotional struggles of its teenage students.
Its very realistic portrayal of adolescence completely captures the confusion, meaninglessness and difficulties of growing up. This was also seen in ‘Sterling Point’ and is what made its exploration of coming-of-age so refreshing.
2. Looking For Alaska (2019)
The nostalgic aesthetic of ‘Sterling Point’ is very much seen in the John Green adaptation ‘Looking for Alaska’. It is set in 2005, and follows Miles, a quiet teenager searching for a deeper meaning in life.
He begins attending a boarding school in Alabama, where he meets an eccentric group of friends, including the mysterious Alaska. Through their friendship, the series explores a story filled with hope, heartbreak and grief.
1. Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003)
There is simply no coastal teen drama quite as iconic as this absolute classic. An unforgettable love triangle, a timeless aesthetic and a surprisingly realistic portrayal of existential dread, ‘Dawson’s Creek’ is always worth revisiting.
It follows aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery and his complicated relationship with Joey, Pacey and newcomer Jem. The many tropes that we see in ‘Sterling Point’ were once defined by ‘Dawson’s Creek’.
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