“Sterling Point” is not your typical teen drama. Though it features some stalwarts of the genre (summer awakenings, family secrets, love triangles), everything about the show feels fresh and authentic. Created by Megan Park, who directed the great film “My Old Ass,” and executive produced by “Gossip Girl” creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the show follows 17-year-old Annie Jacobson (Ella Rubin). Annie has her whole life planned out, but things take a turn when she learns she and her twin brother have inherited property from her late grandfather. Determined to learn more about her family history, Annie travels to the remote Canadian island in search of buried secrets.
The show features a cast of well-written, charming characters who actually behave like the young people they are. There’s a prominent queer relationship, and Annie finds herself in a love triangle. Yet romance is far from the show’s raison d’être. Instead, it focuses more on topics like grief, self-acceptance, and digging through family trauma. The series’ lack of cell phones (there’s minimal service on the island) gives it a nostalgic, ’90s feel, and it maintains a refreshing sense of realism.
There’s plenty to love about “Sterling Point.” If you’ve already binged the entire series and are looking for something to fill the void, we’ve got you covered. The series on this list include summer tales, coming-of-age stories, and unique takes on teen drama. Here are the 10 best TV shows like “Sterling Point.”
The Summer I Turned Pretty
While “Sterling Point” uses romance mainly as a side plot, Prime Video’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” based on a book series by Jenny Han, puts romance at the center. Both shows tackle the particular brand of self-discovery that can only happen in the summertime, and a love triangle that blooms beneath sunny skies. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” follows Belly Conklin (Lola Tung), a teenager returning to the wealthy town of Cousins Beach. She and her family have been staying with the Fisher family since Belly was a child, but now she’s grown into a young woman.
This year, newly sixteen-year-old Belly faces a dilemma. She’s always had a crush on Conrad Fisher (Christopher Briney), but now Conrad’s younger brother, Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno), has thrown his hat into the ring. Belly struggles to choose between the two boys, and a family tragedy complicates the trio’s bond.
Like “Sterling Point,” the show is smartly written and has empathy for its teen protagonists even as they get themselves into dramatic messes. While the characters are allowed to be immature and selfish, the show retains a sense of earnestness even at its messiest. The main trio gives heartfelt performances that elevate the material, which will appeal to adolescents and adults alike.
Looking For Alaska
Though it’s set in the present day, “Sterling Point” feels nostalgic thanks to its mostly low-tech aesthetic and lack of internet usage. “Looking for Alaska,” created by teen drama masterminds Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, is actually set in 2005, and features thematic overlap with “Sterling Point,” another one of their creations.
Based on the John Green novel of the same name, the show follows Miles (Charlie Plummer), an introspective teen obsessed with the famous last words of authors. In his quest for meaning, he attends a boarding school in Alabama, where he meets “The Colonel” (Denny Love), Takumi (Jay Lee), and Alaska (Kristine Froseth), who has an alluring air of mystery about her.
Though Alaska initially appears as the archetype of a manic pixie dream girl and Miles the picture of a nerdy loner, finely tuned acting makes them appear more vivid than these character descriptions would suggest. Though Miles and his friends attempt to uncover one of Alaska’s mysteries, the show isn’t actually interested in solving anything. Instead, as in “Sterling Point,” it homes in on hope, heartbreak, and grief. It offers a satisfying sense of catharsis, and the characters feel authentic and grounded in their circumstances. For fans of “The O.C.” and kids of the early aughts, the show’s nostalgic soundtrack is also a major selling point.
Dawson’s Creek
If we’re here to discuss coastal teen dramas, there’s no way we can leave out “Dawson’s Creek.” Fans of “Sterling Point” will appreciate the classic show’s iconic love triangle, the timeless ’90s vibes, the existential angst, and the sense of realism the show tried (but didn’t always succeed) to maintain. Created by “Scream” writer Kevin Williamson, “Dawson’s Creek” stars James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery, an aspiring filmmaker living in Capeside, Massachusetts. He’s joined by his friends Joey Potter (Katie Holmes), who has a secret crush on him, and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), a class clown with a heart of gold. The dynamic between the trio shifts with the arrival of New Yorker Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams).
Like “One Tree Hill,” “Dawson’s Creek” purports to depict average teenagers experiencing real issues, rather than the glitzy lives of high schoolers in shows like “Gossip Girl” and “90210.” Of course, the drama can be over-the-top at times. Still, the characters feel like people we could hang out with in real life, and it pushed the needle forward in terms of LGBTQ+ representation. It defined many of the tropes we see in contemporary shows like “Sterling Point,” which is one of the reasons it’s one of the best teen dramas of all time.
Outer Banks
If you like your summer beach dramas with a hefty dose of treasure hunting, a show like “Outer Banks” is your best bet. The Netflix series takes place in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It follows two factions: The Pogues, working-class residents of the community who live there all year round, and the Kooks, wealthy folks who only visit during the summer. John B. (Chase Stokes) is the ringleader of the Pogues, and he’s determined to solve the mystery of his missing father and the buried treasure that may be linked to his disappearance.
“Outer Banks” is significantly sillier than “Sterling Point,” but the shows cover some of the same ground. Family secrets serve as the core of the two series, and they both center on a close-knit group of friends in an insular community. The show is tinged with ’80s nostalgia, and the summer fun never stops. The talented cast makes do with occasionally absurd material, and the friendships among the main characters anchor the series to something that feels real.
Everything Sucks!
Setting-wise, “Everything Sucks!” and “Sterling Point” are pretty different. The former series takes place at a high school in the real-life town of Boring, Oregon, in the ’90s, while the latter sets its action in the summertime on a beautiful Canadian island. But the two shows share an emphasis on character development and coming of age, and feature thoughtful writing that stands out from the pack.
“Everything Sucks!” follows two groups at Boring High School. The outcasts in the A/V Club include freshman Luke (Jahi Di’Allo Winston), his friends McQuaid (Rio Mangini) and Tyler (Quinn Liebling), and sophomore Kate (Peyton Kennedy). Luke has an instant crush on Kate, but Kate develops feelings for Emaline (Sydney Sweeney in a pre-“Euphoria” role), an older member of the drama club. The drama club, of course, is comprised of students desperate for attention.
While the show is at least in part a comedy, it doesn’t go for the easy jokes or slapstick humor. It’s more concerned with character growth than hijinks, though it’s good for a fair amount of chuckles along the way. There is a sweetness to “Everything Sucks!” that makes it feel genuine — these aren’t teenagers behaving like (or played by) 25-year-olds. The ’90s nostalgia is more than welcome, and its lo-fi aesthetics align with that of “Sterling Point.” Sadly, the show was canceled after the first season in one of Netflix’s dumbest cancellations ever.
Everwood
“Everwood” is a top-tier Greg Berlanti series, and it’s a shame it’s not as well-remembered as some of the other shows of the era. “Everwood” debuted on The WB in 2002 and follows NYC neurosurgeon Andy Brown (Treat Williams), who moves his two kids, Ephram (Gregory Smith) and Delia (Vivien Cardone), to a small Colorado town following the death of his wife. The move gives the whole family a chance at a new start, as Andy grows closer to his son and the kids start growing up. Ephram also experiences first love with a local girl, Amy Abbott (Emily VanCamp).
Like “Sterling Point,” “Everwood” takes place in a picturesque small town and follows characters reckoning with grief so that they can move forward. “Everwood” can be melodramatic at times, but strong acting, especially from Williams, gives the big emotions depicted on the show an authentic, raw quality. It’s the kind of show that can appeal to all ages, as Andy’s more adult-oriented story parallels those of his kids, who embark on their own journeys of growth. It’s a heartfelt series that comments on serious issues while maintaining a cozy, small-town feel.
The Way Home
“The Way Home” is sort of like “Dark” if it were made by Hallmark and a lot more earnest. Similar to “Sterling Point,” it tackles the ripple effects of grief on a family and takes place in a small Canadian town. It also follows a teenage girl as she reckons with her family history.
“The Way Home” centers on three generations of the Landry family: Del (Andie MacDowell), her daughter Kat (Chyler Leigh), and her granddaughter, Alice (Sadie Laflamme-Snow). After a failed marriage and the loss of her job, Kat moves back to her hometown with her teenage daughter, Alice, despite having been estranged from her mother for the past 20 years. Their relationship fractured back in 1999, after the disappearance of Kat’s brother, Jacob (Spencer MacPherson). Her father died shortly thereafter.
Here’s where it starts to get a little like “Dark,” or perhaps Season 2 of “Russian Doll.” After a fight with her mother, Alice falls into a pond in the woods and ends up back in 1999, befriending a teenage version of her mother before tragedy struck. It’s not science fiction, and the mechanics of time travel are not the point of “The Way Home.” It’s a family drama above all else, and the pond serves as a clever plot device to explore themes such as generational trauma, grief, and memory. Though it sounds schmaltzy, it’s actually surprisingly grounded for a Hallmark show, and the performances, especially from Leigh, elevate the material.
Surviving Summer
“Surviving Summer” is filled with sun, surf, and plenty of angsty drama. Sky Katz plays Summer Torres, a rebellious teenager from New York City. When the skateboarding problem child gets kicked out of school and her mother goes on a long-term work trip, Summer is sent to live in Shorehaven, Australia, with family friends she hardly knows. The laid-back surfing vibes of Shorehaven don’t exactly mesh with Summer’s swaggering NYC attitude, and initially, she’s not keen to ditch her skateboard for a surfboard.
Summer’s story is contrasted with that of Ari (Kai Lewins), who’s returning to the world of surfing after a life-threatening injury. Ari introduces Summer to the surfing crowd, and they eventually form a tight-knit — if tumultuous — crew.
If you enjoyed the summery locale of “Sterling Point” and its emphasis on the growth that comes from uprooting your life and confronting your family’s past, you might want to give “Surviving Summer” a shot. Summer’s frosty demeanor eventually thaws thanks to the bright sunshine and the salty waves, and her surfing journey begins in earnest. The show’s Australian scenery is gorgeous, and the surfing action provides plenty of thrills that distinguish it from your typical teen drama.
Cruel Summer
Though family secrets are central to the plot of “Sterling Point,” it’s more of a coming-of-age drama than it is a mystery. If you’re looking for a series that zeroes in on the trials and tribulations of girlhood through the lens of a thriller, “Cruel Summer” is a great choice. As the title suggests, much of “Cruel Summer” takes place during the summer months in the mid-90s.
The first season centers around the disappearance of Kate (Olivia Holt), a popular girl in a Texas town. Her disappearance sparks a transformation in her shy classmate, Jeanette (Chiara Aurelia), who suddenly blossoms. The story jumps between three years, alternating between the two girls’ perspectives as the mystery unfolds. The second season follows a shocking sex scandal and the murder of a teenage boy, Luke Chambers (Griffin Gluck). At the center of the scandal are Megan (Sadie Stanley), a standoffish straight-A student, and Isabella (Lexi Underwood), an exchange student. The two develop a close bond, which transforms into a toxic love triangle.
“Cruel Summer” is more shocking and dramatic than “Sterling Point,” but both shows place an emphasis on character and the unique concerns of teenage girls. Like “Sterling Point,” it’s a totally original story, and its ’90s setting will satisfy any nostalgia you might have after watching the refreshingly tech-less Prime Video hit.
Ginny & Georgia
In the world of “Ginny & Georgia,” small-town coziness and buried family secrets come together for a show that’s kind of like “Gilmore Girls” with a little murder and melodrama thrown in the mix. In some ways, the series functions as two shows smashed together. It follows Georgia (Brianne Howey), the 30-year-old mother of a fifteen-year-old daughter, Ginny (Antonia Gentry). Georgia, Ginny, and Ginny’s half-brother, Austin (Diesel La Torraca), have spent their lives moving from town to town, but Georgia has decided it’s time to settle down in Wellsbury, Massachusetts.
Georgia’s portion of the show sees the single mom charming the townspeople with her southern friendliness, while running from her dark past and hoping her secrets don’t catch up to her. Meanwhile, in Ginny’s world, teenage problems abound. Having never stayed in one place very long, she has social anxiety and struggles to make new friends.
If you like the way “Sterling Point” mixes a coming-of-age story with complicated family lore, you might enjoy the tonal mishmash of “Ginny & Georgia.” The series is more than meets the eye, as the mystery elements undergird the quaint, small-town aesthetic we’ve come to expect from shows like “Gilmore Girls.” While “Sterling Point” follows Annie as she attempts to understand the mother she never knew, Ginny’s mother is as alive as they come, but she remains utterly perplexing to her daughter.
