So your shopping is done, and if it’s not you should check out some of Real TV Addict’s suggestions, it’s the last “free” weekend before you have to hole yourself up with the family and this could be your final opportunity of the year to really sit down and completely veg-out in front of the TV. This weekend I suggest taking the time to catch up, re-familiarize and in some cases, get exposed to three of the great teenage dramas of recent memory:

1 – The Modern Choice:

The OC; 2003-2007

Creator Josh Schwartz exposed the rest of the world to a culture most of us are completely foreign to. The rich and spoiled lives of those living in the luxurious Californian suburb Orange County.

The OC follows the fish-out-of-water story of Ryan Atwood and his transition from inner-city Chino kid to the sunny life of caviar and Range Rovers. Chances are, you’ve heard the theme song, you know the look (the gray hoodie underneath a black jacket) and you are aware of the duo-holiday Christma-kkah. Like most teenage drams, The OC lost traction when the main characters grew up. Gone were the episodes about Catillion and choice of college later replaced by heavier issues like alcoholism and death. On the flip side, The OC did make the careers of Benjamin McKenzie, Adam Brody, Rachel Billson and Mischa Barton.

2 – The Iconic Choice:

The Original Beverly Hills 90210; 1990-2000

If Aaron Spelling is the king of the modern teenage drama then Beverly Hills 90210 is his crowning achievement. Spelling put FOX on the map by creating a show that entertained and grew with an audience. It also helped that his cast included the first 26 pages of Teen Beat from the early 1990s and the majority of the show took place in sunny California. Beverly Hills 90210 is one of those iconic shows that people still refer to when they see the likes Jason Priestley and Luke Perry; and to a lesser extent Shannen Doherty. It showed people a true sense of what it was like to grow up in the 1990s and make the transition from teenager to adult all while driving fast cars and living off of trust funds. The show became so popular that it warranted a spin-off (Melrose Place) and later a second generation (90210; sans the Beverly Hills). But as a lot of people will agree, nothing compares to the original as it followed the Californian lives of Brandon, Dylan, Kelly, Donna, David and Steve.

3 – The Lesser Known Choice:

The Original Kids of Degrassi, Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High; 1982 – 1991

If you want a historical look into the development of the teenage drama, the best place to start is Degrassi. The Canadian drama not only followed a small group of kids from middle school all the way through high school graduation, it also touched on issues that would still raise some brows. Degrassi was one of the first shows to focus on real teenage issues like suicide, drug abuse and rape. It dealt with them in a serious manner and embedded more reality than any other teenage drama to date. The original Degrassi wasn’t a launching pad for any big stars, it wasn’t a huge global phenomenon and it never produced any catch phrases or memorable characters – what it did do was create iconic moments. Degrassi has since spawned its own modern version and unlike 90210, Degrassi: The Next Generation is a highly regarded show that continues to entertain without rehashing old story lines.