We're huge fans of all things "teen genre" here at Complex Pop—from Riverdale to The O.C.—so the minute that we hear about a new teen show (or film) dropping, you bet we're checking it out.
13 Reasons Why, based on the bestselling novel and executive produced by Selena Gomez (!), is wrought with everything we hated about high school. Which is why we can’t get enough of it.
Dropping on March 31st, shy and nerdy high schooler Clay Jensen finds a box of 13 cassette tapes on his doorstep. Recorded on the tapes is the voice of Hannah Baker, a student (and Clay's crush) who recently committed suicide. On the first tape, Hannah delivers a chilling message: “Hello, boys and girls. Hannah Baker here, alive and in stereo...I hope you’re ready because I’m about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically, why it ended. And, if you are listening to these tapes, you’re one of the reasons why.”
At times outrageous, upsetting and deeply moving, the show is like experiencing being a teen all over again without actually experiencing it all over again. The series is rife with backstabbing, slut-shaming and dealing with unexpected tragedy.
Putting the heavy stuff aside, we’re gripped by the high school nostalgia: the cliques, gossipy notes passed under desks in class. While Hannah and Clay's school isn’t our idea of an alma mater we’d like to attend, it does inspire other fictional high schools we wish we had or hadn't gone to IRL. With special teen experts, Ashleigh Murray and Mädchen Amick, from Riverdale—here's where we’d want to enroll along with those we’re so glad will never be in session.
High Schools We'd Be Psyched to Go To
Rydell High
Movie: Grease
Year: 1978
Rydell High because I want to live in the 80s, wear high-waisted pants and find my Danny Zuko.—Ashleigh Murray, Actress. (Murray currently stars on Riverdale as Josie McCoy and leads Deidra & Laney Rob a Train, currently on Netflix.)
I've always dreamed of attending Rydell High, where Grease is the word. Sandy and I would've made a great couple!—Mädchen Amick (Amick also stars alongside Murray (great taste, right?) as Alice Cooper on Riverdale and will be reprising her iconic role as Shelly Johnson in Showtime’s Twin Peaks on May 21st).
Riverdale High School
TV Show: Riverdale
Year: 2017
Like everyone else on Twitter, I’m addicted to this show. There’s lots of melodrama and a murderer on the loose. While I’d hate to deal with queen bee Cheryl Blossom, I’d love to hang out at lunch with Betty , Veronica, Kevin and Jughead (Archie is too broody for me). Playing detective with Betty and Juggie would be rad—except I’d be the third wheel. —Amanda Furrer, Complex Pop Culture Intern
Huntington High School
Movie: Can’t Hardly Wait
Year: 1998
If I could go to any fictional high school I'd OBVIOUSLY attend the one from Can't Hardly Wait. Like any high school, it had its cliques, but on graduation night they all put their differences aside to get wasted in unison. Amanda, the quintessential prom queen, (Jennifer Love Hewitt), William the class geek (Peter Facinelli) and Kenny the wannabe white rapper (Seth Green) all drank from the same keg. Kind of a beautiful thing. Even the foreign exchange student whose limited English phrases included ‘Would you like to touch my penis?’ was invited. How sweet.—Lauren Zupkus, Social Media Editor
Sunnydale High
TV Show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Year: 1997-2003
I would have loved to go to Sunnydale High and befriended Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) right away. Thankfully, I would have replaced Xander's (Nicholas Brendon) spot as her sidekick, because let's be real: three women running shit is better then two women (Buffy & Willow) and a useless man (Xander). —Rawan Eewshah, Deputy Editor, Snapchat Discover
Bronson Alcott High
Movie: Clueless
Year: 1995
Not everyone can be quite as fab as Cher Horowitz, that’s just the way the world works, but I’d say attending Bronson Alcott High would give you a healthy running start. Most importantly, there’s the totally chic SoCal exteriors and surprisingly color-coordinated hallways to provide the ideal backdrop for your computer-calculated lewks. Plus, there’s always the promise of finding an ideal girl squad (preferably comprised entirely of people who were named after famous singers of the past who now do infomercials) that’d put T-Swift’s calculated crew to shame. And while it’s not without its problems, Bronson Alcott seems like pretty much a perfect place to pass the time, whether you’re busy organizing an event for the Pismo Beach Disaster relief fund or waiting to skip off to the mall. Besides, I’ve always kind of wanted my life to look like a Noxema commercial. —Aubrey Page, Collider Social Editor
Ridgemont High School
Movie: Fast Time at Ridgemont High
Year: 1982
For those who don’t know, Cameron Crowe turned the book he wrote about his time undercover at Clairemont High School trying to understand teens into the classic film on high school debauchery, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. While the easiest reason to want to attend this cinematic lion’s den would be for Linda Barrett (who’s so fine that you have to say her full name), but truth be told, I was hella shut in during my high school years. I don’t think I’d end up wanting to be a Spicoli or something, but it’d be dope to live kind of carefree, at least for one year of high school. Maybe that’s just the #old in me.—khal, Resident Old
High Schools We'd Wanna Get Expelled From
Bates High School
Movie: Carrie
Year: 1976
I would NOT have liked to attend Bates High School where Carrie was crowned Prom Queen. Just a tad too bloody for me—Mädchen Amick
Taking its namesake from the psychologically questionable Norman Bates of Psycho fame, Bates High School, despite its catchy name, has a disturbing number of candidates for the “con” column. Besides the fact that it’s located in Maine—which I think is a state largely populated by Moose—it also happens to host the four-year sentence of one Carrie White, the telekinetic teen constantly beset by a clique of insufferable schoolmates in impossibly high-waisted jeans. The student body alone (with the exception of the tender-hearted Sue Snell) is enough to send me running, but mix in the fact that I’d be doomed to spend my prom night slowly cooking in a poorly ventilated gym, and Bates High School has the privilege of sitting at the tippy-top of my “do not attend” list. —Aubrey Page
Rosewood High School
TV Show: Pretty Little Liars
Year: 2010
I would never want to go to Rosewood High School. Someone ends up dead in Rosewood every other week thanks to the stupidity and selfishness of four teenage girls. No thanks, I'm not trying to get killed.—Rawan Eewshah
William Henry Harrison High School
Movie: She’s All That
Year: 1999
The high school I would not like to attend is the one in She's All That. The popular boys in this school are so dumb that they can't see Laney (Rachel Leigh Cook) is gorgeous. She's considered hideous and nerdy simply because she wears glasses! I'm nearsighted and need glasses to see the board and I'm not trying to be viewed as undateable by Freddie Prinze Jr. just because I wasn't blessed with 20/20 vision. Bye.—Lauren Zupkus
Neptune High School
TV Show: Veronica Mars
Year: 2004-2007
Even though, I’m a Marshmallow, but wouldn’t be caught dead at Neptune High. A school bus of students takes a cliff dive, the 09ers are insufferable assholes, the whole town is full of skeletons—figuratively and literally. The only good thing would be pal-ing around with Veronica and getting a surprise box of snickerdoodles. And even that might not be worth it.—Amanda Furrer
Kennedy High School
Movie: Class of 1999
Year: 1990
You young bucks ever seen Class of 1999? Talk about shitty “future” films from 1990! With a trio of killer android teachers (including Pam Grier), this movie lowkey scared the shit out of me back in the day. Not only was it the fact that the town they lived in was on some super cyberpunk warzone shit, but to then have teachers who might legit rip your head off if you mouth off? Nah, bruh, I’m not trying to be a part of that. I like my life, or what little of it I have left.—khal
