TV Shows to Get the Conversation Started

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TV Shows to Get the Conversation Started

February 16, 2023
A group of 5 teen girls watch TV together and laugh wildly.

We live in a day and age where young folks can actually learn a lot from what’s on their screens—that is, if they know where to look! But with so many choices, it can be hard to determine which shows provide teachable moments and which young people should avoid. 

The good news is that young people want to hear from their parents and other adults in their lives about sex, love, relationships and how to navigate it all. Year in and year out, research and real stories back this up. And one of the best ways to breach that subject with teens is by using popular media as kindling for a powerful conversation! To help get the teenagers in your life on the right track, we gathered a list of new shows that you can encourage them to tune in to: 

The Sex Lives of College Girls Season 2

The title of HBO’s new hit alone may be enough to entice your teens to check out The Sex Lives of College Girls before heading off to university. They will quickly find, however, that the show is about way more than hookup culture, and actually dives deep into what it’s like to figure out your deal breakers and relationships expectations during a transitional period. Season 2, which finished airing in December, includes storylines about STI myths, how to establish boundaries, and being honest with your feelings. 

grown-ish Season 5

The second part of season 5 of Freeform’s grown-ish returned in January, picking up with Junior’s freshman year journey at Cal-U. We love that throughout its run, grown-ish has taught young folks about the challenges and realities faced during young adulthood and why relationships in their lives help shape who they are. You can catch new episodes of grown-ish on Freeform and Hulu every Wednesday night at 10pm ET.

Gossip Girl Season 2

We were so pleased to see the second season of HBO’s reboot of Gossip Girl include a story about Zoya taking emergency contraception! It’s refreshing to watch a character who doesn’t struggle with or have to fight stigma for her choice. Gossip Girl also continues to be a tool for opening up conversations about how your teenagers are communicating online. Arm yourself with these tips to have the biggest impact. While HBO recently announced that Gossip Girl will not be returning for a third season, there are plenty of teachable moments throughout the 20 episodes available for streaming. 

Emily In Paris Season 3

When the third season of Emily in Paris dropped on Netflix in December, we were excited to see that it was the most sex positive season yet! One of the first messages to come through reminds the audience of the importance of contraception if you’re sexually active. In the very first episode, when Mindy and Emily are discussing relationships, staying on top of your birth control method comes up in conversation. Then, in episode 5, Mindy gets a vibrator as a gift from her partner after a fight. We love a show that normalizes stress-free sex and pleasure!

There are a lot of TV shows and movies that set up unrealistic expectations. As a champion, you have the unique opportunity to impact how the young people in your life view sex, love, and relationships! Using these shows as a kickstarter can help guide impactful conversations. Start talking