Teen Drama Links for February 18, 2025
There is no overstating the brilliance of “My Brilliant Friend.”
I read the book series — My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and The Story of the Lost Child, collectively known as the Neapolitan Novels — almost 10 years ago and I recently finally watched the four-season HBO adaptation.
The show (and the book series) is a coming-of-age story spanning the protagonists’ lives from roughly first grade to their 60s. Seasons 1 and 2 are very much a teen drama as adulthood increasingly creeps in and some characters are forced to grow up faster than others.
The two female protagonists, Elena and Lila, are quite poor but have a Blair-Serena quality to their dynamic. They’re in constant competition with one another but also fiercely loyal to each other, going through life as the best of frenemies. There are love triangles, betrayals, deaths. At times it can feel as if nothing is happening, especially in the earliest episodes, but really, everything is happening. Life is happening.
As I watched, I was amazed at how they aged the characters across the first three seasons with just hair and wardrobe changes, feats I also marveled at in “One Tree Hill,” “Normal People,” and Challengers. That said, there are significant casting changes in the fourth season that I found jarring overall, but the opening credits for that season magnificently depict the change.
It might seem strange to recommend watching the season 4 “Previously on” segment (not to be confused with the season 4 trailer) when you haven’t seen the prior seasons, but after seeing that, I can’t imagine how you wouldn’t want to go back to the beginning of the series to watch how everything unfolded and got to that point. It’s a great encapsulation of the show’s soap opera-like trajectory.
If you need further convincing, consider that Entertainment Weekly named “My Brilliant Friend” “the year’s best teen drama” in 2018 and The New York Times recently named the first novel in the quartet the “best book of the 21st century.” All the critical acclaim is richly deserved, and you’ll be rewarded, too, if you give the show and books a chance.
Teen Drama Links for February 18, 2025
Listicle Links
Reminder: All lists and articles relate to the teen dramas or teen drama stars in some way.
“My Mind Is Absolutely Blown From These Random 19 Pop Culture Facts That Are Making Me Look At Things Very, Very Differently” (BuzzFeed)
“Oscars flashback: Hilary Swank goes 2 for 2” (Los Angeles Times)
Related: Hilary Swank: Teen Drama’s Oscar Winner (TDW)
“Kristin Davis Beat Hilary Swank for Melrose Place Role: ‘She Obviously Went on to Win 2 Oscars’” (People)
Related: The Teen Drama Spinoffs (TDW)
“‘Love Is Blind’ Producers Pay Homage to ‘Dawson’s Creek’ With New High School Reality Series ‘Sweethearts’” (Variety)
“8 Affordable Luxury Handbags Katie Holmes Is Convincing Me to Buy” (Elle)
“10 Actors You Totally Forgot Were On The O.C.” (CBR)
“See 10 Cute Photos Showing Why Adam Brody and Leighton Meester Are Couple Goals” (People)
“Bethany Joy Lenz’s Memoir Leads FIRST’s Book Club Picks — Must-Reads for February 14-27” (First For Women)
“32 Most Despicable Romantic Partners From Movies And TV Shows” (Cinemablend)
“10 TV Couples That Should’ve Ended Up Together (But Didn’t)” (CBR)
“10 Great TV Shows That Get Even Better With Every Rewatch” (CBR)
“12 Scenes That Ruined Entire Movies & TV Shows” (Slashfilm)
“15 Terrible Reboots of Classic Kids’ Shows That Made Fans of the Originals Furious” (CBR)
“Beverly Hills, 90210” certainly isn’t a “kids show,” but I certainly agree it had a terrible reboot. (TDW)
“30 TV adaptations you should watch in your lifetime, ranked from worst to best” (Business Insider)
“Love is in the air! Unforgettable gay kissing scenes from TV & movies” (Out)
Related: The Evolution of LGBTQ Teen Drama Characters (TDW)
Best of the Rest
Several writers and producers from the teen dramas have signed an open letter condemning antisemitic protests and vandalism at the home of UTA vice-chairman and UC regent Jay Sures. (Deadline)
New campaign videos for Bottega Veneta use the “Beverly Hills, 90210” theme song. (Instagram / Instagram)
Here are more interviews with Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills, 90210) tied to her “I Choose Me” live event.
“Jennie Garth Shares How She Finally ‘Cleared the Air’ With Ex Peter Facinelli” (E! Online)
“Jennie Garth is ‘chomping at the bit’ to flee LA” (Fox News)
I hate linking to this outlet.
Speaking of the “I Choose Me” event, Garth is now selling a video recording of the event. (Veeps)
Garth was on the “Let’s Talk with Heather Dubrow” podcast. (Apple Podcasts)
Brian Austin Green (David, Beverly Hills, 90210) will be hosting two fan events in Australia. (Dan Delts Fan Experiences)
Here’s coverage related to Hilary Swank (Carly, Beverly Hills, 90210) joining “Yellowjackets.”
“‘Yellowjackets’ stars on working with Hilary Swank in Season 3: ‘We’re so excited’” (New York Post)
“Lauren Ambrose teases working with Hilary Swank on ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3” (Page Six)
“Melanie Lynskey Lost Juliette Lewis but Gained Hilary Swank on Yellowjackets Season 3” (Vanity Fair)
Shawn Levy (Howard, Beverly Hills, 90210) will executive-produce The Forgotten Realms for Netflix. (Deadline)
Greg Berlanti (executive producer, Dawson’s Creek) will executive-produce an Apple TV adaptation of Dilettante. (Deadline)
“Dying for Sex,” starring and executive-produced by Michelle Williams (Jen, Dawson’s Creek), will premiere on Hulu in April. (Deadline)
Oliver Hudson (Eddie, Dawson’s Creek) was on “The Drew Barrymore Show” again. (YouTube)
Scott Foley (Cliff, Dawson’s Creek) is making the media rounds for La Dolce Villa.
“Scott Foley’s Italian Was Too Good for ‘La Dolce Villa’” (Live with Kelly and Mark)
There are additional clips.
“Scott Foley’s ‘La Dolce Villa’ has him ready to help you fix up a house in Italy” (CNN)
“‘It Was Great to Get to Work with a Goat’: Scott Foley on the Wonders and Goat Wranglers of Italy on ‘La Dolce Villa’” (Collider)
“‘La Dolce Villa’ Stars Maia Reficco, Scott Foley & Violante Placido Talk Love & Italy” (Movieweb)
“La Dolce Villa Interview: Scott Foley & Maia Reficco Talk Netflix’s New Rom-Com Movie” (ComingSoon)
“Scott Foley Reacts to Making His ‘Scream’ Franchise Return for Film 7” (Entertainment Tonight)
“Scott Foley Was ‘So Excited’ About Getting Cast in Scream 3 He Had Trouble Keeping His Role a Secret” (People)
“Scott Foley has lost some of TV’s greatest love triangles. He says ‘Olivia Pope got it more wrong’ than Felicity.” (Yahoo)
Seth Rogen (Bob, Dawson’s Creek) covers the March issue of Esquire. (Esquire)
Watch Rachael Leigh Cook (Devon, Dawson’s Creek) in the trailer for Hallmark’s Sisterhood, Inc. (YouTube)
The Lonely Island included a snippet of their “The O.C.” spoof “Dear Sister” in their medley performance at “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert.” (YouTube)
ICYMI: Let’s Compare Scenes: “Hide and Seek” & “Whatcha Say” (TDW)
Chad Michael Murray (Lucas, One Tree Hill), Sophia Bush (Brooke, One Tree Hill), Stephen Colletti (Chase, One Tree Hill), Jana Kramer (Alex, One Tree Hill), and Kate Voegele (Mia, One Tree Hill) have all signed on for Friends With Benefit’s “The Show Must Go On” event. (Facebook)
Bush co-hosted a lunch for Fashionkind and AirRobe. (Instagram)
Busy Philipps (Audrey, Dawson’s Creek) was among the attendees.
Danneel Ackles (Rachel, One Tree Hill) is auctioning t-shirts she designed for “Art Tees for LA,” an initiative benefiting Random Acts’ Natural Disaster Recovery Fund. (Instagram)
Barry Corbin (Whitey, One Tree Hill) is hosting another of his “An Evening with Barry Corbin” events in March. (The Herald-Zeitung)
Tyler Hilton (Chris, One Tree Hill) is doing another one of his Elvis tribute shows next month. (University of Central Arkansas)
Hilton will be on a couple of July stops of the “Pop 2000” tour. (Pop 2000)
Hilton announced the European dates of his “Celebrating the Music of One Tree Hill” tour. (Instagram)
Bryan Greenberg (Jake, One Tree Hill) and Stephen Amell (Jim, 90210) cover the February 10 issue of TV Guide to promote “Suits: LA.” (Threads)
Bevin Prince (Bevin, One Tree Hill) was on the “Missionary” podcast. (Spotify)
Leighton Meester (Blair, Gossip Girl) previewed “Good Cop/Bad Cop” in a new interview. (TV Insider)
Meester is on the cover of the new digital issue of Vanity Fair France. (Vanity Fair)
Kelly Rutherford (Lily, Gossip Girl) covers the March issue of Woman Madame. (Instagram)
Sebastian Stan (Carter, Gossip Girl) did more interviews about The Apprentice as his Oscar campaign heats up.
“A Turn as Trump Made Sebastian Stan an Unlikely Oscar Nominee” (The New York Times)
“'The truth hurts’: Sebastian Stan reflects on playing Trump in ‘The Apprentice’” (NPR)
Aaron Tveit (Tripp, Gossip Girl) will make his solo London debut in April. (Playbill)
JoAnna Garcia (Bree, Gossip Girl) did press for the new season of “Sweet Magnolias.”
“JoAnna Garcia Swisher Reacts to Emotional Surprise from Drew Barrymore” (The Drew Barrymore Show)
“Sweet Magnolias’ JoAnna Garcia Swisher Was ‘Actually Afraid’ of That Season 4 Premiere Twist: ‘I Felt Guilty!’” (TVLine)
“‘Sweet Magnolias’: JoAnna Garcia Swisher Talks Maddie’s Future After Season 4 Twist” (TV Insider)
“‘Sweet Magnolias’ Showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson and Star Joanna Garcia Swisher Reflect on Season 4’s Shocking Death” (Parade)
“‘Sweet Magnolias’ Showrunner and Cast Break Down Season 4 Burning Questions: Who Died? Who Broke Up?” (Us Weekly)
“Designing Happiness With JoAnna Garcia Swisher” (Tampa Magazine)
Armie Hammer (Gabriel, Gossip Girl) was on “The Louis Theroux Podcast.” (Apple Podcasts)
Tyra Banks (Ursula, Gossip Girl) is participating in a 25th anniversary event for Coyote Ugly next week. (Eventbrite)
Kristen Bell (Gossip Girl, Gossip Girl) is doing press to promote Sunday’s SAG Awards, which she’s hosting in addition to being nominated.
“Host Kristen Bell wanted SAG Awards canceled after LA fires: She had a change of heart” (USA Today)
“Kristen Bell on Pulling Double Duty as SAG Host and ‘Nobody Wants This’ Nominee” (Entertainment Tonight)
“Kristen Bell Reveals the Secret to 11-Year Marriage With Dax Shepard” (E! Online)
This promo is also really great… (Twitter)
Bell’s family is one of the subjects of tonight’s episode of “Finding Your Roots.” (PBS)
Bell is matching donations for the No Kid Hungry LA Wildfire Response Fund up to $25,000. (Instagram)
Anna Van Patten (Grace, Gossip Girl spinoff) will guest-star in the long-delayed third season of “Euphoria.” (Deadline)
Diablo Cody, who appeared as herself on “90210,” is producing Forbidden Fruits, a film adaptation of the play Of the Women Came the Beginning of Sin, and Through Her We All Die. (Deadline)
Amell has started doing press for the “Suits: LA” premiere. (Variety)
Alan Ritchson (Tripp, 90210) did interviews about the new season of “Reacher” and other projects.
“Alan Ritchson Previews Reacher’s Season 3 Brawls With 7-Foot-2 Foe: ‘I’m Happy to Never Repeat Them!’” (TVLine)
“‘We Talk About It Quite Often’: Alan Ritchson Reveals Fast & Furious 11’s Biggest Hurdle To Starting Filming” (Screen Rant)
“‘Blue Mountain State’ Sequel Gains Momentum At Amazon; ‘We Are Going To Make A Fourth Season Happen,’ Alan Ritchson Says” (Deadline)
Ritchson was a pace car driver during Sunday’s Daytona 500. (CBS)
Shari, would you recommend reading the ‘My Brilliant Friend’ books before watching the TV series or dive straight into the show?