
My So-Called Life
- TV-14
- 1994
- 1 Season
-
8.3 (19,158)
My So-Called Life was a ground-breaking drama series on ABC that really captured the pain and angst of the teenage experience. The show is singular in that it felt more "real" than any other show of the time that attempted to show what it is like to be an American teenager. Fifteen year-old Angela Chase (Claire Danes)is a sophomore at the fictional Liberty High School in Three Rivers, Pennsylvania. Like many teenagers, she does not believe her friends and family understand her. Angela has chosen to distance herself from her childhood, more straight-laced friends and befriended the cooler, edgier Rayanne Graff (A.J. Langer) and Rickie Vasquez (Wilson Cruz). She develops a crush on Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto), the best-looking guy in school, who is also troubled. The show follows Angela as she deals with the daily issues that faced teenagers in the 1990s. The series is primarily narrated by Angela. Supporting characters included Angela's parents and younger sister. My So-Called Life dealt with a number of modern issues, including first love, homosexuality in high school, and the pressure to have sex at a young age. The characters were not fashion plates like those in other shows aimed at teenagers. They dressed more or less the way high school students dressed. They didn't have perfect hair and makeup. The narrator expressed his thoughts in a manner that was consistent with the way teenagers thought. The show was also unique in that it was Angela's mother who provided the primary means of support for the family. All of these things made Angela and her problems seem real, creating a bond between her and the viewing audience. My So-Called Life was produced by Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick, Winnie Holzman, and Scott Winant. It aired originally on ABC for one season of nineteen episodes in 1994-1995. After ABC cancelled the series, it re-ran on MTV as part of a fan-initiated effort to revive the show for another season.