This show came out when I was in 8th grade. I immediately identified with Angela. Fast forward to my 2022-23 New Year's marathon and even though I'm now the same age as the parents on the show, at 43 years old, I STILL identify with the high-school aged, Angela. Go figure, lol
MSCL was way ahead of its time. It was a revolution. It was smart, polarizing, and unjustly canceled. But maybe it's not a bad thing that we never got a 2nd season and beyond. After rewatching all 19 episodes of its debut and only season, I now view MSCL as simply a mini-series that enjoyed its own time and changed teenage dramas forever.
There was nothing false about this show. It was gritty and real. Some would say at times it was too real.
Every single actor was phenomenal in their role. The acting in some of the scenes was so genuine- the cast really deserved an award.
MSCL is best known for deviating from the cookie-cutter shows about teenagers and gave us the raw glimpse into high school reality.
But it also did something else. This show had something for everyone; it wasn't just about the teens, it was about the adults too. Every character on this show mattered. And it made the audience care about every single one. Watching this as a teen, you cared about the parent/adult storylines and vice versa. That's smart writing. It's smart television.
Revisiting the show after its almost 30 yr history never feels old.
It always hits its mark.
It's timeless.
Something tells me that if it were to be continued, it might have lost its luster and gone stale. Maybe it wouldn't have been as special as its only 19 episodes are. I believe there's a paperback book that continues the story. I read a few pages, but it could never compare with the show. I pretend the book doesn't exist because it shouldn't. I don't recommend reading it because although the other tried, you can't always capture lightning in a bottle.
I DO think there should be like a made-for-TV reunion special. Just like a one time 2-hour episode.
MSCL was way ahead of its time. It was a revolution. It was smart, polarizing, and unjustly canceled. But maybe it's not a bad thing that we never got a 2nd season and beyond. After rewatching all 19 episodes of its debut and only season, I now view MSCL as simply a mini-series that enjoyed its own time and changed teenage dramas forever.
There was nothing false about this show. It was gritty and real. Some would say at times it was too real.
Every single actor was phenomenal in their role. The acting in some of the scenes was so genuine- the cast really deserved an award.
MSCL is best known for deviating from the cookie-cutter shows about teenagers and gave us the raw glimpse into high school reality.
But it also did something else. This show had something for everyone; it wasn't just about the teens, it was about the adults too. Every character on this show mattered. And it made the audience care about every single one. Watching this as a teen, you cared about the parent/adult storylines and vice versa. That's smart writing. It's smart television.
Revisiting the show after its almost 30 yr history never feels old.
It always hits its mark.
It's timeless.
Something tells me that if it were to be continued, it might have lost its luster and gone stale. Maybe it wouldn't have been as special as its only 19 episodes are. I believe there's a paperback book that continues the story. I read a few pages, but it could never compare with the show. I pretend the book doesn't exist because it shouldn't. I don't recommend reading it because although the other tried, you can't always capture lightning in a bottle.
I DO think there should be like a made-for-TV reunion special. Just like a one time 2-hour episode.