A good show is always nice to binge, but shows that teach valuable lessons are even better.  Netflix has been cancelling a lot of good shows that not only are relatable for teenagers nowadays, but also could be quite effective in teaching them life lessons. For these reasons, there are truly some shows out there that definitely should NOT have been cancelled.  

“Everything Sucks!” is a funny, quirky, coming-of-age show based on high schoolers in 1996.  “Everything Sucks!” follows the A/V Club kids and the Drama Club kids who collide as they are going through high school together. The show follows sophomore Kate Messner, the principal’s daughter, on her journey through figuring out her sexuality.  It also follows the rest of the main cast, Luke O’Neil, Tyler Bowen and a friend who only goes by McQuaid, in their first year of high school. Luke deals with his father leaving and having to help his now single mother, McQuaid deals with his social awkwardness around girls, and Tyler deals with ADHD and  dyslexia, and being bullied for having these disorders.  Let’s look at the next show that also deals with mental illness.

“Spinning Out” is a TV series about a girl, Kat Baker, who suffers from PTSD after a horrible fall at a skating competition. Kat has the opportunity to skate and make it big with her soon-to-be partner, Justin Davis. The thing is,  Kat has never done partner skating before. On top of that, she and her mother both suffer from bipolar disorder. We follow her on her journey with mental illness and becoming a better skater. 

Last, but certainly not least, “I Am Not Okay With This” is another awesome show that certainly did not deserve to be cancelled. “I Am Not Okay With This” follows Sydney Novak, a 17-year-old girl who somehow acquires telekinetic powers. Now, I know what you’re thinking, how could teenagers relate to a girl who can move things with her mind?  Well, let me tell you, the show actually covers a lot more than just Sydney’s new power. Syd grieves through her father’s death and begins her journey discovering her sexuality. The show has some mature topics like drugs and suicide and shows a lot of blood, so if you are triggered by these topics, I suggest not watching. The show starts off explaining Sydney’s current situation. As the narrator, Syd explains how she met her best friend, Dina, who also becomes her love interest. Syd goes through her school year being bullied and outcast, but also makes new friends. Of course, if you do love this show and are upset by the show being cancelled, the series is based on a set of comics by Charles Forsman, so you could always read those instead.

So Netflix, what are you doing? These shows teach valuable lessons. They bring awareness to all different sorts of topics in teenagers’ lives, ones that they may not feel comfortable discussing with a parent, guidance counselor, or even a friend.  If a Netflix show gives a teen something s/he can relate to, it is best to keep the series going so maybe, potentially,  it could help people.  I think Netflix made a big mistake with cancelling these particular shows and should have picked others that were less meaningful. What do you think?