India, March 23 -- Television has always been a reflection of the times. Audiences got to know and live with the characters they saw every week and this allowed them to see themselves in those characters. Teen TV, a genre geared to teenagers, is no exception. The depiction of teens on TV has ranged from wholesome (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) to edgy and realistic (Euphoria).

In the last week, everyone has been talking about the new show Adolescence. Much has been made of its immersive one-shot technique and its unflinching look at teen issues. But where does Adolescence fit in the larger pantheon of teen TV? Let's break it down.

In the 80s, shows like Saved by the Bell (1989) were mostly carefree portrayals of teenage life. Plot points...