The 50 Best HBO Teen Characters Of All Time, Ranked

From the ones you love to the ones you hate to the ones you love to hate.

Alexa Fishman, BuzzFeed / Alamy Stock Photo / HBO: Marcell Rev, Warrick Page, Helen Sloan, Mario Perez, Karolina Wojtasik

They read Nietzsche poolside, educate their parents on pronouns, wear Raf Simons, amass large followings writing Niall Horan–Harry Styles fanfic, sleep with their French tutors and soccer coaches, achieve overnight fame with tunes like, “I Wanna Marry U at Recess,” form Instagram covens with their besties, binge-watch Love Island in a state of numbness, and text at the dinner table because they "no longer have an attention span for real life." These are the teens of HBO's ever-expanding cinematic universe. 

And with the return of Euphoria Season 2, we thought, Why not also take a look back at how the premium channel has captured the youth of the moment, all the way back to the new golden age of TV? These programs may not have given their protagonists ages 13–19 center stage the way we see today in this wildly popular teen drama (or in Gossip Girl, Generation, We Are Who We Are, and Sex Lives of College Girls, for that matter). But that is not to say that shows like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, and The Wire didn't also produce a number of teen characters who were iconic in their own right. 

So to honor the many teen characters of HBO past and present, we brought together four BuzzFeed writers — who have collectively watched 22 teen-adjacent programs on the network — to battle it out GoT style to decide, once and for all, the best teen character of all time. 

Before we dive in, let us clear up a few things:

1. In order for a character to qualify, they must be a teenager in an HBO or HBO Max original TV show or miniseries. Unfortunately, CW transplants, movies, and documentaries do not qualify. 

2. We are ranking these based on five criteria: nuance, screentime, realism, likability, and, most importantly, how iconic they are. This means that unlikable characters may rank high on the list if they make up for it in other areas. Bad guys don't necessarily finish last here. It's the boring teens we really hate.

3. We did not dock points in the "realism" category for characters being played by actors much older than their fictional age. However, we were a bit alarmed to discover that the actors portraying Lily Goldenblatt and Brady Hobbes (And Just Like That...) are 26 and 27, respectively. 

4. "Flashback teens" were also left off this list. Sorry if you came here looking for Young Cal dancing to "Never Tear Us Apart"! 

5. Rock (And Just Like That...) is 12, despite the implication of this headline. 

6. Lastly, while we labored over this ranking (which included a highly complicated Excel spreadsheet, a Google Meet, several emails, and abundant Slack messages about whether Kat or Cassie should be higher), this is all highly subjective. And not unlike teenage life itself, everything here is very much in flux. We are certain that as more storylines are introduced to the currently airing shows featured here, our minds will be changed. 

50. Brady Hobbes (Niall Cunningham) — And Just Like That...

Craig Blankenhorn / HBO

Because I am bad at math, I wrongfully assumed while watching the first episode of And Just Like That… that Miranda Hobbes’ (Cynthia Nixon) only son, Brady, was in his early 20s. I assumed he had lived it up in college, was used to being wild and free, and now was back home. Then Miranda dropped a big bomb: Brady is 17. So, what’s this 17-year-old's biggest offense, and why does he earn the dead-last spot here, below actual murderers? If I'm being honest, it is the loud sex. Not just any loud sex — but loud sex on the other side of a wall he's sharing with his parents! Brady walks around the house in his underwear with his girlfriend in front of his parents! He leaves used condoms on his bedroom floor! He makes out aggressively in the audience of Lily Goldenblatt’s piano recital and then claims he is being "sex-shamed" when his behavior is called out by Miranda! Take a good, hard look at the facts and you'll realize his character is much more unsettling than most strolling the hallways of "Euphoria High." Brady Hobbes, put some pants on!  —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

49. Brendan Fletcher (Jackson White) — Mrs. Fletcher

HBO

The inciting incident of Mrs. Fletcher is the titular character’s son, Brendan, heading off to college. And while we watch Eve (Kathryn Hahn) discover herself outside of being a wife and a mother, we simultaneously see Brendan’s experience on his own for the first time. What we learn is that Brendan is, to quote the actor himself, a “hardened, wiry, muscled buffoon.” He’s cocky, obnoxious, and gleefully unaware of how his actions affect the people (especially women) around him. Through the show's one and only season, you hope Brendan might be forced to learn humility and grow up, but by the show’s end, there’s no real growth or transformation that redeems him. And while he does feel like a painfully realistic portrayal of far too many young men, the truly heinous nature of his actions makes him impossible to like or root for.  —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

48. Christopher Kitteridge (Devin Druid) — Olive Kitteridge

HBO

What would this list be without at least one sullen teen begging to be excused from the dinner table? Fortunately for all of us, there's Christopher Kitteridge to help fill the quota. The unlucky child of Frances McDormand's Olive takes quite a beating in his two-episode arc of the Lisa Cholodenko miniseries before getting swapped out for an older Christopher played by John Gallagher Jr. We know from Three Billboards and Almost Famous that it's not easy being a fictional child of McDormand's — and Olive Kitteridge certainly takes a page out of her Prickly Mom playbook here. Christopher is crushed by Olive's tough-love approach to parenting. His deep suspicion that he might be perceived as "average" by her develops into trauma that he carries around with him well into adulthood. We're often told perception does not equal reality, but sadly, here it does. Christopher is average. And by that I, of course, mean he is not depressed, which, Olive memorably remarks, "goes with being smart." —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

47. Abigail Carlson (Kathryn Newton) — Big Little Lies

HBO

Be loved, be hated, but please don't be boring. When it comes to this ranking, one of the greatest sins a character can commit is being forgettable, and Abigail is just that. As Madeline's (Reese Witherspoon) daughter, she just doesn't have much to do aside from not wanting to go to college and accidentally telling her father (Adam Scott) that his wife is having an affair. It's not Abigail's fault she's forgettable, though. Who could ever compete with Laura Dern screaming, "I will not not be rich," and Meryl Streep bellowing at a dinner table, and Witherspoon chucking an ice cream cone, and the name "Amabella," and Streep's fake teeth, and fights over whether Avenue Q is appropriate or not, and Nicole Kidman's American accent, and pulling a Leo every time Francie from Alias shows up as the detective? It was a losing battle for Abigail. She was always destined to be here at the bottom of this list. —Matthew Huff 

Watch it on HBO Max. 

46. Pavel Gremov (Barry Keoghan) — Chernobyl

Liam Daniel-HBO / The Hollywood Archive

Unfortunately, I can only access one memory of 2019, the year before the world stopped, and that is Episode 4 of Chernobyl. At the center of this 70-minute episode before the finale (which was almost, somehow, even grimmer) is the sad-eyed civilian draftee Pavel, who is immediately tasked with circling the grounds and “liquidating” all of the radioactive house pets he comes in contact with. Without a single day of prior military experience under his belt, Pavel must quickly learn to adapt to his surroundings and not let his peers, many of whom are Soviet-Afghan war veterans, smell weakness on him. That all goes out the window when he stumbles into a house and discovers dozens of cute little puppies (a scenario that, under slightly different circumstances, would be ripe for a BuzzFeed viral vid). By design, this isn’t a dialogue-heavy performance, but Pavel’s youthful face wordlessly captures every bit of the unfolding horror with poignancy. While there is no explicit mention of this character’s age, based on historical clues, we can conclude he is most likely 18 or 19. —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max.

45. Lily Goldenblatt (Cathy Ang) — And Just Like That...

Craig Blankenhorn / HBO Max

I am not in the business of blaming a man’s death on a teenage girl. However, Charlotte York-Goldenblatt’s (Kristin Davis) daughter Lily (Cathy Ang) did rid Sex and the City of Big, once and for all! Did she do this on purpose? Well, no. It’s a bit of a stretch to pin it on her, but Carrie was at Lily’s piano recital when Big decided to have his fun with Allegra and die on a Peloton (a plot point that has shaken the culture [and stock market] so much, we chose not to issue a spoiler alert). I am firmly Team Carrie Had Enough Time to Call 911. But also, Team Ding-Dong, the Big Is Dead! Canonically, as a child, Lily hides Carrie’s phone on her wedding day to Big, causing Carrie to miss important calls from him explaining that he doesn’t want to go through with the ceremony. Lily is a secret agent of chaos in an Oscar de la Renta gown. A classical-piano virtuoso who, perhaps, holds the key to Carrie’s love life? As long as Lily keeps Carrie away from Big (dead or alive), she is iconic to me. More iconic would be if she could bring back Aidan. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

44. Siobhan Sheehan (Angourie Rice) — Mare of Easttown

Sarah Shatz / HBO

If there’s one thing HBO is going to do, it’s give us a daughter named Siobhan with strawberry-blonde hair. All hail the Shivy Shiv Shivs! In many ways, Mare of Easttown’s Siobhan (Angourie Rice) is the show’s heart. The great hope for escaping the Easttown curse. She’s cool and artsy, and she has a fling with a college radio girl. In the small, conservative-seeming town of Easttown, her queerness is never made an issue. Ultimately, it's to the detriment of this character that we see her avoid conflict, though. While nearly every character in this show functions as a puzzle piece in the central mystery, by its end, we are left wondering exactly how Siobhan's storyline fits into it all. Sure, she sees Erin McMenamin (Cailee Spaeny) being beaten up, but her eyewitness account ultimately isn’t helpful to the investigation. I guess if she's bringing one thing, it's the tunes. Siobhan crushes in her indie-rock band, singing “We Belong.” —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

43. Riley (Chase Sui Wonders) — Generation

Warrick Page / HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR GENERATION

Every generation has its Claire Fisher, and Riley is Gen Z's. This creative Libra living inside her head might not be illegally photographing the deceased for a school project, but she is causing a ruckus around school just the same for her photos sexualizing fruits. If only Instagram had existed when Six Feet Under was on air, Claire might also, like Riley, have been skipping school to sit alone on the beach with her Polaroid camera and upload the gloomy landscapes to her grid with no caption. Between her parents separating, Greta turning down her sexual advances, and Chester getting booed up (or should we say, "Bo-ed" up?), Riley is a ticking bomb waiting to go off for most of the season. It's not entirely clear what compels Riley to volunteer her parents' house for a Valentine's Day party (all of the teens of Generation famously hate heteronormativity), but it's because of her terrible idea that we get the most unhinged episode of the entire series. We're talking multiple breakups, a placenta burying, a childbirth confession, and a sexually charged shower scene between two friends. Thanks! —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

42. Nathan (Uly Schlesinger) — Generation

Warrick Page / Warrick Page / HBO

Who is sadder and hornier than a Phoebe Bridgers song? Nathan! This "yapping Chihuahua" has a pretty rough introduction into the world of Generation, literally limping into frame with semen in his eye after hooking up with his sister's boyfriend. We are predisposed to question his motivations and consider him the loosest cannon of this teen clique, but as the show progresses and his sister seemingly forgets all about this incident, Nathan quickly becomes one of the more empathetic recurring characters. His complicated coming-out story — albeit told in the most melodramatic of ways (he announces he's bisexual during his sister's wedding toast and then launches himself off the yacht) — is a much-needed divergence within a show that seems to largely exist within a liberal echo chamber. The news of his bisexuality is met with pushback from his overbearing, religious mom (played by every fictional gay kid's mom, Martha Plimpton), who believes he's just being "dramatic." By the time Nathan is professing his love for his friend Chester in rambling voicemails and asking him to role-play as his boyfriend to "mess with" his mom, it's apparent that the audience's relationship to this teen has changed. Now it's the audience stepping in to play the role of overbearing parent, pleading with Nathan to take a beat and avoid unnecessary heartbreak. —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

41. Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

Let's make something abundantly clear up top: Jacob Elordi, the real-life actor depicting Nate, is hot. Nate, the fictional character who is an abusive psychopath, is not! I see your tweets, and I do not like them. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I'll say it’s a testament to how good Eldori's performance is that I can almost feel sorry for this horrendous character at times. The show keenly observes how cyclical abuse can be and how often abusers have been abused themselves or witnessed abuse. For Nate, it's also self-hatred, stemming from years of repressed sexual desire, that drives some of his worst impulses. As with many of the other teens in Euphoria, trying and failing miserably to land on their feet, I'd really like him to seek out a therapist. Do I think he’s capable of doing so? Not really. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

40. Evangeline "Evie" Murphy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) — The Leftovers

HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR THE LEFTOVERS

Evie is introduced in the second season of The Leftovers as a pretty normal teen girl just trying to survive the end-times. She has a good relationship with her family, throws a hell of a softball pitch, and doesn't show any major signs of angst concerning her less-than-ideal coming-of-age circumstances. But just like everything else in The Leftovers, things with Evie are not as they seem. After an earthquake, Evie and two of her friends go missing. Her family tries to track her down, but it is eventually revealed that she faked her disappearance to join the Guilty Remnant, a nihilistic, chain-smoking cult. Ultimately, there’s little we actually learn about Evie and her motivations as a character — yet in a short amount of time, she is able to become one of The Leftovers’ more compelling characters. —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

39. Chris McKay (Algee Smith) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

College football isn't the only thing McKay is getting benched from these days. While Lexi's star continues to rise, Chris "McKay," the lone first-year college student in the East Highland High School bubble, has essentially been asked to sit out Season 2 after a tumultuous breakup with his trophy girlfriend Cassie Howard. In “The Next Episode,” we get a glimpse into McKay’s world with the classic voiceover treatment from Rue and begin to finally understand why he's having such a hard time at the local state college. We see his father enforcing a brutal work ethic on the field from an early age for McKay, and McKay’s self-confidence, in turn, becoming entirely wrapped up in winning. While the show initially establishes McKay as “not like other guys” — he’s shy and introspective and doesn’t objectify women! — in no time, the script has been flipped and we begin to see some less-than-desirable traits begin to rear their head both in the bedroom and out in public spaces ("Naw, we just chillin”). McKay is not a particularly magnetic or chatty character, but he gets higher placement here for representing a subversion of the usual heroes-versus-villains characterization of teen dudes that we often see. —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

38. Quinn Mossbacher (Fred Hechinger) — The White Lotus

Mario Perez / HBO

Series creator Mike White is fascinated by the earnest attempts fathers make at connecting with their sons (see also: Brad's Status). In The White Lotus, kudos must be given to the silent assassin Quinn Mossbacher for elevating the father-son tragicomedy at the center of Season 1. When Mark Mossbacher (Steve Zahn) learns of his father's secret life, he sets out on a mission to get closer to his son and ensure history doesn't repeat itself. His clumsy bonding attempts are met with some truly unforgettable, blank expressions from the ambivalent Quinn, who would much rather be holed up in his room (not a room Olivia and Paula are also in, if they have any say in the matter) with his Nintendo Switch and iPhone. Arguments could be made that Quinn is the least developed of any of the ensemble members, but to give White the benefit of the doubt here, maybe that's the point. This is a character, after all, who believes he exists on the outskirts of a privileged world, and his storyline — often told in isolation — reflects that. Tragically, Quinn is also one of the few characters with enough delusion to believe he can escape his life of cozy privilege altogether and begin writing a new chapter for himself. —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

37. Alex (Philippine Velge) — Station Eleven

Ian Watson / HBO Max

While Alex’s age is never specified, I do think we can assume she is 19. (I will show my math: If Kirsten and Jeevan are in the woods for a year, and she is born after that, then 20 years post-pan would make her 19.) I get Alex. I truly do. If I were in a Shakespeare troupe and never got to play lead, I, too, would want to run away. As the main post-pan protagonist of the series, we get to see life through her eyes: How can a whole book be inside a phone? And why are there so many pictures in it? It’s fascinating to see what she’s curious about in the Before when all she knows is in the After. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

36. Elliot (Dominic Fike) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

How are we supposed to feel about Elliot? On the one hand, he is introduced in Season 2 as the wedge that will ultimately drive "Rules" apart. On the other, he is Dominic Fike, an effortlessly cool musician and mega-flirt who seems like a genuinely good hang. For the purposes of this ranking, we've chosen to err on the side of caution and place this wild card — who is already introducing new challenges in Rue's bumpy road to sobriety — at a lower spot on this list. Elliot's character could go in any number of directions over the course of the season, but if there's one thing we're certain of, it's that he couldn't possibly be worse than Nate. —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

35. Caitlin "Harper" Poythress (Jordan Kristine Seamón) — We Are Who We Are

Yannis Drakoulidis / HBO

In some ways, Caitlin is the purest soul on the list — an Army brat in Italy trying to figure out who they are. And while figuring out who you are is a throughline for this list and, well, being a teen in general, Caitlin’s story is one of the more compelling. Caitlin is torn between the love they have for their MAGA-hat-wearing father and their quiet search for themselves and their gender identity, culminating in a powerful scene of them shaving off their hair. Caitlin is Seamón's first on-camera acting role, and they bring a sense of wonder that Caitlin needs. Their newness to the industry is also felt through the delicate and naturalistic choices they make. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

34. Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet) — Sex Lives of College Girls

HBO Max

I’m rooting for Kimberly (who is played by Timothée's real-life sister). I really am. But girl, you’re not making it easy for me! In some ways, Kimberly is the most realistic of the Sex Lives girls: She breaks up with her lame high school boyfriend to experience what else life (or college) has to offer. She’s the only one of them on scholarship or work-study, and her assimilation into a fancy liberal arts school isn’t always smooth, to say the least. But Kimberly, please step away from Nico (Gavin Leatherwood), Leighton’s absurdly hot older brother, and study. I’m begging you. The big cliffhanger of Season 1 ends with Kimberly, and without spoiling it, I am anxiously waiting to see how she manages to make it all work. As I stated, I am rooting for her! —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

33. Diana Freeman (Jada Harris) — Lovecraft Country

Eli Joshua Ade / HBO

If only Lovecraft Country hadn’t been canceled after just one season, we might be seeing Diana much higher up this list. Her arc in Season 1 was a slow burn. While “Letitia Motherfucking Lewis” (Jurnee Smollett) and Tic (Jonathan Majors) were off on supernatural adventures, Diana spent most of her time on the home front mourning the loss of her father and worried about the fate of her mother. It’s not until Episode 8 (out of 10) that Diana steps into the spotlight, battling against a pair of demons. While it’s she (and her bionic arm) who ultimately subdues Christina, it’s a bit too little too late to move her any higher up the list. —Matthew Huff

Watch it on HBO Max. 

32. Aki Menzies (Evan Mock) — Gossip Girl

Karolina Wojtasik / HBO Max

What do we do with Aki? He is the sweetest, kindest boy, a truly innocent soul who has somehow found himself in a threesome with his girlfriend and childhood best friend. He’s the most soft-spoken of the group. He’s stylish but not showy; he’s effortlessly cool, with a skateboard permanently attached to his hand. Aki sees things from all sides, often as the voice of reason. He’s good, but I want a little more out of him. Who is the real Aki? And what does he want beyond Max and Audrey? Let us in! —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

31. Amma Crellin (Eliza Scanlen) — Sharp Objects

HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR SHARP OBJECTS 

If we were ranking these teens by how horrifying they are, Amma would be roller-skating her way straight to the top of this list. After all, she turns out to be the murderer in this Gillian Flynn thriller. She's murdering her classmates, yanking their teeth out with pliers, and using the molars to furnish her doll house (so chic). Unfortunately, despite her one-of-a-kind psychopathy, she's a bit overshadowed in the story by her spiraling older sister, Camile (Amy Adams), and their Munchausen momma, Adora (Patricia Clarkson). The series also reveals her as the killer at the eleventh hour, which doesn't give Amma the time to spread her ghastly wings for the audience, and that's the main reason she isn't ranked higher. —Matthew Huff 

Watch it on HBO Max. 

30. Chester (Justice Smith) — Generation

Warrick Page / HBO

At times, this impressively self-actualized teen can feel less like someone who exists in real life and more like someone who exists in the collective imaginations of gay millennial writers: He’s an out and proud 17-year-old who, despite never once being seen with a book cracked open over the course of the season, is earning an impressive 4.1 GPA. He's apparently a star water polo player, but when we see him in a pool, it's usually because he's drunk at a friend's party. He's voguing through the hallways in a crop top with “pussy power” painted on his nails. He’s being worshipped by the popular straight dudes around school for the confidence he exudes. In one rather on-the-nose moment, his guidance counselor turned GSA adviser tells him, “You’re who I wish I was in high school.” Can all of these things exist and still amount to something resembling a believable character? To my absolute shock, yes, thanks to a nuanced performance from Justice Smith, who manages to locate the humanity hidden underneath all the artifice. —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

29. Gideon Gemstone (Skyler Gisondo) — The Righteous Gemstones

Ryan Green / HBO

In a show all about the inner workings of a family of televangelists, Gideon feels like a modern twist on the Prodigal Son. After years of being away from his family to supposedly pursue a career as a stuntperson in Hollywood, Gideon returns home claiming to want to make amends. But in reality, Gideon is the mastermind behind a plan to steal money from the family’s megachurch. All of this might make him sound like a villain, but as you learn more about why Gideon left the Gemstone family in the first place, you start to sympathize with him and see that he's just a kid who is trying to find his place in the world. —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

28. Fraser Wilson (Jack Dylan Grazer) — We Are Who We Are

Yannis Drakoulidis / HBO

A recipe for success: Take a Gen Z star and then put them in Italy! In the first minute of We Are Who We Are, I was struck by how much Fraser reminded me of Timothée Chalamet. The hunched shoulders, the thin, crossed arms, the aimless look of worry in his eyes. And then I remembered that We Are You We Are was written and directed by Luca Guadagnino, who also wrote and directed Call Me by Your Name. While the stories themselves are different (Fraser, by contrast, is the son of gay parents, is violent and short-fused, and is a Raf Simons evangelizer), they both revolve around a coming-of-age queer American in Italy, discovering who they are and questioning themselves, their sexuality, and their role in the world. While I don’t think Fraser (or Jack Dylan Grazer) completely gets out of Chalamet’s shadow, I am very intrigued to see what Grazer does next! —Dana Elle Salzberg 

Watch it on HBO Max. 

27. Jill Garvey (Margaret Qualley) — The Leftovers

HBO

Through most of the first season of The Leftovers, Jill acts mostly as a delinquent thorn in her dad’s side. She steals baby Jesus statues, gets trapped in fridges, and talks back to her dad every chance she gets. You know, typical teen shenanigans. But Jill turns out to be so much more than the archetype we are first introduced to. After all, at its core, The Leftovers is an exploration of trauma and the different ways people try to cope with life-altering events, and we see that is the case with Jill as much as anyone else. Before 2% of the world’s population mysteriously vanished, Jill is shown to be a much happier and optimistic person. But in the present, it’s clear that she’s become hardened and jaded, likely due to her mom leaving to join a community of chain-smoking mutes. And given everything that she’s seen and experienced, who can really blame her? —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

26. Zoya Lot (Whitney Peak) and Julian Calloway (Jordan Alexander) — Gossip Girl

Karolina Wojtasik / HBO Max

I can hear the protests from here: “Julian and Zoya are different characters with unique personalities,” some may say, but they have the same mom, the same tattoo, and the same love interest, so…I’m clumping them together. One’s rich, one’s poor (although “poor” like the Humphreys in the original, meaning they live in a rent-controlled apartment on the West Side, not Fifth Avenue). One’s a social media maven, and one’s a normie. Zoya once smartly says to Obie — the "Prince of New York" who has somehow dated both sisters — "We are a Greek tragedy waiting to happen." And oh boy, is she right about that! Extra points for them both having great style! Great gowns, beautiful gowns! —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

25. Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

Iconic moments go a long way in this ranking, and I hope we can all agree that Lexi showing up to a sexy Halloween party in a Bob Ross costume is enough to buoy an otherwise lacking story arc. Up to this point, all we know about Lexi — the audience's Jim Halpert, if you will — is that she's an "observer" who exists in the shadow of her older sister, Cassie; she's been a reliable shoulder to Rue since childhood (even when it was unreciprocated); and she's now finally beginning to come out of her shell, thanks to an unlikely connection with the town's teddy bear drug dealer, Fezco, and a budding love for the performing arts. There is tons of room in Season 2 for the likable, wide-eyed Lexi to show us more shades to her personality, and if the most recent episodes are any indication, we may be getting exactly that. Lexi, if you're looking for a name for your meta stage production, might I suggest "Synecdoche; Rue York"? —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

24. Fezco (Angus Cloud) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

It’s worth noting up top that there is some controversy about whether or not Fez is actually a teenager, and after digging around several Reddit threads and reading every Angus Cloud interview I could find, there’s still not a definitive answer. It seems like the show is doing a bit of retconning to make him a teen, and so we’re going to count it because this drug dealer with a heart of gold has more than earned his spot in the rankings. Fez has become a fan favorite by being a sweet and caring friend and displaying a level of sensitivity and introspection that every other character in this show desperately needs. As a man of action, he doesn’t say much, but when he does, it’s guaranteed to be something either profound or hilarious. Plus, he’s smart enough to recognize that Lexi kicks ass and was the one who finally gave Nate a much-deserved beatdown. —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

23. Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) — Game of Thrones

Helen Sloan / HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR GAME OF THRONES

There is an argument for placing Bran all the way at the number one spot. After all, he did become an all-seeing, time-traveling warg in the world's most successful fantasy Emmy-guzzling show and won the titular Game of Thrones (although technically, the throne was melted by then). BUT despite an epic start (getting pushed out that window in the pilot, inhabiting a wolf's body, giving us the "Hold the Door" moment), Bran was mostly just boring. He spent plenty of time being dragged around on a sled and is completely absent from Season 5. The Starks (minus Rickon, who couldn't figure out how to duck and weave) are pretty badass, but Bran is just a little too monotone by the end.  —Matthew Huff 

Watch it on HBO Max. 

22. Ryan Ross (Cameron Mann) — Mare of Easttown

Sarah Shatz / HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR MARE OF EASTTOWN

Never count out an angelic-looking teen hiding in the corner listening to his family’s secrets. Ryan may have the innocent look of a cherub, but he’s a pretty big key to the central mystery of Easttown. Did I see the big reveal coming that Ryan was the one who shot Erin? Absolutely not. Up until that point, we are led to believe that Ryan's entire purpose is to stir up the marriage plot of it all (that his dad is having an affair, etc.). This WTF moment confirms that Ryan isn't just a sideline character, or accessory to his family members with larger roles, but offers a whole interesting story in his own right. A few stray questions I am left with: How far did all the kids in the town ride their bikes? The park seems pretty far away from the woods. Are they all just pro cyclists? —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

21. Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott) — Sex Lives of College Girls

David Giesbrecht / HBO Max

After we meet Whitney, it doesn’t take long to learn she’s having an affair with her college soccer team’s assistant coach. Logistical questions about how it started before her first year of school aside, there is something so naive and innocent about Whitney believing that he will leave his wife for her. To quote the greatest movie of all time, When Harry Met Sally, “Nobody thinks he’s ever going to leave her.” Adding a wrinkle to Whitney’s life is the fact that her mother is a senator (played wonderfully by Sherri Shepherd). When rumors of an affair get out, her mother quickly protects the girl before realizing it’s her own daughter. And then there’s Canaan (Christopher Meyer), an age-appropriate cutie. Cannon is clearly a better match for Whitney than the coach! But I want to know who Whitney is apart from her mother’s daughter and the men in her life. In Season 1, we saw massive character development for her roommates, specifically Bela and Leighton. I hope in Season 2, it’s Whitney’s turn. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

20. Audrey Hope (Emily Alyn Lind) — Gossip Girl

Karolina Wojtasik / HBO Max

Take Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf, shake them up, and out will pop Audrey. The little girl from Revenge is all grown up, having sex with two of the most eligible bachelors on the Upper East Side. Audrey is an Upper East Sider through and through: She wears headbands, has French manicures, and drinks cocktails (because high schoolers in Gossip Girl live in a world where carding isn’t a thing). She’s a blonde beauty who's running her town, the embodiment of “if looks could kill.” As if she's a mini Miranda Priestly, one wrong glance and you’re done for. Points also awarded for her mother being played by the Tony Award–winning Laura Benanti. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

19. A.J. Soprano (Robert Iler) — The Sopranos

Photo 12 / Alamy Stock Photo

A.J. might be the most hated character in The Sopranos, and it’s not hard to see why. He is whiny and self-involved and has no sense of direction in life. Hell, even A.J.’s own father admits to his therapist that he hates him. But part of why A.J. is such a great character is that he is a frustratingly accurate depiction of the teenage experience. Whether we want to admit it or not, a lot of us were exactly like A.J. through our teen years: insecure, immature, and just plain annoying. And while Tony may claim he hates his son, the real reason he feels so much anger toward A.J. is that he knows he represents his own failures as a father. After all, if you had a dad like Tony growing up, you might have shaved your eyebrows off too. —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

18. Chase "ChaseDreams" Dubek (Case Walker) — The Other Two

Jon Pack / HBO

In all of the extended HBO universe, there is not a human as pure and wholesome as ChaseDreams, the overnight, Justin Bieber–esque pop sensation. You'd expect the teenybopper idol to be an egotistical nightmare, but the fame never gets to Chase's head. Even as he performs ridiculous songs and gets dragged into bizarre publicity stunts, he remains earnest and true to himself. He's an LGBTQ ally. He loves his family. And he's even kind to his Streeter. Who said nice guys finish last? Not us.  —Matthew Huff 

Watch it on HBO Max. 

17. Kat Hernandez (Barbie Ferreira) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

To give you a peek behind the curtain, there was no clear consensus around whether Kat should be ranked above or below Cassie. However, if an argument were to be made for her being higher, it would be this: No character on Euphoria demonstrates more growth in a single season than this overlooked sidekick turned cam-girl dominatrix turned fanfic god turned…monogamist. When we talk about full character arcs, this is it! The iconic teen plucked from the spiritual universe of Ghost World offers a David-to-Goliath story that feels incredibly generational: She’s a child of the internet who takes her power back after a sex tape leak by monetizing the hell out of it. Somewhere along the line, she also becomes one of the absolute greats of Tumblr fanfic and amasses a loyal fanbase with her horny Niall Horan–Harry Styles lit. Thankfully, her story avoids saccharine territory by showing us the insecurities that have been hiding in plain sight. (Love yourself! Love yourself!) Neither here nor there: We do have some logistical questions about consuming 72 virgin piña coladas in eight days. —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

16. Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR EUPHORIA SEASON 2

The Euphoria writers are making no secret of the fact that they are Team Cassie in Season 2. In the opening fever-dream sequence from "Out of Touch," Rue tells the audience that Cassie is "intuitive and emotional, sensitive and vulnerable, a strong, powerful woman." And she's not wrong! It's just not the full picture we know to be true of the breathy, blonde-haired cheerleader of East Highland up to this point: This is also the same person who tells her mom, "I'm literally going to poison you in your sleep." She contains multitudes! In contrast to Kat, however, the carousel-humping teen is making much less headway on her journey toward health and happiness. She's stuck in a pattern of saying yes to bad men, jumping from one relationship to another out of fear of being alone, and drinking until she makes mistakes (that will require more drinking in order to forget). We are genuinely hoping Cassie pulls through and finds what she's looking for, as long as that thing is not Nate! —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

15. Bela (Amrit Kaur) — Sex Lives of College Girls

HBO Max

It’s hard to be a female writer and not want to wrap my arms around Bela and take her far, far away from the comedy magazine on campus, where predatory men roam free and abuse their positions of power. But therein lies the problem for Bela, whose story closely resembles creator Mindy Kaling's own experiences navigating predominantly white male spaces as an Indian woman. Bela must decide if the onus is on her to leave The Catullan (a thinly veiled Hasty Pudding) rather than the perpetrators of abuse. There, she also realizes that her sexual liberation can have unforeseen consequences. Is it her responsibility to ask every guy she gives a hand job to if he has a girlfriend? No. But will she move forward? Perhaps. Bela's unapologetic horniness and her cartoon heart eyes for abs are a true treat to witness. She is who she is — "Bela, like in Twilight, but Indian" — and it’s incredible. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

14. Max Wolfe (Thomas Doherty) — Gossip Girl

Karolina Wojtasik / HBO Max

Ah, yes, the purest embodiment of Chaotic Good. Put him in any scene, and Max (Thomas Doherty) will steal it and shake it up. Is he after your girl? Your boy? Your teacher? Yes, all of the above. He’s a hedonistic pansexual nightmare or dream, depending on how you feel about him. I believe he is an icon. And yet, for all his playboy ways, he has an almost innocent deep love for his friends and family. A secret softie with a rugged exterior, a man who will make a generation of people think, I can fix him. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

13. Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

“Bitch, you’re my soulmate!” I genuinely believe that Alexa Demie was put on this Earth to play Maddy. Nobody else could capture Maddy’s essence the way Demie does. The word "icon" gets thrown around, I think, too liberally. But Maddy and her rhinestone-studded eyeliner are, in a word, iconic. Demie somehow plays Maddy so convincingly that in one frame, she can go from looking like the most confident girl in the world to the least. On the outside, she’s tough, she says what she wants, and she does what she wants. Yet on the inside, she’s suffering through an on-again, off-again abusive relationship. The dichotomy of Maddy is what makes her so interesting. Fantastic 'fits aside, she’s the baddest b around, but that doesn’t stop the pull of an abusive partner. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

12. Wallace (Michael B. Jordan) — The Wire

HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR THE WIRE

The Wire was a show that specialized in reflecting the cruel and indifferent nature of existence, and that message was delivered loud and clear in the very first season through Wallace. Wallace is determined to prove himself as a badass drug dealer, but as things escalate, the 15-year-old begins to realize that he is in over his head. As much as he wants to deny it, he's still a kid who hasn't been robbed of his compassion and innocence quite yet. Unfortunately, by the time he learns all of this, it's already too late and his fate has been sealed — Wallace ends up getting shot by two of his friends as he tearfully begs for his life. Wallace's time on The Wire was short but unforgettable, as he only needed a season to break all of our hearts. —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

11. Paula (Brittany O'Grady) — The White Lotus

Mario Perez / HBO

At first, Paula appears to function as little more than the Gretchen Wieners to Olivia’s Regina George. And while the quippy duo churn out meme fodder, there’s not much depth to either of them through the first couple of episodes. But over time, you start to realize there’s more to Paula than meets the eye. She feels trapped in her friendship with Olivia due to her bestie’s controlling and manipulative nature and seems to resent the Mossbacher family in general for their blissfully ignorant life of privilege. Is Paula a hero? Absolutely not, as evidenced by her extremely misguided attempt at heroics that backfires spectacularly. But she is at least one of the few characters in The White Lotus who show anything resembling self-awareness, which is about as heroic as the show lets anyone get. —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

10. Meadow Soprano (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) — The Sopranos

PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy Stock Photo

Early on, Meadow is actively rebelling against her parents and the life they represent, even going so far as asking Tony if he’s in the mob during a college visit. She is the closest thing to a light in her father's life, with her voice literally calling him back from the brink of death. But as she gets older, Meadow’s relationship with her family becomes more muddled, and she even starts to embrace certain aspects of their lifestyle. Her downfall is subtle yet unmistakable. And by the time she is exiting her teens and heading into her 20s, her bright-eyed ambition is starting to fade, and the viewer knows that she is destined to become yet another fly caught in Tony’s destructive and morally decrepit web. —Blake Harper

Watch it on HBO Max. 

9. Leighton (Renee Rapp) — Sex Lives of College Girls

HBO Max

Upon introduction, Leighton seems like your archetypal rich girl from the Upper East Side, complete with shiny blonde hair, Louis Vuitton bag, and champagne problems. I, too, judged her right off the bat as an older, wiser Regina George, whom Renee Rapp is known for playing in Mean Girls on Broadway. But when Leighton gets in trouble for drunk insubordination and is required to do 100 hours of community service at the campus women's center, we start to see there's a lot more to this character than she's letting on. Spending time there with queer women makes her own coming-out story that much richer. She’s not afraid that people won’t accept her. She’s just not yet ready for her life to change. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

8. Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) — Game of Thrones

HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR GAME OF THRONES

GAH, how can someone so bad be so good? There is no better definition of a "love to hate" character than the boy king of King's Landing. Yes, he's as evil as evil can be (making Sansa look at her dead father's severed head, shooting Ros with a crossbow, getting the butcher's boy murdered), but he's oh so watchable. Game of Thrones boasts a host of terrible villains, but none quite as iconic as "twincest" baby. Watching him win is excruciating, but there was no greater joy than watching him get slapped around by Tyrion, cower in the corner during a riot, and finally get his just deserts at the Purple Wedding ("Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me"). Not to mention watching Margaery (Natalie Dormer), the series' best character, if you ask me, manipulate him left and right. You wouldn't want him as your king, but I sure miss him on my TV. —Matthew Huff 

Watch it on HBO Max. 

7. Olivia Mossbacher (Sydney Sweeney) — The White Lotus

Mario Perez / HBO

If you disagree with putting The White Lotus's iconic poolside scholar so high, "well, it comes across as homophobic." This photo alone is a strong-enough piece of pop culture to land Olivia on this list's top 10. But aside from the scathing takedowns of her family, and her being a power-bottom truther, Olivia is also one of the most nuanced teens in the HBO catalog. She's a woke liberal in a way only an über-wealthy, white teen can be; she's a good friend until her own comfy morals are put into question; and yet she is somehow a sympathetic human in spite of her cruelty. Perhaps her greatest trait of all, though, is her cool girl indifference. She could send everyone else on this list into an existential spiral with a single glance, and she knows it. —Matthew Huff 

Watch it on HBO Max. 

6. Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer) — Euphoria

Eddy Chen / HBO

If Euphoria is a competition to see who can wear glitter eye makeup the best, then dear, sweet Jules is winning top prize. The new girl in town with fashion designer aspirations turns look after look as she establishes herself at East Highland High School. Aside from being the show's resident fashionista, Jules is also the best friend/love interest/guardian of Rue, creating an immensely complicated relationship that pushes the plot forward over and over in its fentanyl- and rhinestone-addled haze. Notably, Jules, like Hunter Shafer, who plays her, is also trans, providing the show with some much-needed representation (not of the Scarlett Johannsson variety). And unlike the narratives of many trans characters who have come before her, Jules (whom Hunter helped to create) isn't wholly defined by her gender identity or an underlying tragedy. Rather, Jules is one of the most fully realized characters on Euphoria, moving past high school stereotypes to become a three-dimensional powerhouse. She's spunky. She's kind. She can rock the Claire Danes angel look even better than Claire can. Watching Euphoria, you immediately see why Rue falls in love with Jules because you're falling for her too. Jules, if you're reading this, I would have gotten on the train with you! —Matthew Huff

Watch it on HBO Max. 

5. Lila Cerullo and Elena Greco (Gaia Girace and Margherita Mazzucco) — My Brilliant Friend

Eduardo Castaldo / HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR MY BRILLIANT FRIEND 

To pit Lila and Elena against each other and rank one higher than the other would be to miss the point of this series, adapted from the beloved Neapolitan novels of Elena Ferrante. After all, the big "reveal" we eventually get at the end of the quadrilogy is that its namesake "brilliant friend" was our narrator Elena all along, not Lila, the object of her fascination and occasional jealousy. My Brilliant Friend asks us to constantly toggle between the two clashing perspectives of these frenemies as they set out on their very different paths, navigating matters of family, love, education, and political unrest in a 1950s working-class Naples. The result is that we develop empathy for both the fearless, justice-oriented Lila and the more reserved, booksmart Elena in equal measure. This sweeping epic now entering its third season never quite took off in the US the way it did in Italy ("Well, ya, but people with taste are watching!!" an unnamed friend texted me), but we figure that's no reason to punish these two characters, who effectively bring to life one of the most masterfully crafted coming-of-age stories of all time. —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

4. Claire Fisher (Lauren Ambrose) — Six Feet Under

Moviestore Collection Ltd. / Alamy Stock Photo

SPOILER ALERT FOR SIX FEET UNDER

Who would have thought this reckless teen would be the last standing Fisher at 102 years old? When we first meet our black sheep Claire, she’s high out of her mind on crystal meth while learning that her father has been killed in a bus collision. She is burning down a house across the street and planting a cadaver’s foot in a guy’s locker at school as revenge for spreading rumors she's a "toe slut" (all in the span of one day, mind you). She’s screeching and tossing cantaloupes at the grocery store. Some might call this OTT, but I call it laying the groundwork for one of the most impressive coming-of-age stories that’s ever been told on HBO. With a bit of time, art school, and the album Transatlanticism, this hot-tempered alt-girl begins to slowly open up to the world around her and find the meaning she’s been so desperately searching for. And maybe most importantly, she finally learns how not to bark at her well-meaning mom, who wants nothing more than to have one of those (to quote Claire) “touch-feely mother-daughter relationships like you see in the movies.” —Colin Gorenstein

Watch it on HBO Max. 

3. Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) — Game of Thrones

Helen Sloan / HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR GAME OF THRONES

Listen — never, ever, ever underestimate a bratty, clever teenage girl! I knew Sansa (Sophie Turner) was going places from day one! Shoutout to every man in every bar who for so many years mansplained GoT and specifically Sansa to me. I loved that Sansa got under people’s skin and taught them how absolutely terrifying a smart teenage girl could be. Sansa might not have a sword, but she used what skills she did have, even changing her hair to mimic whomever she needed to impress at the moment, and I love her for that. Anyone who can turn hair braiding into an act of war deserves to rule. All hail the rightful Queen of the North! —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

2. Rue Bennett (Zendaya) — Euphoria

Marcell Rev / HBO

We see the world of Euphoria through Rue’s eyes. She is our narrator, reliable or not. She’s our entry point through which we are able to understand the characters in her orbit. On paper, what Rue wants is simple. She wants to do drugs and be in a relationship with Jules (Hunter Schafer). But of course, as with any story of star-crossed lovers, those two things cannot exist at the same time; one will have to go. Rue is a teenager with the savvy business mind of a Wharton grad. If she needs drugs, she’ll figure out how to get them. We do get to see Rue be an awkward teenager in what seems like her first “healthy” relationship. She’s inexperienced and relatably desperate not to mess it up. And yet, even though she’s hurting her sister and lying to everyone around her, I still root for her because I believe many of us can feel empathy for wanting something even if we know it isn’t good for us. Rue makes it easy for us to see fragments of ourselves in her — anxiety, depression, wanting your mind to slow down for a second. I know I’m not the only one who occasionally goes from TV to podcast and back to TV so I don’t need to be alone with my thoughts. And who among us hasn’t binged a reality show? I want Rue to get clean and stay sober. But what any addict will tell you is that it won’t work unless she wants it. I hope we get to see her want it. —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

1. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) — Game of Thrones

Helen Sloan / Courtesy HBO

SPOILER ALERT FOR GAME OF THRONES

"The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives." There was only ever one answer for No. 1! The girl with no name, but a very long list, one Arya Stark. We see Arya grow from a girl receiving her first proper sword — shoutout to Needle — to one of the most feared fighters in all of Westeros. She trains with the Faceless Men, holds her own with the Hound, and ultimately is the key to it all. Yet she never loses sight of her master plan — to avenge her family, the Starks, because, simply put, she loves them. In a world full of killings, burnings, and dragons, she keeps her humanity and moral code intact even if it is more bloodthirsty than most. So while changing your face is objectively cool, every second of her training is a strategic piece of her plan. Who else could take down the Night King in the Battle of Winterfell and effectively save the world? And then, when her family is safe, her list conquered, and her sister and brother are on their respective Thrones, she dares to question what's west of Westeros. "It's where all the maps stop. That's where I'm going." —Dana Elle Salzberg

Watch it on HBO Max. 

All these shows and more could be yours to watch for $9.99 (with ads) or $14.99 (ad-free). Not so sure about a big commitment to a new streaming service? You can try out HBO Max free for one week (for new subscribers only).

We hope you love the shows and movies we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of revenue or other compensation from the links on this page. Oh, and FYI: Platform, prices, and other availability details are accurate as of time of posting.