For decades, young adult television focused on coming-of-age stories — characters figuring out who they are through romance, friendships, and personal growth.
We had the hopeful struggles of Felicity Porter (Felicity) and the aspirational drama of Gossip Girl, where ambition was wrapped in designer clothes and witty banter. But things have changed.
Today’s young adults on TV aren’t just dreaming — they’re fighting, hustling, and sometimes clawing their way to the top. Shows like Industry, Euphoria, and The Bold Type don’t just show ambition — they make it a survival game.
A New Kind of Young Adult Protagonist
Let’s be real — today’s young adult characters aren’t just looking for meaning; they’re looking for power.
Industry, HBO’s financial drama, throws us into the world of high finance, where fresh-out-of-college grads are expected to sink or swim. Harper Stern (Myha’la Herrold) isn’t just a go-getter — she’s a strategist, making bold moves that blur ethical lines to stay ahead.
On the flip side, Euphoria shows us a different kind of ruthlessness that comes from desperation, trauma, and sheer survival. Rue Bennett (Zendaya) isn’t climbing the corporate ladder, but her struggle to control her life is just as intense.
And then there’s Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie), who has mastered the art of social power and knows exactly how to manipulate situations to her advantage.
Even The Bold Type, which began as a feel-good story about three best friends working at a fashion magazine, evolved into something deeper.
Jane (Katie Stevens), Kat (Aisha Dee), and Sutton (Meghann Fahy) quickly learn that ambition isn’t just about talent — it’s about sacrifice, compromise, and playing the game.
Why This Shift?
So why are young adult characters on TV getting more ruthless? Well, let’s look at the real world.
Millennials grew up with a level of optimism, but Gen Z has come of age in a time of economic instability, social upheaval, and an unpredictable job market.
The dreamer archetype doesn’t cut it anymore. These characters reflect a generation that has to hustle, adapt, and sometimes play dirty to make it.
And let’s be honest, audiences crave characters who break the mold.
The Gossip Girl era gave us privileged schemers like Blair Waldorf, but today’s characters take it a step further — they’re raw, unapologetic, and often crossing moral lines in ways that make us uncomfortable.
The Ethics of Ambition
That’s what makes these characters so fascinating. They’re not just ambitious — they make us question what ambition looks like in a world where success often comes at a cost.
Harper on Industry bends the rules of finance to get ahead. Rue in Euphoria walks the thin line between control and self-destruction. Even The Bold Type tackles the moral dilemmas of working in media — how far do you go to make a name for yourself?
These shows aren’t just telling stories — they’re asking significant questions. Are these characters reflections of a broken system, forced to play the game just to survive? And more importantly, would we do the same in their shoes?
Who Did It First?
This shift didn’t come out of nowhere. If we look back, we can see the roots in earlier shows.
Mad Men‘s Sally Draper, Skins, and even The O.C. hinted at young characters grappling with adult power structures.
The difference now? These kinds of characters aren’t the exception — they’re the new normal.
Are They Aspirational or Cautionary?
The best young adult shows make us think, and these ruthless protagonists leave us questioning whether they’re role models or warnings.
Are they teaching us how to survive in a world that rewards ambition, no matter the cost? Or are they cautionary tales showing us the darker side of power?
Either way, one thing’s certain — today’s young adults on TV aren’t just coming of age. They’re coming for the throne.
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