There are countless shows set in high school but actually, very few try to portray the college experience in its entirety. While plenty of the shows that do exist attempt to look at these defining years from a comedic perspective, there are also some shows that try to authentically and dramatically portray both the emotional ups and downs of the educational institution.
Most of these shows are realistic in some sense and although a few push the boundaries of reality in order to serve a more thrilling or hilarious narrative, each show whether fantastical or not attempts to give a unique viewpoint on the life-changing experience.
Honorable Mention: Big Bad World (2013) - Rent On Apple TV
Although The Inbetweeners is considered one of the best British sitcoms, alumnus Blake Harrison returns to the small screen in Big Bad World, a short-lived show that actually demonstrated what life was like once college (university in the UK) has finished.
Trying to move back home and learning that his room has been taken over by his parents is just the start for this graduate. Faced with finding a job and progressing in life the big bad world definitely hits the former student and lead Ben Turnbull hard! It's a hilarious portrayal of what it's really like to leave those uni years behind.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) - Stream On Amazon Prime
The iconic Buffy The Vampire Slayer is a much-loved cult classic that continues to be one of the most fondly remembered shows of its era. The series managed to juggle both life at college and an alternative Vampire-hunting reality in great detail. It may feel dated and cheesy now but it's part of its charm.
With Buffy surrounded by her best friends, the show made an interesting transition throughout season 4, moving the characters from high school where the series had largely been set to the aforementioned college. It was a big risk for a show to change what it has already established but it seemingly paid off.
Glee (2009-2015) - Stream On Netflix
When looking at shows that managed to make that transition, featuring the main characters, Glee took the original class of William McKinley High School and moved them forward in their lives. It was an interesting moment to see these well-established faces take on new challenges.
Despite all the singing and dancing, there was something quite authentic about the experiences of these youths who were taken aback by the difficulties they faced trying to move on from their high school days. Glee never lost its spirit when it came to complex choreography even with the change of scenery though.
Fresh Meat (2011-2016) - Stream On Amazon Prime
Comedian Jack Whitehall attempted to portray the British experience of university in Fresh Meat, the sitcom that didn't hold back in its hilarious and slightly absurd take on what it's really like to be thrown into a group of strangers and live away from home for the first time.
It's one of the best comedies of the 2010s largely because of the intricacies of the situations these larger-than-life personalities find themselves in. The strangeness of some of their encounters is contrasted with the genuine issues students face such as increasing debt and work pressures.
Grown-ish (2018-) - Stream On Hulu
The Black-ish spin-off that sees the intelligent main character Zoey leave for college for the first time as Grown-ish is set at the California University of Liberal Arts. The show demonstrates the adjustment that a student really has to go through making this big change, with Zoey's hopes of what it would be like being dashed early on.
Class, race, alcohol, drugs, and sexuality are all major topics that Grown-ish tackles head-on as the show tries to authentically tell this story from a student's perspective without playing into the tropes commonly associated with the genre. Ultimately, it asks the question, do high schoolers really know as much as they thought they did?
Greek (2007-2011) - Stream On Hulu
Going from geek to Greek was always going to be hard but with Rusty Cartwright, the freshman throws himself head first into the party lifestyle in an attempt to be cool and popular. It's an interesting take on the idea of reinvention when a student moves away from high school.
Greek uncovers a hidden almost political layer of the fraternities and sororities at college, playing on the rivalry as well as what that wild side of the educational institution can really be like. It may play up to some of the tropes of the genre and feels very dated now but for its time it's quite a hilarious portrayal.
The Magicians (2015-2020) - Stream On Netflix
Far from a normal college, The Magicians instead takes audiences to a magical academy which has a lot more on the syllabus than traditional studies. The revelation that magic is real acts as the driving force of this fantastical original series.
The rule book is very much thrown out of the window for the show though which takes a very different approach to its portrayal of university. Replacing the normal issues of debt and relationships, wizardry is the main agenda as the leads try to fathom the world they have stepped into. There's a darkness to the show that feels novel for the genre.
How To Get Away With Murder (2014-2020) - Stream On Netflix
It was a show that gripped audiences at the time of its release, How To Get Away With Murder was a legal thriller set in the heart of the law department of Middleton University. The criminal defense attorney Annalise Keating selects students from the institution to aid her in a case.
With mystery and intense action surrounding the narrative, the show doesn't just track students through university but instead demonstrates that despite their youth these young adults are the future of law enforcement. It's a message that doesn't allow for anyone's talents to be overlooked just because of ethnicity, background, or age.
Community (2009-2015) - Stream On Netflix
Anyone who watches it will admit that Community is perhaps one of the most bizarre sitcoms ever created and yet works on every level. With a clique of students making their way through college at different times during their lives, a strange collection of individuals come together to form a study group.
The episodes are packed full of hilarious moments and realism goes out the window once the school is having paintball fights, animated episodes, and mafia-esque storylines concerning chicken. The Dan Harmon creation boasts compelling characters, each of which has their own iconic scenes that will live on in TV history.
Dear White People (2017-2021) - Stream On Netflix
What is college life like for a group of Black students at an Ivy League level? That's what Dear White People aims to answer as the show takes an honest look at the institutional racism and prejudice within the college system and how this oppression can be countered.
It features a cast of intriguing characters each of which has their own personal response to the situation, while also having to deal with the demands of a difficult level of work and balance a social life as well. Funny and reflective, Dear White People hits on a number of important thematic notes.