Hillside

Okay, the writing wasn't great, and the acting was what you'd expect from middle-schoolers. But the story lines did resonate with kids. The production values were poor and the cast tiny because the show obviously had a very small budget. One or two other reviewers mentioned that the cast were playing people their own age, which I thought was fantastic. (I can't even watch "high schoolers" who are pushing 30; how lame is that?) One thing I did not see mentioned is that I don't believe the show ever had an adult in any scene. (Budget? Not wanting to show up the kid actors? Or brilliant effort to make the show unique?) That was a stroke of genius, and I think it helped the show a great deal. Just as in real life, these kids were working out their problems themselves in their own half-baked way. The comparison with dopey sitcoms like "Saved by the Bell" and overproduced crapola like "Glee" miss the point. This was an attempt to do something on the edge, something that spoke to real people on a level deeper than entertainment. It was a success, and that's why people remember it.

I was talking to my nephew about bad television shows the other day when this one came to mind. I remember watching it with friends in junior high just to laugh at how stupid and badly-produced it was. All I can really remember is a character named Dylan (who was supposed to be a rebel) and Dylan's ugly girlfriend. Why were so many characters named Dylan in the early nineties? What a stupid name.

Anyway, in one episode, Dylan plays the guitar down at the local "teen scene"/maltshop place. They seem to have actually let the actor play...and he was HORRIBLE. He made several grating, audible mistakes and they just LEFT THEM IN. No post-edit! And, when the actor finished, the audience clapped and cheered. I remember laughing and laughing at this episode. And talk about wooden acting! Oh! They had the obligatory "anti-alcohol" episode. And one kid had to pretend to be drunk. Oh, God! I'd give anything to see this show again! A+ for camp, F- for quality.

It's been nearly 10 years since I've seen an episode of this but here's what I remember of it. There were a few characters but the main focus of the show was the relationship between Matt (the basketball star with a drinking problem) and Ashley (the princess). Then, in order of importance, there was Dylan (the guitar playing pretty-boy rebel), Brook the snob, then there was some kid who was Dylan's hanger-on, and another one who was Matt's hanger-on. I think there was some other girl in there who was important but not as easily stereotyped. I forget her name. Then this guy named Chris came along who was a bass-playing rebel who was a more evil version of Dylan. Quite a few other characters came and went each season (most vanishing without an explanation). I now will hang my head in shame for accurately remembering as much of that show as I can. This was the kind of show you would watch but dared not admit to anyone you watched. It was stupid, cheesy, but still quite fun to watch. This was a low-budget version of Degrassi Jr High.

Fifteen came out when I was 13, so I was in the target demo. I looked forward to it every week, and then right after would call my friend who also watched it and we'd discuss both how terrible/stupid it was and how we were dying to see what happened next. It was a 30-minute show but we'd talk about each episode for at least an hour.

Out of curiosity, now at age 43, I just watched some of it again, and I have a bit of a different take. It was obviously low-budget and hastily put together - the writing is basic, and the characters are stereotypes. But I do see a lot of good things. For one, the actors were actually the age they were portraying, and the awkwardness was realistic and actually kind of charming. Kids that age are insecure and have trouble striking up conversations and expressing themselves, and that came through clearly. Some of the more seasoned actors (those who played Ashley, Matt, Courtney, Dylan, Arseman and of course Ryan Reynolds who played Billy) actually were pretty talented and got better as the show progressed. And I appreciated that it was about actual everyday issues that teens deal with, basic stuff like homework, family issues, sports, clothes, not fitting in. A lot of higher-budget, slicker and more sensationalist teen dramas like Elite and Euphoria obviously excel at what they do but they're very dark and blatantly unrealistic. "Fifteen" was, at least, trying to meet its audience where it was in an authentic way. And although it's corny at times, it's not overly heavy-handed with moral lessons.

The biggest issue I have in rewatching it is that the kids are overly rude to each other. Almost every conversation seems to end with someone insulting the other and storming off. Most characters seem to be in a never-ending state of joyless worry. But maybe that's realistic; adolescents aren't exactly wellsprings of confidence and happiness.

Overall I think some of the comments here are a little mean and unfair. It was an ambitious project (26 episodes a season??) on a shoestring budget and did the best it could.

Fifteen was THE premier teen angst show of our generation! I don't know what Gerald was smoking, but Fifteen's candid look at the problems facing today's youth was enlightening and original. It made it possible for Saved by the Bell to deal with pot smoking and Kids Incorporated to eventually tackle teen pregnancy!! Without this show, we would still be watching shows where all they do is play practical jokes on Ms. Bliss. In fact, even 90210 didn't tackle these serious issues until Fifteen forged the path ahead of them. On a personal note, when I had to go to detox when I was 16, the show's episodes on Matt's drinking problems really spoke to me and helped me through that tough time. I realized my friends were just trying to help me. Thank you, Fifteen! I unfortunately have never gotten over my intense crush on Ashley though. As I am getting married later this month, I hope that my passion for her will not be a hindrance in my marriage.