My So-Called Life: 25 Years of the Teen Drama That Changed Television

Premiering on ABC on August 25, 1994, My So-Called Life was a teen drama created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. The series centered on Angela Chase (Claire Danes), a 15-year-old navigating adolescence with raw honesty. Despite critical acclaim, including Emmy nominations, the show struggled against competition from Friends and Mad About You, leading to its cancellation after one season. It later found a cult audience through reruns on MTV. The series broke ground by addressing homosexuality, school violence, and teenage angst, influencing later shows like Dawson's Creek and Freaks and Geeks. Claire Danes, then 13, was cast after Alicia Silverstone was deemed too polished. The show featured Jared Leto as Jordan Catalano and Wilson Cruz as Rickie Vasquez, the first gay teen on American television. Zwick and Herskovitz, known for Thirtysomething, developed the series from Holzman's high-school research. Despite fan campaigns, the show was not renewed, leaving Angela's story unfinished. In Italy, the series was never broadcast.