TV's high school ensembles

By Stephanie Lysaght, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

If words like "valedictorian" and "homecoming queen" send you into cold sweats, congratulations, you are completely normal.

For ages, television shows have tried to capture the high school experience in all its glory and terror. From the loveable misfits on "Freaks and Geeks" to the enviable cool kids on "The O.C.," every show interprets high school differently. "Gossip Girl" is the latest attempt at capturing that tumultuous time. Here are some of the gems that preceded it.

'My So-Called Life'

Ah, Jordan Catalano, you hurt so good. Not only did this show about fumbling high-schoolers put Claire Danes and Jared Leto on the map, it also inspired me to dye my hair with Manic Panic and purchase several oversized chenille sweaters.

It was a tragedy of epic proportions when "My So-Called Life" got axed after a mere 19 episodes.