A Millennial's Streaming Guide: 10 TV Shows That Nail Generation Y Struggle

We’re relentlessly made fun of by everyone older than us (shut up, Boomers!) and everyone younger than us (shut up, Zoomers!).

We grew up during a homophobic, fat-phobic, everything-phobic time… but unlike other generations that put up with that crap, we also had to deal with social media, the dawn of cyber-bullying, a terrible job market, massive student loans, and the reality that we can never, ever afford a house.

From avocado toast to the gig economy – from the inability to pay off student loans to an identity revolution – here are 10 shows that really get what it means to be a millennial.

Broad City - Abby and Ilana are best friends, and both are hot messes in their own particular way. Living in New York and struggling through their 20s, these two babes are surviving through AirBnB nightmares, unexpected sexual partners, Snapchat, and so much more. A perfect sitcom about female friendship for those who like their comedy a bit raunchy.

Gossip Girl – Guys, remember this show?! The quintessential teen soap from when millennials were still in high school, it launched Penn Badgley (You) and Blake Lively (The Age of Adaline). The following generation of teen dramas all tried to find that perfect balance of social-media satire and teen melodrama, but none quite captured the magic of Gossip Girl. This one’s a perfect re-watch if you’re looking for a soap opera about growing up in the early years of social media. XOXO!

How I Met Your Mother – its finale may be one of the most despised in tv history, but that doesn’t change the fact that HIMYM is a quintessential millennial comedy, and it still (largely) holds up. HIMYM has a definite GenY sense of humour (remember 'Slapsgiving'?) as well as that GenY sincerity that challenged the television cynicism of the 90s. (Barney’s womanizing is less funny post-Me Too, though. Thank goodness Neil Patrick Harris is such a delight you can almost see past it.)

Gilmore Girls – Millennials started out identifying with the teenage Rory, but now they’re more likely to see themselves in her mother, Lorelei. Famous for its wildly rapid-fire dialogue, Gilmore Girls is still beloved 16 years after its finale. It’s still heartfelt and endearing, and having Melissa McCarthy in the cast earns millennial points too.

Master of None – Struggling comedians in New York deal with comparisons to their parents’ generation, dating apps, and being foodies… AKA the Millenial Trifecta. Dev, Arnold, and Denise deal with all of this, as well as the everyday struggles of 'adulting'. Created by Aziz Ansari (Parks & Rec), this Netflix show ran for 3 seasons and maintains a staunch fanbase to this day.

New Girl – Nothing says 'millennial' like having roommates in your 30s! Jess and 'the guys' dealt with all the classic GenY stuff — poverty, job insecurity, roommate romance, and flannel shirts. Ultimately their friendship is what keeps them going through it all. The value of a strong friend group is a definite theme in millennial TV, and New Girl is one of the best examples of that.

High Fidelity – GenY’s favorite babe-of-the-hour Zoë Kravitz works in a record store alongside her ex; there’s vinyl and a slightly pretentious soundtrack and messy relationships and the main character is queer. Has anyone won Millenial Bingo yet? There was massive disappointment when Hulu cancelled High Fidelity after its first season, but the pitch-perfect cast still makes it worth a watch.

Shrill – This Netflix show hasn’t gotten as much love as you would expect, even though it speaks to the millennial experience and has a fantastic lineup of performers. Based on the Lindy West essay collection 'Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman', the show takes place in hipster central (aka Portland Oregon) and follows the journey of plus-sized journalist Annie. Aidy Bryant of SNL fame stars along with a stellar supporting cast.

Ramy – A critical darling, Ramy is about growing up as a first-generation Muslim American during the 2000s. With one foot in New Jersey and one foot in Cairo, Ramy is working on figuring it all out – sex, religion, love, and life. Its first season has a whopping 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, and creator/star Ramy Youssef earned a Golden Globe for his performance.

Pen15 – Cringe comedy at its finest! Pen15 was created by and stars Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, and is all about their trials and tribulations as ‘tweens’. Although the two stars are in their 30s, the rest of the cast is filled out by actual preteens. They manage to accurately capture the experience of growing up, with painful reminders of first crushes, periods, gel pens, and school dances.