5 Must-Watch American Teen Dramas With Love Triangles

High school. Prom. Crushing. The American teen drama genre has always been a reliable source for captivating stories about adolescence, but let's be honest: what really keeps us hooked are the complicated, emotional, and often frustrating love triangles. From the football field to the school dance, these shows masterfully pit best friends against each other, make us agonise over impossible choices, and redefine what it means to be 'ship-worthy.'

Get ready to revisit the most intense relationship battles on television. We've narrowed down the field to five iconic series where the chemistry is electric, the stakes are sky-high, and picking a side is nearly impossible. Prepare for drama, heartbreak, and some seriously passionate debates!

The Vampire Diaries

Elena Gilbert is instantly drawn to the sensitive vampire Stefan Salvatore, but their love is complicated by his brooding, morally grey older brother, Damon Salvatore. The dynamic between the three is a passionate battle between light and darkness, forcing Elena to choose between the brother who brings out her humanity and the one who accepts her messy, supernatural self.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Every summer at Cousins Beach, Isabel "Belly" Conklin is torn between her two lifelong crushes: the moody, emotionally distant older brother, Conrad Fisher, and his playful, golden retriever younger brother, Jeremiah Fisher. This intense sibling rivalry for Belly's heart defines her coming-of-age story amidst first love, first heartbreak, and profound grief.

My Life With The Walter Boys

New York City orphan Jackie Howard moves to a chaotic Colorado ranch and finds herself caught between two of the many Walter brothers. She is drawn to the kind, reliable, and studious Alex Walter, representing safety, while simultaneously sharing an undeniable, intense chemistry with the reckless 'bad boy' older brother, Cole Walter.

Never Have I Ever

The central love triangle follows ambitious, messy teenager Devi Vishwakumar as she navigates high school romance. She oscillates between the dreamy, popular jock Paxton Hall-Yoshida—her physical ideal—and her long-time academic nemesis Ben Gross, who unexpectedly becomes the one person who truly understands her complex emotional turmoil and ambition.

Gossip Girl

The original Upper East Side drama began with a betrayal: Serena van der Woodsen sleeping with her best friend Blair Waldorf's boyfriend, Nate Archibald. This messy foundation of friendship, deceit, and high-stakes romance set the stage for years of complicated, shifting relationships that defined the elite world of Manhattan's scandalous teenagers.