The majority of my childhood was spent watching high school TV shows.
Whether it was Disney Channel, Nickelodeon or some other network, my sisters and I watched every high school show we could find. They might not have always been accurate, but there is one part of high school that the shows capture perfectly: graduation.
As I journey closer to graduation, I ranked the top five graduation TV series episodes that best capture the feeling of leaving high school behind.
- “Gossip Girl: The Goodbye Gossip Girl,” (Season 2, Episode 25)
For a show so rooted in high school, this episode was a long time coming. “Gossip Girl” spent the majority of season two building up to graduation: the main cast feared for the statuses, their college paths and what would happen to their relationships.
In this particular episode, the three ideas come to a head when Gossip Girl posts her own senior superlatives and exposes the cast’s shortcomings and biggest successes. This episode is a perfect watch when looking back at one’s own high school experience.
- “Phineas and Ferb: Act Your Age” (Season 4, Episode 26)
A family favorite of mine, “Phineas and Ferb” will always bring a sense of nostalgia. The show spends its entirety following the titled stepbrothers building bizarre things throughout the summer, but skips ahead for one episode to see the main cast grow up and head to college.
“Act Your Age” is my favorite episode for more than its catchy tunes — the episode explores all that goes into the choice of what to do after graduation: scholarships, environment, family and relationships. Watching Phineas (Vincent Martella) and Ferb (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) talk about their old adventures brings back a wave of nostalgia from doing the same every other day. Viewers aren’t just saying goodbye to high school with the titled characters, they’re reliving a part of their childhood.
- “Gilmore Girls: Those Are Strings, Pinocchio” (Season 3, Episode 22)
“Gilmore Girls” is incredibly focused on Rory’s education — after all, the show follows the relationship between Rory (Alexis Bladel) and Lorelai (Lauren Graham) Gilmore, and both bond over Rory’s education throughout the show. It’s no surprise that Rory’s graduation from high school makes for such an emotional episode.
Though Rory has already been accepted into college, she finds out in “Those Are Strings, Pinocchio” that she will not receive any financial aid, and, thus, cannot afford the college. Though the turmoil of her college decision is something most seniors can relate to, it is Rory’s heartfelt speech that truly sets the episode apart.
- “Boy Meets World: Graduation” (Season 5, Episode 24)
The five seasons that lead up to it makes the graduation episode of “Boy Meets World” so emotional, as the show follows Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and his friends for five years. Viewers watch the characters grow up and change drastically, and the challenges peppered throughout season five showcase how hard it is to move on.
But the episode could stand on its own without the nostalgia attached to each character — it is packed to the brim with important decisions and life-changing moments. This episode will keep a viewer on the edge of their seats with tissues not far from reach.
- “Suite Life On Deck: Graduation on Deck” (Season 3, Episode 22)
The graduation episode of “Suite Life On Deck” serves as a conclusion to the stories first introduced to viewers in “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.” By this point, the viewer has seen London (Brenda Song) bloom from the girl they first met her as, watched Zack (Dylan Sprouse) come into his own maturity and Cody (Cole Sprouse) and Bailey (Debby Ryan) finally find peace in their relationships.
The graduation episode is bittersweet because it means saying goodbye to Seven Seas High School entirely, along with a final farewell to Marion Moseby. This episode has everything a graduation episode needs: funny speeches, tearful goodbyes and an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. Rewatching the episode as a senior, it was hard not to cry as I watched some of my comfort characters live a position I’m still barely prepared for.
