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22 Years Ago, a Beloved Cartoon That Was Basically ‘Friends’ and ‘Seinfeld’ for Teenagers Debuted

The Canadian cartoon borrowed classic sitcom rhythms, mall-era teen drama, and even a few suspiciously familiar plotlines.

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If you were a kid or tween in the early 2000s, you might remember the era where Canadian teen shows ruled our airwaves: shows like Degrassi, Clone High, Total Drama Island, and 6Teen.

6Teen was a coming-of-age sitcom that followed a ragtag group of high school students through their first jobs, mall hangouts, and just the general life of being 16-year-olds. Despite being 20 years old, the show still holds up. Well, except for the fact that malls are now, unfortunately, a thing of the past.

Watching the show, it’s clear it takes inspiration from its live-action predecessors, Seinfeld and Friends. Once you notice the similarities, it’s hard to unsee.

“Our biggest goal was to connect with our audience. What surprised us was not the fact that kids were watching adult sitcoms, but why they were watching them. They recognize and........

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