What teens want to watch might surprise you. A new UCLA survey of more than 1,500 young people ages 10 to 24 found that their top request is hopeful, uplifting stories, followed by friendships and people whose lives look like theirs. Stories about partying, drugs, and drinking landed dead last.
For parents, that is good news. The shows many families already want to share are the same kind of stories teens say they are looking for. Here is what the study found, and how you can use it at home.
Quick Takeaways
- UCLA’s 2026 Teens and Screens report surveyed more than 1,500 people ages 10 to 24.
- Their top picks: hopeful stories about beating the odds, friendships, and people with lives like their own.
- Partying, drugs, and drinking ranked last on the list of what they want to see.
- 63.8% would rather see romance built on friendship than on sex.
- Live-action is back on top over animation, 58% to 42%.
What did the UCLA Teens and Screens study find?
The study found that young viewers want stories that feel real and leave them feeling good. When asked what they want in TV and movies, respondents put “hopeful, uplifting stories with people beating the odds” first, then friendships and social groups, then people with lives like theirs.
The report comes from the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA, which released its fifth annual Teens and Screens report on October 21, 2026 (UCLA Newsroom). The center studies how media affects young people and shares its findings with the entertainment industry.
A few other findings stood out:
- Real faces win. Live-action beat animation 58% to 42%, a jump of more than 7 points from last year.
- Not influencers. Only 16.8% would cast a social media influencer in the stories they watch. Nearly 40% would rather see an actor they have never seen before.
- Big screens still matter. Seeing a new movie in a theater was the top weekend activity for the third year in a row.
Do teens want less romance and mature content?
Many do. 63.8% said they would prefer romance that focuses on a couple’s friendship rather than sex, up 2.9 points from 2025 (Center for Scholars & Storytellers).
The study also found that 57.3% want to see more platonic friendships on screen. More than half (52%) said romance seems more central to fictional characters’ lives than it is in real life.
For parents, this is a helpful signal. Teens are not asking for more mature content. Many are asking for stories that look more like their own lives, where friends, family, and everyday challenges take up most of the time.
Do teens still watch TV, or just YouTube?
They watch both, and they see both as real storytelling. 72.9% said YouTube can tell a story, compared with 70.3% for TV shows and 70.2% for movies. Nearly 4 in 5 said short-form video can tell a story too.
For parents, the takeaway is not that TV is losing. It is that teens are choosing stories from everywhere, often on their own phones. One note: the study was funded in part by YouTube, Roblox, and other media companies, alongside nonprofit foundations, so it is worth reading the full report for context.
If you are weighing how much time your family spends on screens, our post on the new screen time study covers why watching together often matters more than the total hours.
How can parents use these findings at home?
Start with what teens told researchers they want: hope, friendship, and real life. Then look for shows that deliver it, and watch some of them together.
A few simple ways to put the study to work:
- Ask before you pick. Ask your teen what kind of story they are in the mood for. Based on the study, answers like “something hopeful” or “something real” may come up more often than you expect.
- Lean into real families. Unscripted shows about real people are a natural fit for teens who want to see lives like their own.
- Talk about the friendships. After an episode, ask which character they would want as a friend and why.
- Make it a shared habit. One show a week that you watch together gives you a built-in conversation, even with a teen who is mostly on their phone.
Have a younger kid in the middle years? Our guide on what to watch with tweens has more ideas for that in-between age.
Which shows match what teens want to watch?
We The Studios has several shows that fit the study’s top requests: real people, real challenges, and stories that end on a hopeful note. Here are three to try with a teen.
Mr Miami and Me
This WTS Original follows Jacob, a dad who runs a med spa in Miami, and his daughter Abigail, who makes beats, writes songs, and runs the show’s social media. It is a real look at a dad balancing work and parenting, with plenty of heart. Read more in our Mr. Miami & Me spotlight.
XO, Curtis & Cara
Also a WTS Original, this series follows Curtis and Cara Leopardo as they build WTS from the ground up. It shows the wins and setbacks of starting a company while balancing family, faith, pressure, and risk. That is a beating-the-odds story told by real people.
100 Days to Indy
This IndyCar docuseries, produced by Penske Entertainment, goes behind the scenes with drivers and teams as they get ready for the Indianapolis 500 (INDYCAR). It is a good pick for teens who like action, competition, and seeing how hard people work to reach a goal.
How WTS fits into what families want to watch
Every title on WTS, whether it is a WTS Original or a licensed show, is held to the same content standard: no profanity, no sexual content, and nothing to skip. That means you can hand the remote to your teen without checking every episode first.
The UCLA findings suggest that standard is not just for little kids. Teens are asking for hopeful, real, friendship-centered stories too, and those are the stories WTS is built around.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UCLA Teens and Screens report?
Teens and Screens is an annual survey from the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA. It asks young people ages 10 to 24 what they watch, how they feel about it, and what they want to see more of. The 2026 edition is the fifth report and surveyed more than 1,500 people nationwide.
What kind of shows do teens like most right now?
According to the 2026 Teens and Screens report, teens and young adults most want hopeful, uplifting stories about people beating the odds. Friendships and social groups came second, and characters with lives like their own came third. Stories about partying, drugs, and drinking ranked last of all the options in the survey.
Do teens prefer live-action or animated shows?
In the 2026 survey, live-action came out ahead of animation, 58% to 42%. That gap grew by more than 7 points compared with last year. For families, it is a good reminder that teens may be ready for real-life shows and documentaries, even if younger siblings still lean toward cartoons.
Why do so many teens want less romance on screen?
The study does not give one reason, but 52% said romance seems more central in fictional characters’ lives than in real life. Many respondents would rather see friendships on screen, and 63.8% prefer romance built on friendship instead of sex. In short, they want stories that feel closer to their own lives.
How do I get my teen to watch shows with the family?
Let your teen help choose, keep it to one show a week, and pick stories that feel real to them. Unscripted series about real families or real competitions are a good place to start. Talking about the characters afterward, without turning it into a lecture, helps make it a habit.
Find a Story Your Teen Will Actually Want to Watch
Teens are telling researchers they want hope, friendship, and real life on screen. That is exactly what family TV night can offer. Pick a show, invite your teen to the couch, and see where the conversation goes.
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