Popular

Brooke McQueen, a popular cheerleader at Jacqueline Kennedy High School, and Sam McPherson, the editor of the school paper, are polar opposites. When their single parents unexpectedly meet and get engaged, Brooke and Sam have to deal with their new situation on top of regular teenage girl problems.

Popular (1999-2001) is an American teen soap opera created by Ryan Murphy and Gina Matthews for The WB. Its story follows Brooke McQueen (Leslie Bibb), a glossy cheerleader at Jacqueline Kennedy High School, and Sam McPherson (Carly Pope), the sharp-tongued editor of the school paper. The two are polar opposites who had never been friends until their single parents unexpectedly meet and get engaged, forcing them into a shared household. Around them orbit Lily Esposito (Tamara Mello), Harrison John (Christopher Gorham), Carmen Ferrara (Sara Rue) and Josh Ford (Bryce Johnson), whose romances, cliques and rivalries drive each episode. The engine of the series is the constant jockeying for popularity: every school dance, newspaper scoop and social betrayal becomes a battle over status, while the blended family pushes the rivals into uneasy alliance. The show runs for two seasons of episodes built around school life, with serialized romantic and social threads. Its tone is breezy and campy, mixing bright teen melodrama with sharp satire of high school hierarchy and a wistful undercurrent about family and belonging. Fans of Gossip Girl, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Mean Girls will find resonance in its glossy high school world.

• Gossip Girlshared teen drama tones, high school social hierarchy and popularity rivalry
• Beverly Hills, 90210shared teen high school setting, romance and friendship-driven drama
• Mean Girlsshared teen girl perspective and comedic-dramatic take on high school cliques

Created by

Ryan Murphy, Gina Matthews

Release Date

1999-09-29

Episode runtime

44 min

Rating

7.4 / 10 (49)

What is Popular about?

A popular cheerleader and the school paper's editor are forced to share a home when their single parents get engaged.

What is Popular like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Popular as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Popular violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Popular.

Which shows are like Popular?

Shows with a similar feel include Gossip Girl, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Mean Girls.

How long is Popular?

Popular: 2 seasons, 43 episodes.

Is Popular still running?

No, Popular was canceled.