If you were a fan of the 1999 cult classic “Cruel Intentions,” by now you’ve likely already devoured its TV adaptation, which dropped Nov. 21 on Prime Video.
In the meantime, there’s plenty of scandalous, soapy shows that might fill the “Cruel Intentions” void, from edgy 2000s classics like “Gossip Girl” and “Pretty Little Liars” to recent releases like “Tell Me Lies” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls.”
Keep on reading to get the full breakdown of what to watch next after binging the new “Cruel Intentions” series.
The CW Network
“Gossip Girl”
If you’re craving the Upper East Side background of the O.G. “Cruel Intentions” movie, “Gossip Girl” will likely quench your thirst, with Blair (Leighton Meester) and Serena (Blake Lively) competing for the sole spot as queen of Constance, though let’s be honest, there’s no competition for Queen B. The CW series ticks off the boxes of several favorite “Cruel Intentions” plot points: best friend betrayal, grey area of step sibling romance and an illicit affair with a professor, to name a few. Bonus points if you watch the Max reboot of “Gossip Girl,” which features “Cruel Intentions” star Savannah Lee Smith.
“Pretty Little Liars” (Freeform)
“Pretty Little Liars”
While Sarah Catherine Hook’s Caroline Merteuil and Zac Burgess’ Lucien Belmont avoid getting hands dirty in their plots at all costs, nearly every character in “Pretty Little Liars” has a hands-on role in keeping their dirty laundry — from an affair with a teacher to a predilection for theft — out of the public eye. As the liars (played by Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale and Shay Mitchell) are tormented by an anonymous antagonist who goes by “A,” betrayal is commonplace at every place they turn.
Tell Me Lies stars Grace Van Patten as Lucy (Photo by: Josh Stringer/Hulu)
“Tell Me Lies”
If your favorite part of “Cruel Intentions” was Caroline and Lucien’s undeniably toxic relationship, your mind might be blown by Stephen in “Tell Me Lies,” who gaslights his way in and out of relationships with freshman Lucy (Grace Van Patten) and his ex-girlfriend, Diana (Alicia Crowder), throughout the show’s existing two seasons. Even as Lucy learns his toxic ways, she can’t help but get drawn back into Stephen’s lies, even though she knows better. As Lucy becomes involved with Stephen, her close friends, Pippa (Sonia Mena) and Bree (Catherine Missal) are also drawn into relationships with Stephen’s friends, and encounter some tricky situations of their own. And yes, “Tell Me Lies” also includes a student-professor affair, though not until Season 2.
Penn Badgley stars in Netflix’s “You.”
“You”
While we’re talking toxic, we would be remiss not to mention “You,” whose Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) might admire the lengths Caroline will go to ensure her place on the throne and prove her “love” for Lucien. Much more motivated by love rather than status, Joe’s infatuation-turned-exploits have taken him from a Brooklyn bookstore to a London university, where lust always turns to murder, no matter how hard Joe tries to avoid it. Both series succeed in satirizing the elite classes, with Joe’s murderous inner dialogue ridiculing his acquaintances while fawning to them IRL. While not a teen show necessarily, “You” definitely is packed with twists and turns.
“Sex Lives of College Girls” Season 3 (Max)
“The Sex Lives of College Girls”
If you want a full on break from toxic characters with the same fun and sex appeal found in “Cruel Intentions,” your next pick might be “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” a lighthearted college-set series with plenty of comedic relief. Centering on four freshman year roommates, the Max series follows the journeys of a soccer player involved with her coach (Alyah Chanelle Scott), a reputation-conscious cool girl coming to terms with her sexuality (Reneé Rapp), a well-meaning and vivacious aspiring comedy writer (Amrit Kaur) and a Midwestern student whose world is opened up for the first time (Pauline Chalamet). The girls all make their fair share of mistakes, but they are never intentionally cruel.
