This is an amazing show for kids and adults who never fit in, for those of us whose like and concerns varied and perhaps set us apart from the stereotypes we wonder if we wouldn't have been more comfortable and well-accepted to emulate. The show can laugh at itself, often lampooning the idea of an angst driven, post-modern Bleak House, or Our Town set to top-40 pop. This is an important fact to remember when you consider the choices of the characters, which really represent the choices of the writers, and of creator Kevin Williamson, who really tried to fuse recognizable late-90s Americana with a pre-911/pre-speculative bubble hopefulness and progressive hope. I loved this show, for years. It's sad to say, but for the inner James Taylors in all of us, who find ourselves facing "lonely times, when we (sic) could not find a friend," the Capeside crew provides a slightly sad but satisfying fake friendship presence for those days when we pretend to stay home sick, just to look out of the window and wonder about life. I must recommend one not watch too many episodes in a row, as it can be like watching a magicians trick over and over, the worst could happen and the underlying formula could get revealed. It is a superior teen show, but I prefer to think of it as a unique look at a family of people we all wish we knew, or perhaps wish we were...so, therefore, literature at its cultural best. - A fan