It’s that cute, sweet, and wholesome girl – the one that was a bit out of your league yet she had no idea. It’s that girl that lives with her parents and likes to do her homework. But she’s the one who stands out among the group of girls.
She’s appreciated from a distance; she seems off-limits and can be awkward to interact with. But there’s just something about her, right?
This is an ode to all the girls next door that we loved to spend our evenings in front of the TV admiring!
Serena van der Woodsen (Played by Blake Lively)
Serena from ‘Gossip Girl’ is known for her natural beauty. She’s admired for looking effortlessly amazing. She always wears revealing outfits with some attention-grabbing accessories.
She’s charismatic, charming, and laid back. She’s rarely selfish, and if she does anything bad, it’s motivated by a lack of foresight. Her natural beauty is envied by her peers, as she’s ever stylish.
Winnie Cooper (Played by Danica McKellar)
Winnie was Kevin Arnold’s crush and neighbor on the ‘Wonder Years.’ She was the wholesome and good-hearted one of the bunch; the typical schoolboy crush. She knew Kevin has always had feelings for her, but she just didn’t want to risk ruining their friendship.
She was strong-willed yet approachable enough for Kevin to befriend. Although she seemed unattainable, her kindness gave him hope. It’s her purity that drew him (and all of us) to her.
Topanga Lawrence (Played by Danielle Fishel)
Topanga was the main love interest of Cory’s on ‘Boy Meets World.’ At first, she was the strange hippie girl in Cory and Shawn’s class. But she grew out of her awkwardness and Cory’s crush on her developed.
A bit of a know-it-all, Topanga was protective and loyal to her friends. She alternated between comforting the boys and also putting them in their place. She loved Cory from the beginning, and we were all happy campers when they ended up together.
Marcia Brady (Played by Maureen McCormick)
Marica was the eldest of the Brady girls on the ‘Brady Bunch’ and was pretty much the perfect teenager. Sure, she was an overachiever, but she was friendly and cheery. Marcia was the girl who could do no wrong.
She was very popular among everyone at school because she was pretty, smart, and everything she did was interesting. Hence the “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!”
Rachel Green (Played by Jennifer Aniston)
Rachel on ‘Friends’ was funny and all, but also pretty self-involved. She was literally the girl next door (at least to Joey and Chandler). She was spoiled for sure, but always sweet and tried to be a good friend.
Life in the dog eat dog world of New York was harder than she thought, but she got through it. And her on-again-off-again relationship with Ross made it all the more dramatic and entertaining.
Chrissy Snow (Played by Suzanne Somers)
Chrissy from ‘Three’s Company’ drew a lot of attention from men. Her bleach-blonde hair and bouncy ponytails is a recipe for attraction. The oblivious, spacey, and fun-loving Chrissy is a ditz. But that’s what made her lovable.
As the daughter of a preacher, she grew up sheltered. That is until she moved to Los Angeles. Her character was so good-natured that it was hard for anyone to stay mad at her for very long.
Samantha Micelli (Played by Alyssa Milano)
Samantha from ‘Who’s the Boss’ grew up without a mother, only to be raised by her widowed father, Tony. She grew into womanhood, which meant that the normal coming of age (embarrassing) things had to be dealt with by father.
Her innocence and cuteness are what made us fall in love with this girl next door. We got to witness Sam go from tomboy to young adult who had more than a few boys knocking down her door.
Erica Goldberg (Played by Hayley Orrantia)
Erica from ‘The Goldbergs’ is the eldest child in the Goldberg family. The former geek would wear glasses, braces in full dorky clothes. But she became popular in high school, and her style completely changed.
She lacks confidence, but Erica is smarter and more talented than her brother, Barry. She’s intelligent and caring. Erica seems to only care about boys, but she cares about her family, too. She’s a good catch!
Alex Dunphy (Played by Ariel Winter)
Alex from ‘Modern Family’ is the middle but clearly the most intelligent. She’s highly motivated, self-starting, and the definition of an overachiever. So she tends to address people with sarcasm. Obviously…
And most of the time, people don’t get her dry sense of humor. Alex likes boys but can get pretty awkward around them. She may not be the obvious choice, but Alex has her fans.
Andrea Zuckerman (Played by Gabrielle Carteris)
‘Beverly Hills 90210’s Andrea wasn’t as rich or stylish as the others at her school. But she was the brains of the group. She was clever, caring, and of course, a little awkward. Unlike the other girls, Andrea wore menswear outfits and big glasses. Today, Andrea would totally be in fashion. Zuckerman
She had her morals and came across a bit, preachy at times. But it was her wisdom and maturity that made her stand out. She was lonely, but her good friend Brandon kept her company. And he was also her secret crush.
Angela Chase (Played by Claire Danes)
Angela from ‘My So-Called Life’ was always a good girl but started rebelling in her teenage years. Like most teenage girls, she chose to color her hair hang out with a new group of friends. She was the “good girl,” who chose to stay a virgin and not drink, smoke, or do drugs.
She’ was madly in love with Jordan, the stereotypical bad boy who was completely aware. But they kept a close friendship. All the while, the boy next door, Brian, was jealous of Jordan, and in love with Angela. Go figure, right?
Penny (Played by Kaley Cuoco)
‘The Big Bang Theory’s Penny was literally the girl next door. She frequently freeloads food and wifi from her neighbors, Leonard and Sheldon. The easy-going and good-hearted Penny prides herself on her social skills, positivity, and knowledge of pop culture.
Penny can have a temper, though, when she feels put down. She can also be self-centered, but she’s a good friend, often able to make light of problems and cheer others up.
Laurie Partridge (Played by Susan Dey)
Laurie from ‘The Partridge Family’ was the sweet and wholesome eldest sister who sang like an angel. She’s kind but strong and knows how to use her charm to her ability.
Her brothers always watched out for her, and she had a sensitive yet mature personality. She was too close to her family though, as she was the apple of her family’s eye.
Clarissa Darling (Melissa Joan Hart)
Remember Clarissa from Nickelodeon’s ‘Clarissa Explains It All?’ She was the smart, sarcastic, and realistic teenage girl. Despite being so rational, she tended to exaggerate any problems she faced.
Clarissa was popular and well-liked by her classmates. Although she was usually mild-mannered, she had her selfish moments with her brother Ferguson. Clarissa was known for her unique style, which was often colorful and mismatched.
Laura Winslow (Played by Kellie Shanygne Williams)
Laura was the apple of Steve Urkel’s eye and had a crush on her since they were in kindergarten. She did agree to date Steve on occasion, but those dates were out of pity and ended up being disasters.
But, she eventually learned to love Steve. Laura was the middle child on ‘Family Matters.’ A straight-A student; her goal was to go to Harvard. Laura was the stereotypical it girl; pretty, popular, and involved in cheerleading.
DJ Tanner (Played by Candace Cameron)
DJ was the oldest sister in the Tanner family on ‘Full House.’ The good girl; she always stayed out of trouble. She knew how to handle tough situations, but was always quick to apologize when she was disrespectful.
Nonetheless, she eventually learned her lesson, which was usually the hard way. D.J. had a motherly nature and was a great role model for her younger sisters Stephanie and Michelle.
Donna Pinciotti (Played by Laura Prepon)
‘That 70’s Show’s Donna was the intelligent, witty, ginger teenager with her feminist ideals. She was confident and stubborn, sometimes to the point of self-righteous, though she was usually laid back and easy going.
Donna was easily the most intimidating, which added to her appeal. Donna was another literal girl next door, always friends with her neighbor Eric, but she had a secret crush on him, too.
Blossom Russo (Played by Mayim Bialik)
Blossom, lived with her two brothers and dad on the teen sitcom ‘Blossom.’ Of course, she was sweet and chose to stay out of trouble. Blossom dealt with the daily trials and tribulations of typical teenage life with young elegance.
Blossom learned hard lessons about abuse, alcohol, drugs, and divorce. She was very imaginative and had an opinion about almost everything. And her style was straight out of the early 90s.
Lisa the Tool Time Girl (Played by Pamela Anderson)
Lisa was the first “Tool Time Girl” on ‘Home Improvement’ with Tim and Al. She also served as the model for the Binford Tools Calendar. But Lisa left “Tool Time” to pursue a career as a paramedic.
Some years later, Lisa became a fully qualified paramedic and returned for some guest appearances on the show. Lisa was sweet, intelligent, and attractive – yet off-limits for everyone.
Becky Conner (Played by Lecy Goranson and Sarah Chalke)
Becky was the eldest child on ‘Roseanne’ and the complete opposite of her younger sister. While was self-centered and spoiled at times, she was actually the least problematic of the Conner children.
She maintained good grades, and apart from the occasional argument, she rarely caused issues for her parents. But as Becky grew up, she started to break away from her good-girl reputation – as most do!
Kelly Bundy (Played by Christina Applegate)
Kelly was the oldest child of the two kids in the Bundy family on ‘Married with Children.’ She lived next door, but she was anything but the stereotypical girl next door. She was known for her stupidity, ditziness, and promiscuity.
Her grades were below average; she was gullible and had air-headed comments. She also had no problem showing off her assets. Her father never approved of the bad boys she brought home.
Ashley Banks (Played by Tatyana Ali)
Ashley from the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ was the baby girl in the Banks family. She was the happy child that could do no wrong, ever obeying her parent’s strict rules. Ashley looked up to her cousin Will as a big brother.
Ashley only became rebellious as she became a teenager because of Will’s influence. She eventually dropped out of her private school and secretly enrolled in a public high school. The good girl broke bad.
Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly)
On ‘Friday Night Lights,’ Lyla was the former Panthers Cheerleader at Vanderbilt University. Lyla was bubbly, smart, popular and totally in love with the star quarterback and captain (obviously), Jason Street.
But the spoiled good girl was seen as prissy, yet also loyal and supportive. At first, she came off as a princess; a little-miss-perfect. But she persevered in the face of tragedy and adversity.
Mary Richards (Played by Mary Tyler Moore)
Mary was a kind, hardworking, and independent single woman who moved to Minneapolis at the age of 30. She was very focused on her career as an associate producer at a news program.
She was refreshing; a main female character who wasn’t married or dependent on a man – a rarity in American TV in the early 1970s. Mary Tyler Moore Show was cited as groundbreaking in female empowerment.
Jessica Day (Played by Zooey Deschanel)
‘New Girl’s’ Jess was a bubbly young woman just trying to find herself. A school teacher with a unique and funny personality. Quirky and sweet, Jess was always looking at the bright side of any situation.
But she was never afraid to be her “weird” self, even in front of new roommates. Jess brought an over the top girl vibe to a former bachelor pad.
Lizzie McGuire (Played by Hilary Duff)
Lizzie, the caring, rational, and cooperative girl, had her animated alter-ego displays of her true feelings from time to time. She had a bunch of “image” changes; some rebellious, disrespectful and even rude, but she knew what was right and wrong.
The sweet, beautiful, and honest teenage girl always knows when to do the right thing. She stuck up for her friends and was even kind to her enemies.
Aria Montgomery (Played by Lucy Hale)
Aria from ‘Pretty Little Liars’ is the witty and intelligent one. Empathetic, kind, and loyal to her friends and family. While she’s book-smart, she also has a deep understanding of people.
Aria is spunky, though, and always has something to say. Her feelings for Ezra can’t be acted upon openly since he’s her teacher. But she’s determined and feels she’s mature enough to have a relationship with a guy a lot older than her.
Elliot Reed (Played by Sarah Chalke)
Elliot from ‘Scrubs’ is a bright young intern at Sacred Heart. Her brilliance and ability are all she needs to become an excellent resident doctor. She’s quirky, loud-mouthed and obviously awkward. Her beauty can be intimidating, but she’s down to earth.
J.D. had a crush on her from the first episode, but they didn’t start dating right away. Even though they know they’re perfect for each other, they just can’t seem to make it work.
Joey Potter (Played by Katie Holmes)
Joey was the smart valedictorian at Capeside High on ‘Dawson’s Creek.’ She was kind of a tomboy with a passionate spirit who slowly became more careful and quiet outside of Capeside.
Joey was the cynical teenager who didn’t think anyone in her life cared about her — other than Dawson Leery. She developed feelings for her best friend but was scared of how it may change their relationship.
Sansa Stark (Played by Sophie Turner)
Sansa from ‘Game of Thrones’ with her high cheekbones, blue eyes, and auburn hair, is graceful and feminine. Sansa was destined to be a lady or a queen. She loves music, poetry, dancing, singing, and other traditionally feminine activities.
Like other girls her age, Sansa is fascinated by stories of romance. She strives to be like the heroines of romantic stories by trying to find a prince, knight, or nobleman to fall in love with.
Maggie Sheffield (Nicholle Tom)
Remember Maggie from ‘The Nanny?’ She was the shy and awkward girl that was worried that no boy would fall for her. But after bonding with Fran, the two ladies built a close relationship.
Under Fran’s influence, Maggie blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Maggie’s father saw her as “daddy’s little girl” and smothered her way too much, taking away from any kind of activities with boys.
Rory Gilmore (Played by Alexis Bledel)
Rory from ‘Gilmore Girls’ was quiet, smart, and full of energy. Introverted and socially awkward, she learned a lot from her outgoing, strong, and sarcastic mother.
Rory shares her mother’s taste in things like junk food, coffee, music, and movies. Rory is really a smart, hard-working student who always dreamed of going to Harvard. The boys call her Mary and the girls see her as a threat.
Ann Marie (Played by Marlo Thomas)
Ann Marie from ‘That Girl’ was an aspiring actress who came to New York City to score her big break. Ann had to take “temp” jobs to support herself in order to go on acting auditions and modeling gigs.
Ann always looked fantastic, dressed with class and style. She had a charming personality and a passion for making it on her own; the true independent woman.
Miley Stewart (Played by Miley Cyrus)
Miley from ‘Hannah Montana’ was the hyper girly-girl; the southern belle who loved to shop. Funny, optimistic, and playful, Miley liked to joke around with her friends but could be serious when it counts.
When it came to her friends and family, she’s loyal, and if betrayed by one of them, she took it to heart. Though she’s sensitive and compassionate, she wasn’t afraid to say how she feels and stand up for herself.
Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell (Played by Tia and Tamera Mowry)
Tia and Tamera were the two girls next door from ‘Sister Sister!’ Tia was the honest, responsible, and mature one. The straight-A student that can lose her responsible credit when around boys or scheming.
Then there was Tamera, the impulsive one who couldn’t care less about her intellects. She could be a bit “boy-crazy,” but she cared about her friends and her family.
Julia Salinger (Played by Neve Campbell)
Julia from ‘Party of Five’ was intelligent, emotional, and kind. She was an ambitious and well-performing student; so much so that she got bored with success and wanted to shake things up.
Her sensitive nature made challenges more difficult. But she had a good heart, took care of her siblings, and always had control before going off the rails.
Sabrina Spellman (Played by Melissa Joan Hart)
Sabrina from ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ was always out-going, likable, and genuinely caring. One of her most prominent traits is her quick wit. She was playful and always had a clever pun up her sleeve.
She was mostly level-headed and clever, socially aware, and speaks out against the unfair treatment of anyone around her. Her bubbly personality was sometimes annoying to those around her.
Betty Cooper (Played by Lili Reinhart)
Many saw Betty as the typical girl next door on ‘Riverdale.’ She’s the beautiful blonde with feminine sweaters, but she’s so much more than just a pretty face.
She’s the straight-A student and not the typical dumb blonde. She strives to be the perfect student, daughter, and sister in order to please everyone around her.
Shoshanna Shapiro (Played by Zosia Mamet)
Shoshanna from ‘Girls’ is bubbly and totally innocent. Of her group of friends, she’s the least boy-crazy. She wasn’t self-centered nor afraid to look silly or to look uncool. And all of that adds to her appeal.
She’s responsible, loyal, and able to get out of bad situations. Shoshanna found herself in awkward situations. She generally played it safe but ended up in the most challenging circumstances.
Kelly Kapowski (Played by Tiffany Amber Thiessen)
Kelly is the epitome of the all-American girl from ‘Saved by the Bell.’ Though she was a good student, Kelly found herself punished and in detention. She also was the true love interest of Zack Morris.
Kelly was the cheerleader and captain of the swim, volleyball, and softball teams. Many boys were interested in Kelly, but she was loyal to her crush Zach.