Two recent young adult series streaming on Amazon Prime Video are challenging longstanding television tropes by placing female friendship at the center of their narratives, rather than focusing primarily on romantic entanglements. “Sterling Point” and “Off Campus” have been developed as responses to traditional depictions of young women often defined by rivalry and competition over romantic interests.

“Sterling Point,” which premiered last month, follows 17-year-old Annie (Ella Rubin) as she inherits a remote island in Canada’s Muskoka Lakes region from a grandfather she never knew. There, she forms a close bond with 10-year-old Ramona (Amélie Hoefferle) as they navigate questions about family and identity. While the series incorporates elements common to the genre such as love triangles and coming-of-age challenges, its creators deliberately emphasized the relationships between its female characters as supportive and nurturing. Megan Park, the showrunner and creator, stated that she sought to make crushes and romantic relationships secondary to the themes of family and sisterhood, highlighting that it is “not abnormal to not be in love” during adolescence.

Similarly, “Off Campus,” which launched in May, centers around college hockey players but equally focuses on the friendship between Hannah (Ella Bright) and Allie (Mika Abdalla). Their relationship explores mutual support through personal and career challenges, including breakups and sexual trauma, portraying female friendship as a source of resilience and personal growth. Louisa Levy, the show’s creator, cited the influence of “Grey’s Anatomy” and its depiction of strong female bonds within a competitive environment as inspiration for her storytelling approach.

Both creators emphasized that their work reflects a more authentic experience of young women’s friendships, departing from conventional television narratives often characterized by jealousy and betrayal. Park pointed to “Broad City,” created by and starring best friends Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, as a prior example of female friendship portrayed with nuance and depth that shaped her creative outlook.

Research conducted by UCLA psychologist Yalda T. Uhls underscores viewer interest in these themes. Her ongoing “Teens & Screens” study found that 60 percent of young adult respondents desire more content centered on friendship, while 61 percent prefer romance narratives emphasizing emotional connection over sexual encounters. This trend aligns with broader societal data indicating that Generation Z is engaging in sexual activity less frequently than previous generations.

Levy and Park also attributed the rise in realistic female friendships on screen to increased women’s leadership in television production. Both noted Amazon’s commitment to female executives in key roles as a contributing factor in their ability to tell these stories without encountering traditional industry barriers. Levy remarked that previous attempts by women creators to depict such narratives often faced significant hurdles that they did not experience in their current projects.

The emergence of shows like “Sterling Point,” “Off Campus,” and others such as “Firefly Lane” and “Dead to Me” suggests a shift toward more varied and authentic portrayals of female relationships across age groups. Still, both Levy and Park acknowledge that women continue to be underrepresented in writer and producer roles, with greater creative freedom for female storytellers remaining a work in progress. Park described her opportunity to lead “Sterling Point” as “very lucky,” highlighting the ongoing need for increased diversity behind the camera.