15 Best TV Episodes About Prom, Ranked

Prom night has become one of the defining symbols of the American high school experience, thanks in large part to its many depictions in film and television. Teen shows are practically obligated to include at least one prom episode, and even shows with adult protagonists have gone down the prom rabbit hole. 

What makes a great prom episode? It could be a poignant spotlight on growing up or the liminal space between childhood and adulthood. Maybe it's a sharp encapsulation of the cutthroat social hierarchies of high school. It could traffic in nostalgia and highlight the passage of time. It depends on the show, really. In the list that follows, you'll find TV series that tackle prom in all its cheesy traditions, treading familiar ground with some dashes of individuality thrown in for good measure. Here are TV's best episodes about prom, ranked.

The penultimate episode of Season 2 of the teen drama "Gossip Girl" is also the show's prom episode, and it begins with Serena (Blake Lively) in jail. Her mother, Lily (Kelly Rutherford), has sent her there, and while Serena initially refuses to be bailed out, she is ultimately rescued by Dan (Penn Badgley) just in time to attend the dance. Blair (Leighton Meester) goes to prom with Nate (Chace Crawford), hoping to bring her longtime prom scrapbook dreams to life. Everything keeps going wrong until Blair wins prom queen and thwarts her enemies' plan. We learn that Chuck (Ed Westwick), who's in love with Blair, has orchestrated the entire evening to give her the prom she's always wanted.

This episode's prom escapades are fun, but we can't put it higher up on this list because that's only half the story. The other half of the episode serves as a failed backdoor pilot for a proposed spin-off depicting Lily's adventures in the 1980s. Brittany Snow plays young Lily, and Krysten Ritter plays her sister. The flashbacks are entertaining enough, but they feel out of place in the middle of an otherwise well-plotted prom episode.

The "Veronica Mars" episode "Look Who's Stalking" ties up several loose ends and sets other plot points in motion while also finding time to give Neptune teens their version of a prom. Gia (Krysten Ritter) enlists Veronica's (Kristen Bell) help in catching her stalker. Veronica learns she has chlamydia, setting up a very upsetting revelation by the end of the season. Veronica's father, Keith (Enrico Colantoni), helps Woody (Steve Guttenberg) out of a jam, while Woody's political plans go up in smoke.

Despite some pretty serious drama, high school shenanigans persist. Neptune High's prom is canceled after students are caught drinking, so Logan (Jason Dohring) and Dick (Ryan Hansen) throw an Alterna-Prom in Logan's luxury hotel penthouse suite. Veronica shows up, Logan drunkenly pours his heart out, and she makes a quick exit. She returns to his hotel suite in the morning, only to find that Logan spent the night with none other than Kendall Casablancas (Charisma Carpenter), Dick's stepmom. Poor Veronica. "Look Who's Stalking" is heavy on plot and fairly light on prom, but the episode is so well-written we don't have much to complain about.

"How I Met Your Mother" did a prom episode the way only the sitcom could: by having full-grown adults crash a high school prom. In "Best Prom Ever," beloved "HIMYM" couple Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall (Jason Segel) are in the midst of intense wedding planning. After stealing a wedding venue out from under their rivals, Marshall finds a wedding band, but Lily wants to hear them play first. So Lily, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), and Robin (Cobie Smulders) sneak into the prom where the band is performing, with Marshall and Ted (Josh Radnor) joining them later.

Classic "HIMYM" shenanigans ensue. Lily reminisces about her prom and even digs out her old prom dress, while Robin is excited because she never went to prom. Lily feels anxious about her future, a teenager throws up on Robin, and Barney dons a turtle mascot uniform. It's not a hall-of-fame episode, but it provides solid character development, reunites Robin and Ted, and delivers a hearty dose of nostalgia.

The "That '70s Show" episode "Prom Night" is a reminder that having sky-high expectations often ends in disappointment. Eric (Topher Grace) is hoping to do the deed with Donna (Laura Prepon), so he rents a motel room, but its shabbiness doesn't exactly inspire romance. A recently single Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) takes Pam Macy (Jennifer Lyons) to prom, so Jackie forces Hyde (Danny Masterson) to be her date, too. Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), who has no prospects whatsoever, becomes convinced that his English teacher has a thing for him.

Though most of the characters are on the struggle bus in this episode, it does feature a surprise in the form of a great "That '70s Show" guest star. In an effort to cheer up poor, dateless Fez, the school's music teacher, Mrs. Clark, begins to sing a little song called "I Will Survive." The catch? Mrs. Clark is played by singer Gloria Gaynor, who originated the famous tune. It's a fun episode that details the many pitfalls of prom night and provides some compelling relationship drama.

The best prom episode of "Saved by the Bell" is also one of the best episodes of the show, full stop. It gives equal time to everyone's story arcs and allows for some satisfying character growth. Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) asks Kelly (Tiffani Thiessen) to go to prom with him, and she says yes. But when Kelly's father loses his job, she decides to give her prom dress money to him instead (why he accepts her money, we'll never know). Slater (Mario Lopez) and Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley) kick off their relationship by going to prom together. Screech (Dustin Diamond) goes on a movie date with Lisa (Lark Voorhies), only to realize he really doesn't like her personality very much.

Though all of these plotlines are significant, Zack and Kelly's relationship arc is the most rewarding. Up to this point, Zack has been constantly plotting ways to make money or become a celebrity, but in this episode, he uses that entrepreneurial spirit to plan a sweet outdoor picnic for Kelly instead of taking her to prom, and romance is born.

The "Friends" episode "The One With the Prom Video" is essential, sparking a classic "Friends" pairing and offering a glimpse into the characters' pasts. In addition to a subplot about Joey (Matt LeBlanc) gifting Chandler (Matthew Perry) an expensive, ugly bracelet, most of the episode centers on the video in question. Monica's (Courteney Cox) parents drop off some of her old stuff, including a recording of her and Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) prom night. This leads us to the very worst part of the episode, which is Monica's regrettable, unnecessary, and unfunny fat suit. (Rachel also used to have a bigger nose.)

In the video, Rachel is stood up by her date, and Ross (David Schwimmer) dons his dad's tuxedo to take her instead. When Rachel's date arrives at the last minute, Ross looks disappointed. In the present day, Rachel is moved by Ross's devotion, forgives him for writing a list of her worst qualities, and they kiss. Ultimately, a frilly (literally) prom video helps launch a series-long romance.

"The O.C." prom episode, "The Party Favor," presents a typically drama-filled day for the teen residents of Orange County. Our two couples are separated, and prom presents the perfect opportunity to mend fences. Seth (Adam Brody) tries to win Summer (Rachel Bilson) back by asking her to prom, but she rejects him with some very harsh words. Seth attends prom with Anna (Samaire Armstrong), while Summer's date is a K-pop star. Meanwhile, Marissa (Mischa Barton) pairs up with the no-good Volchok (Cam Gigandet), and Ryan (Ben McKenzie) goes with Theresa (Navi Rawat).

Things don't end well for any of our intrepid teens. Upset with Seth for taking Anna, Summer gets boozed up and falls off the stage after winning prom queen. Marissa catches Volchok kissing someone else and cries on the pier in her expensive dress. Upset with Volchok for his treatment of Marissa and for stealing money, Ryan nearly beats him to death. Basically, the perfect prom night. Welcome to the O.C., b*tch.

Whether to lose their virginity is the central question of the "Boy Meets World" prom episode, "Prom-ises, Prom-ises." In preparation for prom night, Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) have made a chart detailing the pros and cons of having sex, and decided they will go through with it if the conditions are perfect. Cory's dad, Alan (William Russ), warns Cory about the dangers of pregnancy, only to find out that his wife, Amy (Betsy Randle), is pregnant.

Things don't exactly go perfectly for Cory and Topanga. Howie (Jarrett Lennon) tags along as a third wheel, and Cory books a hotel room in the most awkward manner possible. Various mishaps befall them in the hotel room, and they decide not to have sex. Like the best "Boy Meets World" episodes, "Prom-ises, Prom-ises" allows its teens to come to their own conclusions. Regrettably, however, the episode contains zero discussion of safe sex, something star Rider Strong has called "irresponsible" on an episode of "Pod Meets World." Still, the episode deals with sex so frankly that The Disney Channel banned it.

The "Dawson's Creek" prom episode features melodramatic heartbreak, swoon-worthy romance, and a pro-LGBTQ+ message in the year 2000, all of which get big thumbs up from us. In "The Anti-Prom," Dawson (James Van Der Beek), Joey (Katie Holmes), and Andie (Meredith Monroe) decide to host an alternative prom after Jack (Kerr Smith) faces discrimination for bringing Ethan (Adam Kaufman) as his date.

Dawson wants to get back together with Joey, and Andie hopes to woo Pacey, but Joey and Pacey's deep connection thwarts their plans. The duo has an intimate moment where Pacey recalls exactly what Joey was wearing six months ago, whispering "I remember everything" and making teen hearts everywhere swoon. Jen (Michelle Williams), meanwhile, learns that Henry (Michael Pitt) is leaving for the summer. Unfortunately, Ethan is still too nervous to be with Jack in public. (The historic gay kiss doesn't happen until the Season 3 finale in the following episode.) Dawson's annoying antics aside (let Joey be!), it's a sweet episode that highlights LGBTQ+ acceptance and the camaraderie between the students at Capeside High.

The first prom episode of "Glee" explores a theme that defines the show's existence: the difficulty of being true to yourself in a world where you don't always fit in. In "Prom Queen," the New Directions are tasked with performing at junior prom when the previous band drops out. McKinley students are vying for prom king and prom queen, with several Glee club members in the running.

Karofsky (Max Adler) and Santana (Naya Rivera) are still in the closet, while Kurt (Chris Colfer) asks Blaine (Darren Criss) to be his prom date. Meanwhile, Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff) returns, angering Finn, and Quinn (Dianna Agron) slaps Rachel (Lea Michele) in the bathroom. In the end, Karofsky is voted prom king while Kurt is voted prom queen, presumably as a cruel joke. He decides to accept the award anyway, becoming a hero to gay kids everywhere and dancing with Blaine as Mercedes (Amber Riley) and Santana sing "Dancing Queen." Despite some odd choices for prom songs ("Jar of Hearts" and "Friday"), it's a heartwarming episode that hits on all the classic "Glee" tropes.

The prom in "One Tree Hill" is one of the most disastrous TV proms we've ever seen, which is exactly what makes these two episodes so memorable. As all great high school escapades do, "Prom Night at Hater High" begins with a sex tape. As it turns out, Nathan (James Lafferty) and Brooke (Sophia Bush) drunkenly hooked up at a party two years ago, and everyone finds out via video. Peyton (Hilarie Burton) punches Brooke in the face, while pregnant Haley (Bethany Joy Lenz) asks Nathan for a list of everyone he's slept with.

Nathan and Haley work it out, but Brooke and Peyton get into an even more violent fight on the front lawn. We hate to see the two BFFs at odds, but it's also pretty hilarious. Peyton's "Duck, duck, duck, b*tch" line cracks us up. By the end of the first episode, things take an even darker turn. Peyton's stalker, Psycho Derek (Matt Barr), ties Peyton up in the basement, and when Brooke comes to check on Peyton, he captures her, too. Luckily, the two friends reconcile and take him out, showing up to prom bloodied and bruised. Just a normal evening in the quaint town of Tree Hill.

The prom episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," called "Just Say Yo," has the aura of an after-school special, but strong writing and powerful performances elevate it above the rest. Will (Will Smith) is exhausted and struggling to manage all his responsibilities. His classmate offers him some speed to stay awake, and he puts it in his locker. At prom, Will can barely keep his eyes open, while Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) is freaking out because he has a pimple. Will sleepily suggests Carlton get a vitamin from his locker, but Carlton takes the speed instead and collapses on the dance floor.

Will takes Carlton to the hospital, and his uncle Phil (James Avery) thanks him for his quick thinking, but Will feels guilty and tells him the speed came from his locker. Phil is outraged and forces Will to apologize to the entire family, causing Will to break down from the stress and guilt. Ultimately, he is forgiven, and we see how much pressure Will is under. Though it's not as soul-crushing as the episode about Will's dad, it still hits us right in the feels.

The "Parenthood" prom episode works so well because it gives every generation of the Braverman clan a chance to get involved in the coming-of-age process. Crosby (Dax Shepard) tries to grow up by selling his houseboat and buying a house on land. Julia (Erika Christensen) struggles to get closer to her daughter. Haddie (Sarah Ramos) asks her older boyfriend, Alex (Michael B. Jordan), to prom, and he hesitantly agrees. Amber (Mae Whitman) didn't get into Berkeley — something she neglected to tell her mom — and is moping, but Haddie convinces her to go to prom with Alex's friend, Brandon (Evan Peters).

Sarah (Lauren Graham) is delighted her sullen daughter is participating in this sacred tradition, but Haddie's dad, Adam (Peter Krause), is freaking out. He had sex on prom night, and he's worried Haddie will do the same. Haddie and Alex weren't planning on it, but after Kristina (Monica Potter) brings it up, they actually do have sex that night. Good work, parents. Meanwhile, Amber gets moody again and returns home to a brokenhearted Sarah. Though not as explosive as some "Parenthood" episodes, it offers up a perfect blend of heartbreak, hope, and growing pains.

In typical "Grey's Anatomy" fashion, prom night ends in tragedy. In "Losing My Religion," Dr. Webber's (James Pickens Jr.) niece, Camille (Tessa Thompson), is in the hospital after passing out at prom, and the doctors discover her ovarian cancer has returned. Dr. Webber decides to host a prom for her in the hospital, and makes Izzie's (Katherine Heigl) interns decorate. Izzie and her interns are in hot water because Izzie pulled Denny's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) LVAD wire to get him a heart transplant.

Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Derek (Patrick Dempsey), and Addison (Kate Walsh) reach a rare consensus when they agree to euthanize their shared dog, Doc. But the worst is yet to come. Though the heart transplant was successful, Denny suddenly has a stroke and dies. Izzie rushes to his side, but it's too late, and we are left with the haunting image of Izzie lying next to Denny in her prom dress. Izzie admits to pulling the wire and quits, while Meredith and Derek hook up (again). A dead dog, a dead fiancé, and a teenager with cancer? It's a doozy of an episode, and it's also one of the best in "Grey's" history.

The prom episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is hands down our favorite TV prom episode. It has a compelling narrative, moves the plot forward, deepens our understanding of the characters, and uses the prom itself as a metaphor for Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) high school experience. Prom is one final night of innocence before everything gets hard again.

In "The Prom," a maladjusted Sunnydale student, Tucker (Brad Kane), trains hellhounds to attack people in formalwear in an effort to ruin prom. Buffy tells her friends she'll stop Tucker so they can attend the dance. In the interim, Angel (David Boreanaz), after getting a stern talking to from Joyce (Kristine Sutherland), breaks up with Buffy in a sewer. Buffy easily defeats Tucker and makes it back in time to enjoy some of the prom. To her great surprise, the prom committee has created a brand new award for her: Class Protector, as a thanks for the many students she's saved. It's one of the most moving moments of the entire series, and it's followed by the appearance of Angel, who's there to give Buffy one final dance. It's a truly perfect episode of TV.