Hey, congratulations! You put in all the screen work and aced the final exams. We know it wasn't easy waiting a whole week for that next new episode of Love Story and The Pitt, and you pulled through. (Lest we forget, this is how people consumed their favorite shows in the pre-streaming days.)
But before you pick up your 2026 honorary degree in Television Watching, there’s one more assignment: Checking out how some of TV’s most popular characters commemorated their cap-and-gown rite of passage. Not surprisingly, each experience involves much pomp and circumstance — not to mention some laughs, high drama or both. In order of airdate, here’s your guide to some of television's notable graduation episodes.
Cheers
“Teacher’s Pet”
Airdate: 1/31/85
Sam Malone (Ted Danson) in a scene from "Teacher's Pet."
No, this isn't a flashback episode with Sam Malone (Ted Danson) roaming his high-school hallways. But the Red Sox reliever-turned-bartender is determined to finally score his diploma after dropping out to join the minor leagues. Sleeping with the geography teacher is not classy, so Coach (Nicholas Colasanto) offers to advise him and hilariously teaches him about Albania to the tune of “When the Saints Come Marching In.” The country borders on... the... Adriatic!
The Wonder Years
“Graduation”
Airdate: 5/8/91
The cast of The Wonder Years
What’s the big deal about leaving junior high? As teen Kevin (Fred Savage) surmises, life will just be the same come fall. Alas, he’s crushed when Winnie (Danica McKellar) informs him that Paul (Josh Saviano) is set to attend a prep school. The best friends get into a fight, eventually reconciling at graduation — after all, as Paul reminds him, they’ll soon get their drivers’ licenses. Truly, a poignant coming-of-age lesson.
The Cosby Show
“And So We Commence”
Airdate: 4/30/92
Malcolm Jamal-Warner as Theo in a scene from The Cosby Show pilot
In the show's groundbreaking 1984 pilot, teen Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) brings home a pathetic report card and announces he doesn’t want to go to college. What a wonderful full-circle moment in the series finale when the Huxtable scion, previously diagnosed with dyslexia, graduates from New York University. And the whole family — eh, minus Lisa Bonet’s Denise, who’s in Singapore (?) — is on-hand to help him celebrate.
Saved by the Bell
"Graduation"
Airdate: 12/5/92
A scene from the Saved By the Bell episode "Graduation."
Uh-oh — Zack (Mark-Paul Goselaar) learns he still needs one more credit graduate. But it’s all right, 'cause he joins a dance class and performs in a ballet recital with his friends. At the ceremony, Bayside High’s resident schemer is all smiles when principal Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins) makes it official. Then, he caps it all off with one last fourth-wall break: "How ‘bout that, I actually graduated high school!"
Beverly Hills, 90210
"Commencement"
Airdate: 5/19/93
Shannen Doherty and Jason Priestly in a scene from 90210's "Commencement"
Donna Martin graduates! So does the rest of the gang in a moving installment of TV’s OG high-school soap.
Leading up to the big day, Steve (Ian Ziering, nearing age 30 at the time!) challenges everyone to do "something special." Cut to the night of the ceremony, when they all hike to the Hollywood sign and change it to read "W BEV HI 93." Also, Brenda (Shannen Doherty) reveals that she’s heading to college in, gasp, Minnesota.
Boy Meets World
"Graduation"
Airdate: 5/15/98
Happy retirement, Mr. Feeny. But before the beloved teacher (William Daniels) leaves, he imparts one last lesson and asks the class to write essays about what’s in their hearts in their final days of high school. For Topanga (Danielle Fishel), the answer is not so much a what as a who: In a mid-ceremony jaw-dropper, the valedictorian asks childhood sweetheart Cory (Ben Savage), "Will you marry me?" Cory, obviously, says yes.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
“Graduation, Parts 1 & 2”
Airdate: 5/18/99 & 7/13/99
Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in a scene from "Graduation Day, Part 1."
The logline: The Scooby Gang comes to the end of the road at Sunnyvale High. But fans adore this two-parter — originally split up in the wake of the Columbine shooting — for two other momentous reasons: Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and fellow slayer Faith (Eliza Dushku) finally battle it out to the extreme; and Buffy’s freshly minted ex, Angel (David Boreanaz), exits the picture. Oh, and the town mayor turns into a giant snake.
Felicity
“The Graduate”
Airdate: 4/24/02
Felicity (Keri Russell) ponders her future in a scene from "The Graduate"
The beloved WB college drama started with Felicity (Keri Russell) chasing high-school crush Ben (Scott Speedman) across the country to the University of New York. Now, on the cusp of you-know-what, Ben proposes and asks her to uproot with him to Arizona. Our curly-haired heroine says no and heads back to California. In a promising sign of maturity, he follows her there.
Glee
"Goodbye"
Airdate: 5/22/12
A scene from the Glee episode "Goodbye"
As graduation day approaches, Mr. Schuester (Matthew Morrison) instructs the senior members of New Directions to perform songs to say goodbye to each other. They ace the test thanks to excellent renditions of "We Are Young," "We Are the Champions" and Rod Stewart’s "Forever Young." Meanwhile, Finn (the late Cory Monteith) bids his own farewell to love Rachel (Lea Michele) on a train platform so she can live out her dreams in New York City.
Riverdale
"Chapter Seventy-Nine: Graduation"
Airdate: 2/3/21
The cast of Riverdale
Let’s turn the page on Riverdale High, which proved to be a seminal moment for Archie (KJ Apa) during the last of his high-school days. He splits with Veronica (Camila Mendes) upon his big kiss with Betty (Lily Reinhart) — and, despite almost being held back, dons the cap and gown and decides to enlist in the Army. The installment ends with the core four burying a time capsule on the football field and vowing to reunite in one year. Thanks to an instant fast-forward, they do, in seven.
