celera

The question is to compare to other shows but I see some parallels between YA and Harry Potter. Of course they both take place in boarding schools but it's more than that. Ryder is a lot like Malfoy but I'm sure he has more of a conscience since he let Will borrow his car. I believe Hamilton and Jake have the potential to be better pranksters than Fred and George. Hamilton is such a gold mine of inside info about the school that he is basically a Marauder's Map.

As for a Will counterpart, Jamal from "Finding Forrester" would be one. The way they got into prep schools was a little different but they're both the writer-philosopher types.

As for Bella, I don't see her as "just the girl." I cared about the conflict between her and her mom and I felt that added a lot to her character.