Netflix's reboot of the 90s Australian classic Heartbreak High returns for a second season, but critics say it's all flash and no substance. The show, created by Hannah Carroll Chapman, ramps up colour and sensationalism but loses the raw, unfiltered energy of the original.
The season opens with Carrie-esque visions of a school formal in flames, signalling a louder, busier tone. Within the first half-hour, protagonist Amerie (Ayesha Madon) has sex at school. The series is polished and performative, but many moments strain credibility—such as a student scarfing down weed-infused gummies to trigger wild humour, culminating in a threat of self-harm.
The tone is hyper-real and borderline cartoonish, with characters posturing and each having a shtick—even the principal, 'Woodsy' (Rachel House). Returning students include Amerie's love interest Malakai (Thomas Weatherall) and friends Darren (James Majoos) and Quinni (Chloe Hayden). New enrolments include 'Rowan from Dubbo' (Sam Rechner) and a macho PE teacher, Timothy Voss (Angus Sampson).
The humour often falls flat, with a campy noir spoof switching to 4:3 and monochrome for a whodunnit plot. Amerie's morally dubious behaviour is glossed over, and her claim of trying to be a better person rings hollow. The show attempts to satirise social mores but ends up with a flaccid both-siderism, mocking veganism and pronouns on one side and retrograde masculinity on the other.
Compared to more earnest Australian dramas like Bump or Why Are You Like This, Heartbreak High fails to turn Hartley High into a microcosm of society. Despite ramping up the bling and sensationalism, the series lacks genuine heart or social debate.
