Heartbreak High (TV Series 2022–2025) Poster

(2022–2025)

User Reviews

Review this title
75 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
9/10
The best representation of autism onscreen that I've ever seen.
eringuest-249318 October 2022
Finally, autistic actors are being casted to play autistic characters. This series was the first time I've ever seen myself authentically represented on-screen, the first time I've seen myself shown as anything other than a punchline or a cause for pity. I hope this is the start of change for representation of autistic people in media.

As an Australian teenager, a lot of the media I come across is heavily Americanized and not at all relatable, so this was definitely a welcome change. This is an incredibly candid and funny look into what modern adolescence in Australia is really like, and I'm looking forward to seeing more.
49 out of 58 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Really well-done high school drama with a lot of great storylines.
Imme-van-Gorp16 October 2022
Season One: 9/10

Themes: High School, Drama, Friendship, Romance, Lgbtq+, Gay, Lesbian, Non-Binary, Asexuality, Sexual Assault, Autism, Sex Education, Police Violence, Parties, Popularity, Troubled Teens & Australian.

Review: I was very pleasantly surprised with this series and I can honestly say I was invested. I thought the acting was great, the storyline was well-crafted and the writing was pretty ace too. All around, it was well done! The characters were also well-developed and they were all interesting in their own way. Almost all of them annoyed me in some way or another, but that also made them seem more real, I guess. I definitely have characters and storylines I prefer over others, but generally the whole series intrigued and entertained me! It was fun, emotional and surprising.

Top four characters: 1) Darren Rivers, 2) Harper McLean, 3) Douglas 'Ca$h' Piggott and 4) Quinni Gallagher-Jones.
27 out of 32 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Surprisingly good
blebbe16 September 2022
I expected this to be another one of those poorly produced Netflix dramas that try to seem relatable to teenagers, but miserably fail at it. But I was surprised in many ways. Sure, it's still a pretty unrealistic portrayal of teenagers, but it had some nice parts. There are a variety of different stories in this series, some of them are pretty interesting. The characters themselves very interesting as well. The acting was surprisingly good too. Some of the comedy fell a little short and won't probably work in a few years, but nothing too bad. Sometimes I think the series was even making fun of today's teenage culture. I wish it had leaned more towards that, because it would have been a more interesting take. All in all: a good binge watch!
54 out of 69 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Very relatable
sahorlings17 September 2022
I have never seen an accurate representation of myself in any serie. Quinni was the first autistic girl I have seen accurately portrayed how it feels to be afab and autistic. Not the classic white boys like sheldon and sherlock. And to top it off, Quinni was actually played by an autistic actor! I finally felt really understood.

Not to even talk about the lgbt+ representation. For once one of the main characters was an amab nonbinary person of colour. I loved how diverse this cast and characters was.

I would definitely recommend you watch this series if you want to see yourself represented. I'm sure at least one of the characters are relatable for you.
107 out of 124 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Wanted to hate this so much....
Lil_Git28 September 2022
I started off absolutely hating this reboot of one of my favorite TV shows. I thought it was badly written, over the top woke bs and I was absolutely gonna vote this down and give it a one star review.

I continued watching the episodes and started to realize the damn thing was growing on me...

The writing wasn't great in many areas and I cringed more than a few times with some of the lines that were written.

But honestly, I have to say I got to the end of the last episode and wanted another season.

I am still in love with Peter Rivers as much today as I was back in the 90's...I loved him more than I loved Drazic.

My favorite character without a doubt is Darren.

PLEASE GIVE US ANOTHER SEASON.
67 out of 78 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Actually autistic representation!!!
LolaMarria13 October 2022
A show that actually listens to autistic voices instead of suppressing them. This is the first time I've ever related to a character so much. Quinni is amazing and so is Chloe Hayden. Episode "Angeline" is literally the truth of what it is like being autistic in the modern world and the challenges we face when it comes to ableism. The fact that Chloe got a say in the character, that is the future! <3. After the last few years of ableism the community has faced this is exactly what we needed. It's heartwarming. The performance is so amazing and I can't fault it one bit. It makes me proud to be autistic and helps me feel more accepted!
21 out of 24 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Better than Sex Education
vanessxisabelle22 September 2022
Absolutely obsessed with this show. It definitely gave me Sex Education vibes but in my opinion it's even better. I could relate to Amerie so well, Ca$h and Darren and Quinnie and Malakai were such amazing and loveable, relatable characters (even if they were frustrating at times, but that's just what made it so much more realistic). Loved the continuous, not really foreseeable storyline between Harper and Amerie, it always kept the plot even more interesting and made it impossible to stop watching. Every single character beought something important to the table and the whole show is just so so up to date and therefore an incredibly good, important remake that touches all the right topics!
71 out of 91 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
As a gen z, yes.
waitresstyles10 December 2022
As a gen z teen who watches all the latest I find myself cringing at a lot of teen shows nowadays. It's too 80s with the whole vibe, or painfully older than teen years. I wanted to hate this show but I think it's the best gen z rep I've seen. It just has so many true aspects to it of being a teen nowadays and even how they presented romance in the show for teen years. Wish we could have seen more to be honest, it's a show I would watch a few seasons worth if they came out but still loved it even without the extension. Good show and felt like someone from my generation helped write it , very relatable.
10 out of 11 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
AMAZING!! SEASON 2 NEEDED!!
leylayilmaz-1301018 September 2022
I watched this show not really knowing what to expect, but I loved it and binged it all in two days!! There's someone in it that anyone can relate to, the representation is so so well done. The accurate autism portrayal by an ACTUALLY autistic actress is HUGE, and i'm sure it is a MASSIVE step in the film industry becoming more inclusive, correctly. The acting by everyone is incredible, and I couldn't believe that for most of the cast this was their first break! I can't wait to see what heartbreak high will bring for the actors' futures as they are all so incredibly talented. Hopefully a season 2 is in the making, I can't wait for it!!
45 out of 58 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
The kids are alright for now
annemaree-9907413 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Wow, this show is polarising: people here either love or hate it. It sit somewhere in the middle, awarding Heartbreak High (HH) a 7.5 with pros and cons. First: the pros. The show was much better than I expected, quite funny and entertaining. I loved the Sydney setting because I tried to guess the suburbs, beaches and schools featured in episodes. I thought the diverse cast were mostly very good: the different gender identities were much needed in Australian TV shows which tend to present a generic vanilla lifestyle to international audiences. I thought HH successfully balanced themes teenage audiences care about with intergenerational dramas with their parents. Praise be to the writers for making Generation X parents slightly cool. One example was how the latter reacted with amusement to the school protest. I hope to see more exploration of the two generations in the next season.

Now the cons: I understand that the show wants to explore gender identity and sexual orientation of teenagers along with friendships, hedonism, parties and consent. However, these themes may become repetitive and shallow if the writers do not start exploring larger themes Generation Z care about. Isn't this generation the most concerned about climate change and the instigators of the climate strikes? Shows like Derry Girls successfully balanced absurd, humorous and darker themes. I do not think HH successfully depicted the trauma of a First Nations student being bullied by the police: this event was resolved very quickly. As well, as a former educator, schools take accusations of child abuse very seriously, much more so than in HH. The writers missed a golden opportunity to explore themes of power in false accusations by students. Please get some actual educators in the writer's room!

I will come after you for a writing credit if I see climate change in the next season, LOL.
4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
A die hard original heartbreak high fan
laurelwhicker26 November 2022
It's good but not as good as the original. Although you do see a original cast member in a couple scenes I wish you saw much more of him and other original cast members as that's what I think it's missing.

It needs some of the old heartbreak high with a few more original cast members and the same flare added to the modern spin if it had that it would be perfect. It lacks certain things the original had. All together the show is ok but it really just needs some more of the original series added into it to make it better.

I must say I love the fact we see rivers but we need a whole life more of him.
7 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
The reboot
sycomac17 September 2022
As a massive fan of the original series in the 90s and am very happy that the powers that be deemed it was worthy of a reboot cause it really is.

Now to the fans of the original that think maybe this is too woke or cashing in on political correctness you are wrong the original show tackled controversial issues that were relevant at the time same as what they are doing here, it's a big thumbs up from me so far but I do hope they have some light hearted episodes let's not make it all grim. Was really good to see Scott Major back as Rivers still trying to work out is it the same guy Or a new man.
22 out of 33 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
1/10
Trash with zero substance
jodiestillrock21 November 2022
This is so embarrassing, I was a big fan of the original Heartbreak High but is just utter trash. If it genuinely does reflect how teenagers are today, I feel deeply saddened, but does the plot actually contain anything more than the slutty sex lives of teenagers?

Even the relationships between these teens have zero substance. After watching several episodes I still don't really know anything about most of these characters, which in my opinion is poor writing and makes it really hard to care about any of them.

Boring boring boring.. I don't feel I'm being judgemental as I actually still enjoy a lot of younger adult or teenage viewing series.
18 out of 31 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Loved loved loved it!
sharoncsalerni-6976523 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I absolutely Loved this show and was so excited that it is coming back with another season! It left off at such a great spot that you could be happy with it but to know that more is coming is exciting!

I hope we get to see the two main characters friendship more closely now that they ended up being friend. Finding out what actually happened to her was crazy especially because it's the last thing you'd ever think! Seeing her in the car with the boys and thinking that's it and she's just mad about that and not being let into her friends room would make me upset too but to then see what else happened that night... wow!

This was super original and fun to watch! The main actress was a delight to watch with her big beautiful doe eyes! The strength she has and shows after all the hate she gets from pretty much every one is insane land she is strong enough to not even care!

Loved every episode, glad the girls are friends again and I am excited to see if their friendship really is as strong as they thought it was or if there is still any hurt or anything between them. Is also like her to end up with the cute guy she was dating! Although his reason for breaking up was pretty stupid.
7 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Great Aussie addition
b-n-r-228-53203518 September 2022
I don't often write reviews, but I felt this series needed some serious vindication.

Firstly, I've never seen the original so this was completely fresh for me.

Secondly, I think the comparisons to 'Sex Education' (which I'm a huge fan of) are just lazy; Sex Education did not invent the archetype of hormonal teenagers, I mean come on 🙄

The acting is solid, the stories are entertaining and reasonably unique and the inclusion, at least for me, did not feel tokenistic in the slightest; Australia, particularly in inner city suburbs, is hugely diverse, and this show provides an 'accurate' (as much as a tv show can be) and entertaining portrayal of modern teen life.

Give it a go, and if you can spare yourself the unfair comparisons to other shows that strike a passing resemblance, you might actually enjoy yourself.
31 out of 39 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
8.5 Great Aussie Series
syd_reeses_pieces15 September 2022
Amazing show, funny, emotional, great three-dimensional characters that highlight just how diverse the Australian population is. More realistic than Euphoria, think it will definitely appeal to fans of Sex Education (but not as graphic so okay for younger teens ~15). Really captured the experience of growing up in Australia. The casting was amazing, and the diversity in the cast really let the writers explore so many different Aussie experiences, especially loved seeing the Aboriginal representation actually done well. Great Aussie music too (The Divinyls, and strawberry kisses were fun throwbacks), will be devo'd if this isn't renewed ;) want season 2 asap.
44 out of 58 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
What an absolute banger
kickever27 September 2022
We need more good Aussie shows like this, they're relatable, deep, funny and has so much diversity. To the LGBTQIA's, indigenous, disabilities and the personalities. It honestly could impact all of Australia and the way things work.

The stories never slowed, it always kept me guessing. Some characters I fell in love with, especially the ships, and some characters I was annoyed/repulsed by, with every episode my opinions kept changing.

I love the use of our Aussie slang and just getting to hear our accent on tv again was just so refreshing. We need more shows like this, more Aussie authentic shows.
26 out of 34 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Actually pretty good
angeloukorstjens3 November 2022
Born in 1983, i am a huge fan of the original series. I expected the worst from this reboot, but actually really enjoyed it. I think it's well done and represents stuff that kids deal with nowadays. The only thing I'm missing, compared to the old show, is a few storylines of adults. I mean us 80s kids are DESPERATE to know how Rivers ended up back in the city he deeply hated and apparently married someone that isn't Sam!! Him driving into the sunset with teacher Sam, was just so satisfying for our teenage hearts. We need answers! But overal, very entertaining show, definitely interested to see a second season.
3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Absolutely brilliant
mark-948113 October 2022
Heartbreak High is a brilliant Australian show. I loved the original series and it remakes are always a risk but they have done an incredible job. Many of the references and slang might confuse foreign audiences but it would still be very watchable and engaging. The acting is excellent and avoids the common cringe factor we get with high school settings. Some may see this as derivative of Sex Education but the original vastly predates this other great series. There is careful effort to ensure queer representation but not contrived. Second season starts a bit slow and hard to piece together after over a year off but then becomes very likable again.
11 out of 13 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Very influenced by Sex Education
labebe20 August 2023
Too much trauma bonding was used to expedite the plot . Excellent acting. Rachel House was awesome. Loved Malakai's storyline and Quinni's story as well. Just didn't like the jaded energy of some of the characters. Teenagers can be dorks, completely uncool and still have compelling stories to relate. Just have general criticism of kids being shown as adultified. It is a continuing issue with teem shows. Young ppl can shown growing up without catapulting all of their experiences into hard partying and normalised drug use. Every weekend is not Carnival. Also, for all of the diversity in the cast, race was only referenced with Malakai and the other 2 First Nations characters and with. Darren and their dad. I know Darren was supposed to be the voice of oppression in a sassy way but overall, the subject of race was treated very superficially.
3 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
It has it's flaws but the positives outweigh them
lcot-6124416 September 2022
A decently accurate representation of teens in Australia with a great cast of flawed characters that you find yourself being really invested in. They all have their own depth and no one feels like an unnecessary addition. Sex is a main theme but it is never shown or referenced in a way that feels unnecessary or gratuitous. It is well paced and written, nothing feels unearned.

Good balance of funny and serious, found myself both laughing and nearly crying.

Yeah some of the acting isn't 100% but these are young actors and you can feel them get better and better as the season goes on.

Hope it gets a season two.
31 out of 43 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Lots of laughs, enjoyed it
jenhae17 November 2022
I kinda expected a Sex Education knock-off. And in some ways it is. In the beginning it is actually a bit distracting. But with every episode it actually takes a step away and - as many have pointed out - feels a bit like Euphoria instead. Considering that some people feel like Euphoria is too heavy and SE a bit too quirky Heartbreak High rests in the middle. Last episode is a bit messy but I can overlook that considering some great perfomances along the way (Quinni and Ca$h especially, the kind of represenation that is so desperatly needed). Shows like this are really great to binge. Just saw that it got renewed - Excited for more.
3 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
3/10
Overtly Hypersexualised Rubbish
sorchahonorine19 September 2022
I am a Heartbreak High fan from way back. But I'm certainly not a fan of the current version though!

At first, the casting looked promising but it descended pretty quickly into debauched and overdone sexualisation of teens with every girl and guy seemingly gay or bi and into anything that moved. Honestly? Whoever produced this clearly consulted with a 13 year old and retold their wet dream in the form of this series. It was infantile, fantastical and utterly debased.

Drugs were free (Westies doing coke? Yeah right..) with every character seemingly into them except the token Autistic character who was apparently on medication anyway. (Fear not, they had plenty of stereotypes to hang off her as well which was just appalling).

As someone working in schools, I laughed at this embarrassing representation of a modern high school.

Unfortunately, it's very apparent in this reboot that today's tv writers are hanging off American tropes and trying so hard to be edgy that they end up limp wristed.

This series is not only disappointing but absolutely cringeworthy.
36 out of 71 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Review from a teenager during the original series
robinhio84_20 September 2022
Synopsis ¨Heartbreak 22¨ follows a almost identical format to the original series, but very current and updated.

Analysis: reboots generally are interesting. The tap into a brand, with a dedicated fanbase they can be tricky when it comes to the reactions of old fans. Personally as a 84 born kid I really wanted to like it, but there was a bit of concern. After watching the first two episodes it's easy to admit how well it is done. Realistic, fun and captures the spirit of Heartbreak High very well.

The great thing about the series though is that is it just as relatable a the originals. One warning the 3rd and 4th episode are really not great, they go into an Americanized format of a high school drama and bank only on the sex. Don't worry after a de-tour around the 5th episodes it pick up again.

Story: all the dramas and shananigans that teenagers go through during the high school

Dialogue: 10/10 fantastic Costume / Decor: 10/10 as realistic as can be

Anything else: very excited to see to series unfold as it is going. And I hope this series with catch on with a whole new generation. Coz that is where the real success is measured.
23 out of 31 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Did not expect to like this so much
shannonripsher0821 April 2024
I was under the impression this was aimed at a younger audience (early teens) so I put off watching it for quite a while. I am glad I finally tuned in though because not only was I wrong about the audience, but I also got to truly connect with two different characters. One as an autistic, and another as an Asexual. I much prefer this to sex education. I am so glad that autism was presented SO FRIGGING WELL that I felt it all. The casting of someone who is on the spectrum was definitely the right call to make. And asexuality is still unheard of so it's nice to have a little acknowledgment that not all of us have that urge.
4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
An error has occured. Please try again.

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Clear your history

Recently Viewed