Our introduction to the rest of the core cast is built around this storyline when they’re all hauled into special sex education class to learn about sexual risk-taking,consent and safe practices. There’s outsider Darren (James Majoos),a non-binary student who,with his best friend Quinni (Chloe Hayden),who is neurodivergent,befriends Amerie;Will McDonald as Ca$h,a sweet-hearted drug dealer with dodgy mates and a soft spot for Darren;Malakai (Thomas Weatherall) a new Indigenous student;Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran),a Chinese-Australian non-binary student;Josh Heuston as Dusty,the object of Amerie’s affections,and Missy (Sherry-Lee Watson),an Indigenous student and ex-girlfriend of Sasha.
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Each of these actors is terrific and while veteran actor Rachel House plays school principal Woodsy for (mostly dark) laughs,it works. It’s a radically different Hartley High,sharing more sensibilities with HBO’s controversialEuphoriathan the originalHeartbreak;this series is not trying to be a nostalgia hit (although there is one “legacy” character,for the fans).
Given the breadth of topical issues the series tackles (not just sex but drugs,fractured families,cultural matters,violence),it could have fallen into “after-school special” territory,but with the slick direction (very different from the original’s cinema verite style,shot on film),believable dialogue,genuinely diverse cast and story arcs that don’t necessarily conclude neatly,the 2022Heartbreak High is wild,fun,moving and bound to be shocking to some viewers – exactly what a drama about teenagers should be.
Heartbreak High is on Netflix from September 14.