Why The Entire World Is Obsessed With Australia's 'Heartbreak High' Reboot

Why The Entire World Is Obsessed With Australia’s ‘Heartbreak High’ Reboot

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Netflix’s reboot of Heartbreak High is putting Australia on the map for all the right reasons — and we’re here for it.

To loop you into the world of everything Heartbreak High, the plot follows Hartley High students as they confront topics like racism, sexual identity, slut-shaming, and consent. The original series aired from 1994 to 1999 but was then picked up by Netflix and rebooted in 2022 with a modern twist: think of the series as a mash-up of Euphoria, Puberty Blues, and Sex Education.

The show has racked up over 18 million views in one week, with Mediaweek reporting that the series charted in the top 10 on Netflix in 43 countries.

Heartbreak High has received so much praise that viewers are demanding that the teen series gets another season.

But before we jump into everything that it’s being praised for, some people were initially weary of the reboot.

Gogglebox-star-turned-Bachelorette Angie Kent, even said on her Two Girls One Pod podcast that she was worried that Netflix would “butcher” the original series and said that she “wish they would call it something else” rather than Heartbreak High, but she still urged people to give it a go.

Due to the inclusive casting, some critics also had a fear that the reboot would be ‘too woke’. Heartbreak High OG Salvatore Coco praised the reboot while acknowledging concerns made by older fans. “There were a little bit of concerns about whether or not it might be a bit too woke…but no, it touched on the topics and wasn’t in your face,'” he told the TV Blackbox podcast. 

The show has surprised not only Aussie fans but the whole world.

Here are the reasons people around the world are obsessed with Heartbreak High: 

1. Diversity

Right off the bat, the diversity in this cast is pretty groundbreaking for an Australian teen series.

Missy, who is played by Sherry-Lee Watson, and Malakai, who is portrayed by Thomas Weatherall, are both First Nations actors within the main cast. Other non-white talent in major roles include Darren (James Majoos) who is South-African-Australian, teacher Jojo Obah (Chika Ikogwe) who is Nigerian-Australian, and our leading lady, Amerie (Ayesha Madon) who is South-Asian-Australian.

Heartbreak High also features diverse writing talent with Meyne Wyatt, a First Nations writer on the show, who spoke out about the importance of diversity in the workplace and how it helped the success of the reboot. “Heartbreak High would not be ‘the hit’ it is, without its diversity. Particularly the diversity of the writer’s room,” he tweeted.

The character of Quinni, who is played by disability activist, author and artist Chloe Hayden, has also been celebrated for representing people on the spectrum.

Firstly, as an autistic woman, Chloe being cast to play an autistic character is truly iconic. In an interview with News.com.au, Chloe revealed that Quinni was originally written as neuro-divergent rather than autistic, but after speaking with the writers, they were on board in making that change.

“They’ve done a beautiful thing in showing autism in a way that is real. This is an autistic character, this is an autistic person. But she’s also funny and she’s intelligent and she’s a best friend and she’s her own person,” Chloe said. She also revealed that due to her autism, she was homeschooled from year 8 which meant that being able to play an autistic character in high school was a “healing experience” for her.

Overall, Heartbreak High’s diversity both on screen and behind-the-scenes is something worth celebrating.

2. Sexuality and gender identity

As mentioned earlier, Heartbreak High explores the lives of teenagers. And throughout the show, we see one character struggle with their sexual identity: Ca$h. One of the best things about this show is its unique approach to showcasing queer stories, which is evident through the relationship between Darren and eshay Ca$h.

To give you a quick TL;DR on Ca$h and Darren, let’s just say Heartbreak High finally gives you the eshay love story you been waiting for with this relationship.

Fans are also applauding the character of Ca$h for reppin’ the asexual community. In one scene, we learn the Ca$h isn’t interested in being sexual with Darren (yet), which causes a rift between the two. Although the scene was sad, fans were grateful to see asexuality being represented on something as mainstream as Heartbreak High.

It’s also worth mentioning the queer relationship between lesbians Quinni and Sasha, even though Sasha was an unlikeable character (IMO). Darren is also a non-binary queer character who uses they/them pronouns on the show.

3. The dialogue

Too cringe or not too cringe? It doesn’t matter cause the dialogue is hilarious!

And our fave lines usually came from the always iconic, Darren. Their reads, their one-liners, their claps… it’s all just *chef’s kiss* Their dialogue throughout the show has been so entertaining that fans have posted reaction videos and fancams of the character.

@dylansweakknees Darren once said #darrenrivers#heartbreakhigh#heartbreakhigh2022#heartbreakhighnetflix #heartbreakhighfans ♬ original sound – Dylansweakknees

While at times, the show can be cringe for viewers, especially with some of the online phrases being said IRL, Heartbreak High’s writing is relatable to those who are chronically online, or people who just love TikTok…

Sure, hearing internet buzzwords being used on the screen can be quite jarring, but it totally fits the vibe.

4. Lastly, Ca$h’s nan

CaSh’s Nan has to be one of the best Aussie characters in TV history.

Firstly, her style is gorgeous. She’s giving us Target meets Tree Of Life kinda vibes!

Her relationship with her grandson Douglas, aka Ca$h, is super wholesome and we love how they care for each other.

One of her iconic moments was the scene where she covers for Ca$h with the police, stalling them and eventually flipping the cops the bird when they leave her doorstep.

While she’s only a minor character on the series that’s all about high schoolers and their problems, Ca$h’s nan has made a massive impact on the Heartbreak High fanbase.

Ca$h’s nan is on track to being an Aussie icon — we must protect her at all costs!

Check out The Junkee Takeaway’s video on why Australia is just so goddamn obsessed with Heartbreak High: