Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Confused, dark remake of teen angst movie isn't as good.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Heathers
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 12 kid reviews
Kids say the series attempts to modernize the original concept but ultimately fails to capture its essence, particularly with its approach to diversity among the characters. Many reviewers find that the changes undermine the narrative and themes of bullying, and they suggest watching the original movie or the musical instead, as they present a more coherent take on the story.
- original concept failure
- diversity criticism
- mixed reviews
- inappropriate content
- better alternatives
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Based on the 1989 film of the same name, HEATHERS centers around Veronica Sawyer (Grace Victoria Cox), a high school misfit who struggles to connect with her peers and withstand the slings and arrows of her group of super-popular "friends": quippy genderqueer Heather Duke (Brendan Scannell), meek Heather McNamara (Jasmine Mathews), and queen-bee bully Heather Chandler (Melanie Field). Things were bad enough at school when the Heathers liked Veronica. But when she accidentally gets on Heather Chandler's bad side, Veronica faces crushing social media humiliation. That is, until she meets mysterious transfer student JD (James Scully), who has a dangerous plan for Westerberg and its students that makes Veronica's former angst seem like very small potatoes.
Is It Any Good?
Attempting to remake a cult classic is a dicey move -- and though this series has some interesting updates on the original, it's less appealing than the 1989 movie in pretty much every way. Heathers does get one thing right: It incorporates social media into the social dynamics of Westerberg, making the (very real) possibility of being humiliated in front of the whole world an integral part of the Heathers' bullying. Part of Heather Chandler's power comes from having 245,000 followers (some of them even bloggers in New York and Los Angeles, she sneers), which she turns into a bully pulpit to bend the other students to her will.
But a lot of time has passed since 1989, when Heathers (the movie) was like nothing else that had come before it. This series tiresomely calls out to the movie at every opportunity -- there are scrunchies and croquet mallets, a Snappy Snack Shack and Corn Nuts. But it's not enough, and worse, the series strains to be hip in a way that almost screams "middle-aged dudes trying to write for teens." When JD (who's no Christian Slater) meets Veronica, he says about her friends: "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss." Yes, those are The Who lyrics from 1971. The made-up slang (the original movie was, of course, famous for making up its own "timeless" slang) hits an equally false note: "You can be such an Ugg boot latte," snaps Heather Chandler. It's no "Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?" This series could be worse, but it could be much better, too, even if it weren't based on a beloved property.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stereotyping. What instances of stereotyping exist in Heathers? Do the characters reflect the groups you see among your peers? To what degree is stereotyping necessary for the comedy to be effective? Does stereotyping interfere with your connection to a character?
Families can also talk about why so many movies and TV shows are remakes or reboots of other shows or movies. What's the built-in appeal of a remake? Do you need to have seen the original to appreciate the remake? Have you seen the 1989 movie of the same name? How does this show compare?
Can you think of other high school dramas? Why are schools such popular settings? What dramatic or comedic possibilities do they hold? How does this high school-set drama stack up to others you have seen?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 7, 2018
- Cast : Melanie Field , Grace Victoria Cox , Jasmine Mathews , James Scully
- Network : Paramount Network
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
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