Heartbreak High Season 3 is set to release on March 25th, and with the trailer out, I’m trying to wrap my head around the new season. Netflix’s logline teased the graduation of our main characters (did you forget these characters are in high school, or was that just me? The lack of uniforms always throws me off, but I digress) and hinted at the main conflict of the season. A revenge prank goes terribly wrong, and Amerie and her friends must cover it up. Like most teasers, this is incredibly vague, prompting us to imagine what the Hartley crew has gotten itself into this time.

But first, a recap…

(Spoilers for Heartbreak High Season 2)

We left the characters at a dramatic finale in Season 2. Rowan’s identity as Bird Psycho was revealed, along with the fact that he always blamed Amerie for the death of his younger brother, who we discover was never actually present, but dead the entire time (ouch). The toxic-masculinity squad (or, “Cumlords”) set a fire that nearly burned the school down, though luckily, sports coach and misogynist ringleader, Voss, gets arrested. 

To top it all off, Malakai and Amerie still have feelings for one another. The episode ends with Malakai leaving a letter in Amerie’s locker before taking off to Switzerland. What was in the letter? Will Amerie learn how Malakai truly feels, since the letter was burnt to ashes in the Cumlords’ fire? These are the biggest unresolved questions we have as we head into Season 3.

Analysing the Season 3 trailer

Once you watch past the montage of Muck Up Day chaos, we get clues as to what the “revenge prank” is. Amerie and her friends are seen switching on a carnival ride, running away, and filming it before a man yells at them, and we cut to black. Amerie freezes, an uncharacteristically somber expression on her face.

So… did this Year 12 prank result in the death of a random man? And does the montage of the main cast’s police mugshots mean they get caught for it? If the characters get into legal trouble over their prank, I’m wondering if past wrongdoings will pop up— including the time Amerie and Harper decided to burn down a car belonging to predatory gang member, Chook, back in Season 1.

A slew of interpersonal conflicts is also suggested. Amerie and Harper’s friendship is at risk once again; something’s off between Spider and Missy. There’s the introduction of a new character, whom Amerie seems to date, despite her unresolved past with Malakai. We do see Malaki in the trailer, though, hinting that their relationship may not be over yet.

The broader view

While this all sounds entertaining, I want to know what Heartbreak High is saying thematically. At times, the show can feel disjointed. There are many compelling issues explored in smaller storylines, such as the reveal of Spider’s home life and Malakai exploring his sexuality. Individually, these plot threads are engaging and meaningful. But I don’t see what the storylines mean together. 

The first two seasons feel disconnected. Season 1 digs into the incest map and why Harper dumped Amerie. Season 2 relies on Bird Psycho and the introduction of Rowan to propel the story forward, rather than extending plotlines established in Season 1. While we do get a continuation of subplots like Cash’s jail time and Harper’s legal issues, the main conflict of Bird Psycho feels completely unrelated to the events of Season 1. Each season is engaging in its own right— I loved the Bird Psycho mystery. But Season 2 doesn’t feel like a natural progression of Season 1. 

The biggest issue I have with Heartbreak High involves Amerie, the main character. She navigates a series of mistakes throughout the show, but the significance of these mistakes remains unclear. As a result, she has not shown strong development throughout both seasons. For example, Devi from Never Have I Ever makes all kinds of mistakes throughout each season: cheating on her boyfriend(s), lying, spreading rumours, to name a few. But each mistake takes her further towards accepting herself for who she is. 

Heartbreak High frames Amerie as being “messy”, but doesn’t indicate why she is this way. At this stage of the show, I still don’t know why Amerie keeps making mistakes or what she will ultimately learn from them. Seeing as Season 3 is going to focus on yet another mistake—the carnival ride debacle—I wonder if Amerie will finally learn to stop doing questionable things that lead to major consequences. As this will be the final season, the ending will dictate Heartbreak High’s themes as a whole and how we remember it in the teen show canon.

Finally, some predictions

My biggest prediction is that Malakai and Amerie will end up together— I will be shocked if she is endgame with a guy who didn’t show up until the last season. Equally likely is the possibility that Amerie ends up single, as I could see the show making a point about her independence or focusing on her friendship with Harper. Despite the troubles hinted at in the trailer, I think Quinni will finally find a quality girlfriend. I hope Spider and Missy don’t break up, but I won’t be shocked if they do. 

Overall, I’m hoping that this season will build on the first and second to create something that feels complete and meaningful. When we look back on Heartbreak High, I hope we can identify our own takeaways from the show, synthesising the ups, downs, heartbreaks, and mistakes of each season.

Joy Paola is a third-year UNSW student studying Marine Science and Creative Writing. She loves speculative fiction, long walks by bodies of water, and making playlists for her friends.