Whatever the mood,the core obsessions are the same:sex (lots of it,or none at all for the handful of abstainers known as the Puriteens);identity (more fluid than a bowl of water);and the search for fast times at Hartley High (very few of which actually involvebeingat Hartley High. With all the partying,sex and scandal,it’s a miracle anyone ever gets any schoolwork done).
But two new characters prove absolutely critical in steering the ship into new territory.
First is Rowan (Sam Rechner),a good-looking fellow from the country who quickly catches the eye of young lovers Amerie (Ayesha Madon) and Malakai (Thomas Weatherall). The first day back at school starts with the pair grabbing a quickie in the stairwell,but by the end of the week Malakai mostly has eyes only for the dude in the check flannel shirt.
The other newcomer is Timothy Voss (Angus Sampson),a PE teacher consumed with anger at the “wokeness” he claims is ruining the world (he’d do his nut if he watched this show). He’s part Iron John,part Jordan Peterson,all angry man determined to keep the flame of toxic masculinity alight. And he’s found a willing group of young acolytes in the boys in his charge.
Other than relationships (the real subject of this show),the major narrative through line is Amerie’s tilt at the school captaincy. She’s campaigning under the banner of the sex education class SLTs (pronounced sluts),and Quinni (Chloe Hayden) is her deputy and campaign manager. At least,Quinni is her campaign manager until she becomes obsessed with solving the riddle of Bird Psycho,a mystery character with a penchant for leaving avian corpses around the place as markers of his/her/their loathing of Amerie (the second narrative through line).