Heartbreak High (2022): parents' guide
Best for ages 16 and up. Rated TV-MA.
A sharp, very frank Australian high school dramedy for older teens, not a family pick for younger kids. The story starts when a chart of students' hookups goes public, and sex stays front and center: sex scenes with partial nudity, sex-ed videos showing genitals, and constant crude talk. Language is strong, with frequent f-words and the c-word. Teens drink heavily, deal ketamine and take mushrooms. Heavier threads include a girl abducted by men who threaten to assault her, a parent's drug-fueled attack, police violence against an Indigenous teen, bullying and grief. It also offers thoughtful portrayals of autism and gender identity.
What's in it
Violence
StrongSexual violence: a drunk girl wakes in a car full of men and one makes clear he plans to assault her before she escapes. Also punches with bloody noses, a police officer assaulting a teen, and a father attacking his daughter, who stabs him.
Language
StrongVery strong. One count of the first episode alone found about 18 f-words, 22 s-words and two uses of the c-word, along with frequent bitch, slut and dick, and middle fingers, including at a young child.
Sex and nudity
StrongSex drives the plot: teens are shown having sex, including same-sex couples, with a nude male rear and sexual sounds. Sex-ed videos show full genitals, and there is mimed oral sex, a girl's intimate photo spread at school, and frank talk about porn, STIs and an abortion pill.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
StrongUnderage drinking to the point of vomiting, a student who sells ketamine and other drugs, teens tripping on mushrooms during a school camp, and a parent in a meth-induced psychosis.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateSeveral intense moments: the abduction in the car, a drunk teen stopped from jumping off a roof, the father's attack, a fire at a school dance, a teen grieving a younger brother killed by a car, and a carnival-ride accident that leaves a man in a coma.
Sensitive topics
- Sexual assault
- Suicide
- Domestic abuse
- Death of a child
- Racism
- Bullying
- Addiction
Worth talking about
The hookup map spreads in a day and follows Amerie for months. How do rumors and online pile-ons work at your school, and what would you do if you were the target?
Similar picks around 16+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, Wikipedia. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.