Series · Comedy, Drama · 2022 · TV-MA

Heartbreak High (2022): parents' guide

16+our pick

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

Strong

Sexual 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

Strong

Very 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

Strong

Sex 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

Strong

Underage 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

Moderate

Several 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?

Where to stream →

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.