Thread by @moviemazz, Doris Younane gives an all-time best friend performance in The Heartbreak Kid. [...]

Doris Younane gives an all-time best friend performance in The Heartbreak Kid. She’s like the Greek Judy Greer. Fucking sensational

Also The Heartbreak Kid had U2’s One on the soundtrack, which is such an amazing flex for a wee Aussie film in 1993

And yes, besides the obvious thing like literal characters from The Heartbreak Kid going on to star in Heartbreak High, it’s fascinating how the show’s key themes are already so sharp in the film (racism, multicultural Australia, sexism, fractured familial relationships etc.)

And the sex! So much sex! Sexy sex! Female gaze! Male gaze! Everyone is horny and fucking! Sex!

Ep1, S1 Heartbreak High: 3mins in & it’s already more diverse than 80% of shows currently on Australian television. Sartorial choices are WILD. Racism can be healed with punches. Oh & chicks throwing hands in a biffo? 10,000% accurate

Better than your average pilot

Ruby savagery count: student says his dad doesn’t live at home anymore, she slaps his feet off the table & says “can ya blame him”

Ep2,S1 Heartbreak High: first appearance of Jodie’s freestyle rapping, she shouts out Darlinghurst Rd, I’ve never hated anything more. Until a teacher asks “Does Kylie rap? I like Kylie.” Debut usage of the phrase “SHOVE OFF!” (truly iconic)

“Why don’t ya like her?”
“Look, just cos I think she’s a stuck up, big mouth, doesn’t mean I don’t like her Nick!”

Katherine Halliday as Rose is a

E3,S1 Heartbreak High: the sexism episode. Themes of gender inequality run through overtly & covertly from the A plot (Danielle’s fight to get on the soccer team) to the D plot (Southgate’s dressing down of Milano in the teacher’s lounge/her quest for independence from her dad)

After the heavy handed freedom of speech episode, this was heeeeaps better & more nuanced. Did not expect to enjoy the early signposting of a Chaka/Rivers romance as much as I did, but the Rivers redemption arc is en route

E4,S1 Heartbreak High: ugh, Jodie & Nick boink. Hate them as a couple, Alex Dimitriades and Salvatore Coco have more chemistry than a fucking laboratory. Prefer to see Con + Nick raw dog each other with emotional support.

Also love when Ms Milano starts coaching the soccer team she wears a hat that says ‘SPORT IT!’ on it. A powerful 90s moment.

EP5,S1 Heartbreak High:

FIRST USAGE OF RACK OFF!!! From Rose, Our Patron Saint Of Calling BS no less

Rose: “I think she’s trying to tell you something.”
Con: “Oh yeah, what’s that?”
Rose: “I dunno, rack off hairy legs!”

Additional E4,S1 thoughts

DADDY ISSUES EPISODE

Everything is topsy turvy! Milano is acting like a wastegash & Southgate is making sense, stepping in to help Rivers when the cops act like cops. Southgate’s moose knuckle is so intense at this point it’s about to split him in two.

EP6,S1 Heartbreak High: Chaka bottle ep. The friendship gang stepping up to help support her family reaffirms all the BEST things about this show: enemies becoming unexpected allies, compassion, loyalty, mateship

Enjoy Rivers + Con teaming up to help Chaka a la Weevil + Logan. Not really into the vibe of a potential love triangle, think Rivers & Chaka have all the chemistry & Con needs to stay committed to his One True Love: Nick (obvi)

EP7,S1 Heartbreak High: Rose is on fire! Fucking delivering zingers all ep:

“We got a chance here to show everyone we’re not a bunch of dickheads!”

Australian teen dialogue

“I wanna show these guys just because we’re a bunch of wogs that doesn’t mean we’re a bunch of idiots. I wanna kick their asses, you know what I mean?”

Fucken love her. Also class discussion about Mel Gibson’s hottest film? 1994 was a simpler time.

But truly cements Con as the MVP of the gang, the funniest, the most loyal, the bestest, the most precious, the biggest hustler & just an all round gift

“Aristotle, you know who that is? Aye? Aristotle: a wog.”

EP8,S1 Heartbreak High: First big death of the series. Shame cos Elly Varrenti as Irini was really great in that last ep when she had something to do. Showrunners giveth, showrunners taketh away.

Waverley Cemetery is my favourite in Australia (so much so I wrote it into #TheWailingWoman) & love seeing it featured in this ep, LOVE when a location feels like a character. Might be fave cemetery scene on Aussie TV second only to Cleverman’s debut ep First Contact

Waverley Cemetery is my favourite in Australia (so much so I wrote it into #TheWailingWoman) & love seeing it featured in this ep, LOVE when a location feels like a character. Might be fave cemetery scene on Aussie TV second only to Cleverman’s debut ep First Contact

EP9,S1 Heartbreak High: brings you the next Ruby savagery count when she legit snookers a man to death in her diner to get the soccer team jerseys. I respect & fear her bowl cut.

Actually lots of golden moments this ep. They make Nick’s dead mum a jersey, which is sweet. And Alex Dimitriades pulls the signature move of every Australian male from 15 - 18.

Australian male hunkage has just ticked over into ma-ma-ma-maaaaxium hunkage

Southgate gives off Big Gaston Energy

Also may I present some great Aussie screen trivia ...Nick’s dad George aka George Miller’s longtime homie aka the writer of Mad Max: Fury Road aka Nick Lathouris

EP10,S1 Heartbreak High: Jodie’s back (bad) & Nick hits her cos he “just loves her so much” (worse). Downside: All round yucky toxic masculinity episode. Upside: Doris Younane is legit so great as Yola, she’s just shooting 3s every time.

Yola: “Why don’t you come round for dinner tonight?”
Phil: “I think I’ve got something o - ”
Yola: “CANCEL.”

EP11,S1 Heartbreak High: “Look, I was minding my own business sir but he called my girlfriend a bush pig.” The world was not ready for a full hour of television where the key dramatic arc is kicked off by the use of the phrase “bush pig” #Straya

EP12,S1 Heartbreak High: Ooooh underage teen pregnancy bingo. The gang workshop an abortion. Safe sex is the big theme. Also 1000% accurate representation of 90s feminism.

And Chaka & Rivers go on a secret date! They hate each other at school! But it’s fake! Cos they secretly have the hots for each other! Forbidden romance! Except Rivers gets into a biffo with the wait staff! Also God bless them for trying, I love their awkward date outfits

IT’S HAPPENING!!!

EP13,S1 Heartbreak High:

Southgate: “I don’t know why we bother with any other subject besides sport.”
Yola: “So we don’t produce another generation of uncultured boofheads with no neck.”

G: The irony is I’ve never even considered crossing the line with a student right? Yet the vast majority of parents would insist I was dismissed if they knew I was gay. Phil North goes all the way, he’s still teaching
Yola: Enough to make you go straight, aye Gray?
G: *pause* Nah

Yola, as always, on fire

“The world is full of sleaze bags with pleasant faces. You get to meet most of them over time.“ Also, Graham is a pure, wonderful, scheming angel & we must protect him at all costs.

EP14,S1 Heartbreak High: The homophobia episode. Religious fundamentalism hits Hartley High. It’s fucking gross. Hate what Graham goes through in this ep. Hate Rivers & Bolton covering his car in gay slurs: it’s irredeemable even though they try to redeem him by the end of the ep

This is 1994 and … I’m kind of impressed how they handled this? The core gang and all the teachers rally behind Graham and I’m not crying, you’re crying?

Random great line from Rose to Steve: “Not even a funnel-web would jump you.” Chaka leaves … and doesn’t come back. We’re the worse for it. Isabella Gutierrez was one of the best actresses in the early cast. Chaka ruled.

Important sartorial note: Rivers wearing The Phantom singlet, which may seem weird to international audiences but since its debut in the 30s, Australia has been kind of the unofficial home for the character due to popularity, merch & even publishing rights.

EP15,S1 Heartbreak High: School dance ep. Seminal for a teen series, surprised we made it this far without one but they had to get 2 the race riot - creepy teacher - domestic violence - major death - South American revolution - homophobic harassment eps first…& THEN school dance

Southgate is chaperoning the dance. Yola says it’s like getting Typhoid Mary to do catering. OBSESSED with Southgate’s pronunciation of “sociopaths”

I can’t -

Everyone tries to set Rose and Jack up aka the writers suddenly remembers that Jack is in the show. Considering he was the catalyst for a race riot in ep1, feel like we haven’t seen him since then?

I miss Chaka. Rivers misses Chaka too. He’s drinking Jim Bean to cope, a classic 16-year old thing to do. Danielle coins the phrase “MOST LUSCIOUS SPUNK” and you love to see it.

FIRST MUSICAL GUEST & IT’S KULCHA HOLY SHIT! THEY’RE DOING THE SHAKA JAM! AN! ICONIC! 90S! AUSTRALIAN! TV! MOMENT!

Also, for those playing at home, put some respect on Kulcha’s name: Samoan and Māori four piece from Sydney, only had 2 albums but had multiple ARIA noms AND a top 10 single with Shaka Jam (their best song imho)

EP16,S1 Heartbreak High: THE ARRIVAL OF ADA NICODEMOU NOTHING ELSE MATTERS! KATERINA COME THROUGH WITH A ROTATING ROSTER OF 72 CHOKERS, FUCKED EARRINGS, QUESTIONABLE MORAL COMPASS & BUTTERFLY CLIPS TO WIELD

Also Rose & Yola are Lebanese angels gracing this earth

EP17,S1 Heartbreak High: Ada Nicodemou is unleashed, Katerina wreaking havoc on Southgate, relationships, knee-high boots & Ruby’s diner with the most upsetting dance number

We also get this moment which, frankly, Say Anything eat ya heart out

Restarting the #HeartbreakHigh episodic recaps cos, heck, seems like there’s no better time tbh

“I feel naked like a candle and my life is but a dream.” Not so sure about Jodie’s songwriting career in this, but Con definitely has a directing future. At least there’s no rapping

“I’m sick and tired of waiting, like I’m looking down a tunnel.” None of this rhymes? Or makes sense? But still no rap? Highs and lows.

The sheer BCE as Ada Nicodemou says “yeah”

EP18,S1 Heartbreak High: Didn’t see the Danielle/Nick romance coming, but the secret teen love affair is tried ‘n true. Gives me a lot of Xander/Willow S3 Buffy vibes so, naturally, I hate it.

An Aboriginal character hasn’t been featured yet, which is surprising considering the lengths they’ve gone to have so many other ethnicities & First Nations characters represented...especially since this is 1994 & no other Aussie show airing has this much representation.

I’d have to guess it’s not far off, as the Aboriginal flag is everywhere: teachers are wearing it as pins, on shirts, it’s hung in class rooms, dance halls ... there’s a treaty poster in the staff room

“Enjoy multiculturalism”

EP19,S1 Heartbreak High: Whoever made the call to play Ride of the Valkyries over a biffo where Rivers beats the shit out of some grubs with a broom needs a God

damn

Academy

Award

Back on my HEARTBREAK HIGH rewatch bullshit thanks to @myronmy9’s encouragement ... so where we left off, EP20,S1 Heartbreak High: Was Steve the OG Pete Fitzsimmons?

Unrelated, but Alex Dimitriades skates a lot in The Heartbreak Kid AND Heartbreak High. Does he still skate? I need to know. Diverting to the Greek authority on these matters @ThisisAlexei

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