Reviews

The show has a lot of potential but feels like it has a new identity every season and relies too heavily on fan service and "shipping" to sustain the story without knowing what it's trying to say.

Season 1 had a lot of clear references to old school gritty teen dramas like 'Skins' with episodes focusing on one character's story more than others. The acting isn't the best but also not the worst for a web-series in the teen genre, and the characters were unique and easy to invest in. There were relationships developing, and we cared about them because we cared about the characters. Although Ingrid's sexuality was a huge part of her character's arc, the show didn't feel strictly LGBTQ+ at the time as there was an even blend of identities across the core group. A lot of the charm was also in the Australian nature of it, not shying away from certain four-letter-words that only Aussies can seem to drop so casually into conversation. The show gained traction for the inclusion of a lesbian relationship and it looks like they decided to run with it full speed ahead.

In season 2 we're introduced to another lesbian couple at school, Tabby and Heidi, whose relationship manifests almost as suddenly as the characters themselves and the show is now less 'Skins' and more 'The L Word' for teens. All the cursing has been dropped and characters seem to kiss in almost every scene for no reason other than, I'm assuming, promotional material which makes the show look a lot raunchier than it really is (a Google search of the show looks borderline pornographic. 'Euphoria', which unlike 'Flunk' features actual nudity at least has the good sense to not use implied intimate images to promote the show given that the characters are minors even if played by adult actors). Season 2 at least still somewhat focuses on individual character arcs and and we get to see Stella struggling with the prospect of youth homelessness as she can't connect with her conservative grandmother. That is, of course, until she is saved by the female teacher she conveniently has a crush on.

The spin-off films is where things get ridiculous. Character development as a concept is dropped entirely in favour of capitalising on the consumption of wlw media, and we're introduced to even more characters who are miraculously also all lesbian and in relationships with each other and attending the same school. There's a New Zealand spin-off, which is saved by Lucy Wyma's performance but is otherwise not a great film and feels like it only exists to churn out more wlw content. The Sleepover focuses on two toxic couples - Tabby & Heidi and Jaz & Astrid. It's a whole lot of arguing, PG kissing, and not a lot of substance. We're introduced to another new character, Saffron, in a clumsy way considering she disappears after a few minutes to later return as a main character who is subbed in for Tabby as a slightly more complex, less toxic match for the annoyingly cynical Heidi. After School has some nice moments, and at times feels like it might be teetering on character development and the exploration of individual character's backstories, but fails to completely go there and instead relies on - you guessed it - another love triangle! Saffron battles with her feelings for Heidi while knowing she is betraying her "best friend" Tabby. I use quotation marks here because it's hard to believe they are really best friends when only one of them was in the previous season and they offer no explanation as to why she hasn't even been mentioned before.

I can see the vision for season 3. The goal feels very close to Netflix hit 'Sex Education' which also features a lot of LGBT couples and their relationships are often at the forefront of the story. The difference is, the characters are so fleshed out and constantly evolving in 'Sex Education' that the couples are an added bonus. Similar to season 1 of 'Flunk', we care about the relationships because we care about the individual characters. Ed, who was a main character in previous seasons, is gone and his on-again off-again girlfriend Ruby seems to have nothing to say about it. Stella's absence is at least explained after her season 2 departure, but it's odd that she's never really mentioned by Ingrid considering how much happened between them.

Season 3 attempts to branch out on its hot topics, we've got a new character Celeste who embodies Gen Z Woke Culture, acknowledgement of an outdated sex-ed curriculum, and a very watered-down sexual assault storyline. The problem is that there is no message or closure on those topics. The show doesn't seem to take a particular stance, so the audience doesn't know what to feel and the characters aren't given the space to explore how they feel and respond - they are merely just things that happen to the characters. There's some nice cinematography, the actors all have at least one standout scene each and are doing their best to get through soapy dialogue, but once again the characters suffer in favour of watching (mostly unhealthy) relationships unfold. Celeste, Ingrid, and Brayden find themselves in a repeat of 'The Half of It', and Heidi and Saffron are in a love-pentagon with Astrid, Ruby and Tabby.

Heidi is a fan-favorite character and is bordering on overexposure as a result, given that she led the two spin-off films prior to the third season. She sadly never actually develops as a person in all her screen-time, and it becomes increasingly frustrating to watch her emotionally abuse the people who love her with little to no consequence. The show attempts, too little too late, to explain this away in an episode focusing on her home life but it's not enough of an excuse as to why she is so needlessly unkind to everyone. 'Sex Education's' Maeve also has an absentee father and drug addict mother, and although she was distrusting and snappy at the start we at least get to see her grow and open up, and she has a good heart underneath her tough exterior. 'Flunk' tries to convince us Heidi is the same, through a lame coconut analogy, however it falls flat given we never actually see her say or do anything nice for anyone.

Saffron's character could have been interesting given her introduction as a devout Christian with an unnamed medical condition, but any development she could have had is wasted in season 3. Her presence serves to be the submissive (yet randomly sexually deviant for unnecessary shock value) girlfriend to the least likeable but most popular character, and the victim of a stalker although we barely get to see her response to this before the attention is turned on Heidi again.

Ruby's storyline also reeks of wasted potential as the homophobe turned Joe Goldberg stalker following her first tryst with a woman, but we unfortunately never get to see her feelings actually develop organically over time, nor do we see her battle with her internalised homophobia or where those feelings originated.

Tabby returns briefly as a jilted ex-lover/ex-BFF in scenes that have no impact on the story whatsoever and offer no closure.

Celeste thankfully is given some of the better writing of the season and delivers, in my opinion, the strongest performance because she feels the most like a real person. Her character is, unlike many others on the show, introduced with a clear backstory and nuanced personality traits.

It's clear the writers are unsure what to do with Dani when not with Ingrid and their solution is not to give her a storyline focused on herself, but instead to throw more girlfriends at her! I say more because she has no less than 3 potential love interests this season and boy does it get tiring.

Brayden offers some much-needed comedic relief and to the show's credit, quite a good understanding of toxic masculinity.

Ingrid is...there.

To be clear, I'm obviously not against a show focusing on diversity. The issue is that this show talks the talk without walking the walk. 'Flunk' is happy to throw the "LGBTQ" label on their show for clout, but ignore actual queer issues and minorities. The cast of characters are mostly thin white women, every character is cis despite having a trans actor in the cast, features not a single gay or bisexual man and a whole lot of biphobia. It has a lot of potential here with characters that could be really fascinating and have some great development if they would only commit to being a teen drama as initially intended. The beauty of 'Skins' and 'Sex Education', which seem like the clearest inspirations for the show, is the deep levels at which the characters are fleshed out and how the stories serve the characters, rather than the characters simply existing to tell a surface-level soapy romance exclusively for gay teenagers. Or be that, if you insist, with the upbeat campiness of 'First Kill' and 'Heartstopper' where we at least get to see gay characters be happy and in love without constant misery and infidelity from their partners.