Heathers – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Heathers

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

show2018

18%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A universally panned 2018 remake of the dark 1988 cult classic about murder, suicide, and mean teens—skip this one entirely.

30%

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Heathers

show

TV-MA, 2018

18%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A universally panned 2018 remake of the dark 1988 cult classic about murder, suicide, and mean teens—skip this one entirely.

30%

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be blunt: this show is a disaster. The 2018 Heathers remake tried to update a beloved dark satire for modern audiences and failed spectacularly. With a 30% critic score, 48% audience score, and a 5.6/10 on IMDb, this isn't just 'not great'—it's genuinely bad television.

The original 1988 Heathers worked because it was sharp, subversive, and knew exactly what it was doing with its dark humor about teen suicide and social cruelty. This version apparently lost all that nuance and came across as tone-deaf and exploitative, especially given increased awareness around teen mental health.

The show was so poorly received that it struggled to find a network willing to air it, eventually landing on Paramount Network for a brief, forgettable run. If you're interested in the Heathers story, watch the original film. This remake is a cautionary tale about how not to update a cult classic.

Bottom line: Skip it. Life's too short for bad TV, especially bad TV about teen suicide.

Age Fit

This is technically for ages 16+ due to mature themes of suicide and murder, but honestly? It's not worth watching at any age. The critical consensus is that it's poorly executed, tone-deaf, and fails as both entertainment and social commentary.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a pitch-black comedy about teen suicide, murder, and social cruelty. The original 1988 film was deliberately dark satire, and this 2018 remake attempts to update that darkness for modern audiences. The show centers on toxic social dynamics, manipulation, and violence—essentially the opposite of emotionally healthy content. While satire can have value, the execution here (based on poor critical reception) suggests it misses the mark on modeling anything positive.

Imaginative

Attempting to reimagine a cult classic for 2018 shows some creative ambition, and the 'anthology' format suggests varied storytelling. However, the universally poor reception (30% RT critics, 48% audience, 5.6 IMDb) indicates the execution failed to deliver on that promise. The remake reportedly struggled to find its tone and purpose, suggesting it didn't bring fresh or compelling ideas to the table beyond 'let's update Heathers.'

Safe

Common Sense Media rates this 16+, which signals mature content. The show deals explicitly with teen suicide, murder disguised as suicide, bullying, and social manipulation. The original film included sexual content and violence. Given the subject matter—teens killing other teens—this scores very low on safety. It's not 'surprise' violence in the sense that the premise is clear, but the content itself is deeply disturbing and inappropriate for younger viewers.

Enriching

Dark satire about toxic social hierarchies can theoretically spark important conversations about bullying, conformity, and teen mental health. However, the abysmal critical reception (30% RT, 40 Metacritic) suggests this version failed to deliver meaningful insights. The original 1988 film worked as biting social commentary; this remake reportedly felt tone-deaf and poorly executed, undermining any potential enrichment value. Entertainment value is also clearly lacking based on audience scores.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

If you're a completist who needs to see every adaptation of the original film (but honestly, just rewatch the 1988 version)
Could theoretically spark conversations about toxic social dynamics and bullying
The original premise has satirical potential about high school hierarchies

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What to Watch For

Graphic themes: teen suicide, murder disguised as suicide, extreme bullying
Universally terrible reviews suggest it's not even entertaining as a guilty pleasure
The show was so poorly received it struggled to even find a network to air it
16+ minimum due to disturbing content, but honestly not recommended for anyone

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think some dark comedies work as satire and others just feel mean-spirited?"
"What makes the 1988 Heathers a cult classic while this 2018 version flopped so badly?"
"How should media handle serious topics like teen suicide—can it ever be comedy material?"

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