The 1988 cult classic “Heathers” was loved for it’s biting commentary on high school hierarchies, killer romance and the ever-relatable woes of teenage life. In 2018, however, all of this will change.
Gone are the preppy, croquet-loving Diet Coke heads and Swatch dogs — Westerburg High is now ruled by an overweight selfie queen, a black lesbian cheerleader and a genderqueer sidekick. This millennial update is desperate for diversity but goes about it in all the wrong ways.
The diverse casting is great, but these characters are placed into the roles of the popular rich kids feared by everyone. In a dark comedy about classism, it’s hard to feel bad for the ruthless Heathers as vanilla Veronica and the psychopathic J.D. seek vengeance against the school bullies.
The latest trailer from Paramount Network solidifies the drastic character changes, namely, it’s exclusion of the catalyst to murder, Martha Dunstock, and the extreme makeover — nerd edition — given to Veronica’s former best friend, Betty Finn.
Heather Chandler, the ringleader, takes form as a body-positive mega-bitch with an Instagram goth wardrobe and a pixie cut. Heather Duke is a born-male genderqueer lackey, seemingly there just for the punchy one-liners and to repeat everything Chandler snarls. Heather McNamara’s remake is the closest to her counterpart: a ditzy cheerleader who is looked down on by Chandler and Duke.
From nobody to somebody to a serial killer, Veronica Sawyer comes across as a black sheep in this trailer. Perhaps her role as honorary Heather was stripped, and she and new beau Jason Dean are hungry for revenge. Perhaps her take on Winona Ryder’s iconic role is too outdated, which is why it is so forgettable in comparison to the bold new characters.
Love them or hate them (#NotMyHeathers), at least the new Heathers are not a carbon-copy of the popular ’80s clique. They may be misinterpreted, but that is arguably better than making zero changes to Sawyer’s character. The forced vocal fry is so strong it’s unbearable but worst of all, her ‘otherness’ comes across as intolerant. The 2018 update is reaching out to millennials but falls short of taking the actual depth of the story into account, not to mention it’s attempt at representation is surface level.
“Heathers” will premiere on March 7 on the Paramount Network.
