Amazon Freevee’s ‘High School’ Is a Beautiful Coming-of-Age Portrayal of Queerness and Sisterhood

Amazon Freevee’s new coming-of-age drama, “High School,” finished its first season on Oct. 27, featuring beloved new-wave indie artists of the ‘90s, Tegan and Sara Quin (known primarily by just their first names), in their queer, teenage-dirtbag youth.

Tegan and Sara made their talent debut in Calgary, Alberta in 1998 by winning the Garage Warz music competition and releasing their first studio album, “Under Feet Like Ours,” in 1999. Initially performing under the name Plunk (“light punk”), the duo changed their official title to their first names, simply Tegan and Sara after “Sara and Tegan” was misheard as “Sara Antegan.” Their careers have covered a multitude of sounds under the wider indie umbrella, including new wave, rock and pop.

Photo from TV Series Finale

Based on a memoir written by the twins under the same name, “High School” is one of the most relatable coming-of-age television series ever made about sisters and queer youth, set in the backdrop of grunge culture and the ‘90s alternative punk scene. Even with a difference in decades, the queer-girl experience ultimately remains the same gut-wrenchingly painful yet equally blissful articulation of insecurity, jealousy and identity realization. Both Tegan and Sara have crushes on and romantic involvements with their friends that equally confuse and excite them.

In a video interview with Popternative, Sara shared her thoughts on the overarching message of “High School,” particularly in comparison to other queer shows.

“I think it shows a new version of queerness that is more representative of how I grew up [where] queerness kind of felt like it was everywhere. We didn’t talk about it, but there was potential for chemistry with so many people when we were growing up. I didn’t always think it was going to be romantic, but there was this excitement to always be with each other,” Sara said, “I think the show captures that without it being like ‘The L Word,’ like a show where everyone is gay. It feels ambiguous, like maybe that girl’s straight, maybe that girl just likes that other girl’s hair. Maybe that girl’s completely in love with that other girl.” 

The beauty and buzzing intensity of a young crush characterized by the perpetual butterflies of being queer is encapsulated in every shot. Shared smiles and soft touches of the hand may hold meaning, or they might simply be friendly and therefore meaningless. This keeps the audience on their toes, constantly wondering what these slow-moving, intimate shots may mean. Lingering schoolgirl glances and slow, grazing shots accomplish the exact words Sara shared with Popternative.  

Debut actresses and real-life twins Railey and Seazynn Gilliland play Tegan and Sara respectively in the series. The two were first discovered on TikTok. Tegan and Sara handpicked them, knowing from the start that they had to be the ones to play them in the series, even without a background in acting.

“You can’t teach charisma,” Sara disclosed to Tegan in an NME interview regarding the casting processes. 

On-screen, Tegan is an outgoing and wholesome spirit, beginning the show feeling troubled by the newfound distance between her and her twin, whereas Sara is much more reserved and analytical, sharing a complicated relationship with her best friend at the start of the series. In their times of insecurity and crisis, the two both turn to music to find out where they truly belong in the world. 

Known for her role as Graham in “But I’m a Cheerleader” and Georgina in “Girl, Interrupted,” Clea DuVall wrote and directed “High School” alongside Laura Kittrell. One of DuVall’s other, most notable directing debuts, includes the lesbian Christmas romantic comedy “Happiest Season,” starring Kristen Stewart.

Feeling seen in the Quins’ queer teenage experiences, DuVall saw their memoir as something more that could be adapted into a successful television series. In an interview with Variety, DuVall shared that the separate journeys of the girls were just as important as their collective journey. 

“The backbone of the whole show is that journey. That really was our guiding light, keeping the integrity of that story intact. Because it is so unique, and it is something that you don’t get to see very often in television and film — women becoming artists, and teenage girls becoming artists.” 

With a lot of loose ends left over from the final episode, it seems likely the show may receive a second season. With many stories left to tell, the possibilities are endless. 

There are ideas that we’re really excited about, and so we really hope that we have that opportunity,” DuVall said in the same interview with Variety, regarding the prospect of another season. “Freevee hasn’t said anything to us about when they’re deciding, or which way they’re leaning or anything like that. We don’t really know anything. The show will go on as long as there are stories within the book to tell. It will never go beyond the book.” 

Lillian Dunn is an Entertainment Intern for the fall 2022 quarter. She can be reached at lbdunn@uci.edu

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