High School

This is a pretty fantastic coming-of-age story, evoking the deep emotions once generated by the likes of My So-Called Life or Pen15, but in a way that is its own thing. Despite the generic title (also borrowed from the memoir), High School is specific in all the best ways.

A tender portrait of two teenage girls that draws its strength from its knack for unvarnished details and uncommon sense of empathy. ... It offers them the understanding and space they need to become the fullest versions of themselves, and in doing so tells a story that former teenagers anywhere — rock star or not — might be able to connect with.

While High School is a touching and heartfelt portrayal of this iconic band, it’s also a show that can exist beyond them. It’s simultaneously perfect for longtime Tegan and Sara fans, while remaining extremely approachable for those who have never heard a single one of their songs.

Despite its somewhat muted presentation, High School’s nimble, soft rendering of Tegan and Sara’s teenhood entertains as both a coming-of-age tale and a sincerely sweet depiction of two sisters finding a way to connect through the power of music.

Whether you’re a fan of Tegan and Sara or looking for a queer, playfully nostalgic teen series, High School’s endearing, admirably restrained take on the genre is worth an afternoon of your time. More 30-minute dramas, please!

“High School” takes its teen heartaches and hang-ups seriously, but it’s also a thoroughly enjoyable series that’s far from just a Tegan and Sara origin story. It’s an antidote to dramas that paint tragic teen portrait after tragic teen portrait. Sometimes, the kids are all right. Sometimes, they’re even kind.

It is a slow burn. By the end of the first three episodes we have not seen them do much more than any teenager might do: writing some lyrics in a dull lesson, singing a song to a girlfriend, begging for permission to attend a concert, and going to piano lessons (where they don’t even fare that well). You don’t have to be a fan – or even to have heard of – Tegan and Sara to enjoy High School.