What This Animated Reboot Gets Right (And Wrong)
In the early 2000s, MTV aired a small series called Clone High, which has since become a cult classic among its dedicated fans. In the 2020s, the show saw a resurgence, with social media being littered with memes, edits, and interest. In 2020, a Clone High revival was announced, and it finally saw a release on the streaming service Max in late May 2023. Although the show has gotten a lot of things right so far, reviving a twenty-year-old show is a tricky proposition. Let’s highlight what the revival has gotten right and what might be improved in season three.
The arrival of several new characters to the main cast has breathed new life into the show. Frida Kahlo, Harriet Tubman, Confucius, and Christopher Columbus feel like natural additions to the cast while shaking things up considerably. Kahlo and Tubman offer Joan of Arc a new relationship dynamic, Confucius’ relationship with JFK brings out a new side of him, and Cleo’s lacking popularity compared to Kahlo gives the character new challenges to face. It’ll be interesting to see what else will be done with these characters in the future.
The first episode of the Clone High revival may be a bit difficult to get through. It follows the clones readjusting to life in the 2020s shortly after being unfrozen, and while there are some definite high points throughout, the rest of it feels pretty on the nose. The entire episode focuses primarily on cancel culture, and while the series has always taken its topics of parody to the nth degree, this first episode will likely split some opinions. However, later episodes of the season balance what worked in the original series with the new additions, making the first episode less alienating.
The sudden incorporation of smartphones and social media into the clones’ lives has led to some brilliant comedy. JFK getting into an internet argument after browsing the in-universe equivalent of TikTok for hours on end is pretty hilarious, and Topher Bus being the antagonistic aggressor feels appropriate. Even outside the usage of technology, other episodes address some of the more subtle aspects of life in the 2020s. The show still maintains its blisteringly-fast pace, amusing sight gags, and lampooning of topical television clichés, ultimately feeling like what came before, despite the lengthy time between seasons.
If you’re expecting the same Clone High series from 2003, you may want to temper your expectations. Character voices have noticeably been adjusted, new dynamics and relationships have been formed, and there’s an overall feeling of things being different. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and it’s more important to remember if you jump straight into season two from season one. The sudden adjustment has no doubt taken some fans for a loop, but as the rest of the season plays out, there’s some hope that the transition will feel more natural.
Overall, Max’s Clone High revival is slowly but surely reaching the same highs as the original series. Season three of Clone High is already in development as part of Max’s original series order, meaning we’ll hopefully see these characters become as fleshed out as our original cast. The show remains absolutely hysterical, and new episodes are streaming exclusively on Max every Thursday.
Way, way back in the early 2000s, a small MTV series called Clone High made the rounds. Lasting only for a single season, it remained a cult classic among its dedicated fans before it saw a modern resurgence in the 2020s, littering social media with memes, edits, and, most importantly, interest. Longtime fans of the series seemingly had their wishes come true when a Clone High revival was announced in 2020, which finally saw a release on the streaming service Max in late May 2023. It gets just about everything right — mostly.
Reviving a twenty-year-old show is a tricky proposition. While Clone High has gotten a lot of things right so far in its modest run on Max, a few areas of improvement can be addressed. Why not highlight what the revival has gotten right and what might be improved in season three?
Right: The New Characters
The arrival of several new characters to the main cast certainly raised some eyebrows at first. But, their incorporation into the revival has arguably proven to be successful. Frida Kahlo, Harriet Tubman, Confucius, and “Topher Bus” — aka, Christopher Columbus — all feel like natural additions to the cast while considerably shaking things up. Kahlo and Tubman offer Joan of Arc a new relationship dynamic, Confucius’ relationship with JFK brings out a new side of him, and Cleo’s lacking popularity compared to Kahlo gives the character new challenges to face.
It’ll certainly be interesting to see what else will be done with these characters as the series presses onward. A third season is already in development as part of Max’s original series order, meaning we’ll hopefully see these characters become as fleshed out as our original cast.
Wrong: A Really Rocky Start
The first episode of the Clone High revival may be a bit difficult to get through. It follows the clones readjusting to life in the 2020s shortly after being unfrozen, and while there are some definite high points throughout — including an amusing six-hour recap of everything that happened while the clones were frozen — the rest of it feels pretty on the nose. The entire episode focuses primarily on cancel culture, and while the series has always taken its topics of parody to the nth degree, this first episode will likely split some opinions.
But you could argue that an episode like this needed to happen to address the lengthy time gap. Thankfully, later episodes of the season would make for a more thorough balance of what worked in the original series and the new additions this revival offers, retroactively making the first episode a little less alienating. At the very least, it teases a potential return of the controversial character Gandhi.
Right: Future Shock Is Handled Hilariously
Despite some rough first impressions, the sudden incorporation of smartphones and social media into the clones’ lives has led to some brilliant comedy. JFK getting into an internet argument after browsing the in-universe equivalent of TikTok for hours on end is pretty hilarious, and Topher Bus being the antagonistic aggressor feels appropriate. Abe’s repeated failure to make an “apology video” is also pretty funny, and Confucius being an internet influencer feels absolutely inspired.
Even outside the usage of technology, other episodes address some of the more subtle aspects of life in the 2020s. The episode “Anxious Times at Clone High” highlights stress and anxiety as its central focus, mirroring the same feelings that have become abundant in the modern day.
Wrong: More of a Re-Imagining Than a Revival
If you’re expecting the same Clone High series from 2003, you may want to temper your expectations. It’s been more than 20 years, after all. Character voices have noticeably been adjusted, new dynamics and relationships have been formed, and there’s an overall feeling of things being different. Interestingly, these changes mainly lie within the main cast: Joan of Arc, in particularhaving become more accepted by her peers, has taken on a more positive disposition than before.
Again, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s more important to remember if you jump straight into season two from season one. The sudden adjustment has no doubt taken some fans for a loop, but as the rest of the season plays out, there’s some hope that the transition will feel more natural.
Right: Still Absolutely Hysterical
Despite all the changes and readjustments, Max’s Clone High revival is slowly but surely reaching the same highs as the original series. The show’s blisteringly-fast pace, amusing sight gags, and lampooning of topical television clichés ultimately feel like what came before, despite the lengthy time between seasons. Among fans and new viewers alike, most would agree that it’s a return to form that rarely gets to happen for most shows, let alone animated sitcoms.
New episodes of Clone High are streaming exclusively on Max every Thursday. Season three of Clone High will be available on Max sometime in 2024, with future seasons beyond that still to be determined.
