Episode Guide
Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 – | Review Score – 3.5/5 There are a myriad of teen dramas on Netflix. It’s incredibly difficult to stand out in the field and that’s something that really held Blood and Water back from being a better offering last year. Embracing all the usual tropes of the genre, with very little deviation, season 2 then is somewhat of a revelation but boy, does this show take its time to get to the good stuff. The story here picks up right off the back of the first season, with Fikile still reeling from the revelation that she’s related to Puleng. However, her parents are none too happy and believe Puleng to be the meddlesome influencer online responsible for spreading malicious rumours. Well, episode 1 immediately thrusts a restraining order on the girl (don’t ask me how this works at school, but there we go.) and sets up some tension between the girls for the first four episodes or so. The second half of the season changes slightly, diving deeper into the investigation while weaving several standard teen subplots around it. You’ve got your usual love triangle, the misunderstanding tropes, red herrings and even a couple of new faces that hold more secrets than they’re letting on. And yet, it all feels so cliched. It’s actually not until the final couple of episodes that this show picks up some steam and charges toward a dramatic finale, leaving the door wide open for a possible third season. Given how long this show takes to reach that point, it’s a little disappointing to see the show end so abruptly. However, fans of the first season will find enough to like here and in a way, season 2 is actually a step up from the first. Instead of dancing around the is she/is she not angle with Fikile and Puleng being siblings, season 2 dives deeper into the “why” and the dark secrets being kept by the families. Of course, this is muddied slightly by the superficial teen drama and issues at school, but it’s at least a step in the right direction. Numerous musical montages are used throughout all 7 episodes too, while the aesthetic continues to show off some gorgeous sun-soaked locales. It’s just a shame that the story and flatlined subplots fall so heavily the usual tropes and clichés of the genre. Despite its orchestrated story, there are some nice twists and the latter half of this story – especially episode 5 and 6’s big reveals – go some way to actually elevate this above mediocrity. If you liked the first season though, you’re sure to love what’s here.
