I think the show has plenty of heart. What sucks about it is that there is absolutely (save for maybe .5 of 1 character) no character development whatsoever. You never learn to know any of the characters, let alone care about what happens with them. It's sad because...well, it's always sad when someone so young dies. It would make it more impactful and meaningful if we cared more about them. I just didn't give a ****.
Another problem is the angsty, amateur tone to many of the scenes. The whole "OMG! You get beat! I've never been hit! Look she has welts scene!" is absolutely ridiculous. Are we supposed to feel bad for this girl because she is abused? Yes, it sucks - but I know NOTHING about this girl and can therefore feel NOTHING about the situation. Then there's a song about being sexually abused. Okay, that's great. Touching, tragic, sad. But then what? They completely abandon the story line. IT feels like what they're trying to do is touch on every teen angsty issue to cover the bases. Then they proceed. People die, people are sad, they sing a song about summer. I mean...to steal a rather famous quite...."Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."
I feel like Brantley will give the show a very dismissive review. That is, if they don't just re-print Isherwood's.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson