Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
There are a smattering of teen dramas on Netflix, each with varying degrees of success and quality. From half-finished projects like Grand Army that was quickly cancelled before it got going, to runaway smash hits like Outer Banks and Sex Education, there’s no end to these dramas hitting the platform.
This time, it’s the turn of High Tides (Knokke Off) which feels like a “knokke-off” of Outer Banks and soapy Spanish thriller, Elite. Unfortunately, High Tides struggles to break free from the mould it sets for itself, comfortably revelling in the cliches without ever doing anything to set it apart from the masses.
The story focuses on a group of teenagers who spend the summer along the Belgian seaside, engaging in various parties, drinking copious amounts of alcohol and having lots of sex.
At the center of this is newcomer Daan, who arrives in town and immediately finds himself mixed up with a rich, arrogant group of kids. This clique is fronted by Alex and his loose cannon girlfriend, Louise. Adding more drama to the fold though is Anouk, Daan’s neighbour whom he spends the first few minutes of episode 1 snapping pictures of in secret from his window.
However, there’s an additional layer of drama here coming from the parents. Specifically, Daan’s mother Melissa. She’s in town for a reason and it seems to stem from dark family secrets surrounding her sister and, potentially, Alex’s parents too. The latter is a big point of contention because Alex’s dad Patrick ends up in an affair with Margaux’s mother, and all these secrets threaten to spill over and destroy the happy summer that these kids have planned.
As one would expect, there’s lots of layers to this drama and plenty of fights, deceits, secrets and parties that stretch out across the run-time. In fact, it’s almost too much. This is another show that continues on longer than it should, especially as it doesn’t really offer anything all that original or new.
The basic premise is simple, while the soapy drama isn’t quite dramatic or trashy enough to fall into the realm of telenovela territory. Instead, this exists somewhere in that murky realm of mediocrity. There’s just not enough drama to really sink your teeth into, and beyond a couple of surprises in the final few episodes, everything just feels very blase and simple.
Knokke Off is perhaps an accurate title for this show because to be honest, it does feel like a knock off of better teen dramas on the platform. There’s enough here to enjoy as background fodder but if you’re looking for an engaging and enjoyable replacement for some of your faves, this isn’t it.
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Verdict - 4/10
4/10