iTunes Episode Set Review: "H2O: Just Add Water": Season Two

Rated: TV-PG (US)
Starring: Claire Holt, Phoebe Tonkin, Cariba Heine, Brittany Byrnes, and Angus McLaren
Released: September 28, 2007 - March 21, 2008 (TV premieres)

Synopsis: Ever since Emma (Claire Holt), Rikki (Cariba Heine), and Cleo (Phoebe Tonkin) fell into the pool at Mako Island during the full moon, their lives changed forever; whenever they touch water, they become mermaids! It's a big secret that they haven't told anyone except for their science geek friend Lewis (Angus McLaren).  However, new girl Charlotte (Brittany Byrnes) starts getting close to him, and can tell that the three girls are hiding something.  Will she discover their secret, or can they keep their special abilities hidden?
As seen on TeenNick.

The Good: The content is very clean; there wasn't a single profanity, and sexual content is limited to innocent kissing and flirting.  The three female leads are all very lovely and give excellent performances; plus, their characters are likable individuals.  Lewis is a good guy, too; despite his mishaps, he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.  This season is closed captioned, whereas the first one wasn't; at least, at the time I watched it.

The Bad: During this season, the show officially jumped the shark.  The introduction of Charlotte, the main antagonist, ruined things for this series.  There was way too much catfighting and emotional behavior between the girls as they fought to keep their secret and Cleo and Charlotte fought over Lewis.  The closed captioning was also rife with errors and poorly done.

Content Concerns:

• Sex: Kissing, flirting; totally innocent romance. 4/5
• Nudity: While they are mermaids, the girls' cleavage and midriffs are visible; they and other ladies are seen in everything from short shorts to bikinis; shirtless guys are also seen a few times. 2/5
• Language: Name-calling; nothing more. 4/5
• Violence: A guy performs a karate move on another guy, knocking him to the floor; one of the mermaids uses her powers to pick people up and throw them down from a great distance; a climactic fantastical final battle; etc.  No blood or gore, though. 4/5
• Drugs: None. 5/5
• Frightening/Intense Sequences: This season is rife with teenage drama, which means plenty of emotional intensity; it is implied that one character attempts suicide in a fantastical, unrealistic way. 2/5
• Other: The mermaid powers are akin to magic and spells. 4/5

Conclusion: Ever since Fonzie's water ski incident, it has become a painfully obvious fact that pretty much any series--of any kind, not just on television--will eventually jump the shark and reach a point where it's all downhill from there.  For H2O: Just Add Water, this season is that moment.  With the unnecessary addition of Charlotte here, and the departure of Emma next season, they really messed things up.  People who became fans during the first season are likely to be disappointed.  Sure, it has its moments, but it could have been much better.

Score: 2.5/5