My friends and I went to Duluth over spring break to relax and have fun. During our time there, we got trapped in a snowstorm, making it necessary to stay inside and watch some TV. We decided in a light spirit to rewatch a series that some of us remembered from our childhood but that not all of us had watched. Now with April showers, warmer temperatures, and the promise of a fun summer, “H2O: Just Add Water” is the perfect show to re-watch. My friends and I watch it almost every day! “H2O: Just add Water” follows three Australian girls who turn into mermaids at the contact of water, and try to balance this secret with their daily lives.
As of right now, we are not exactly in the atmosphere of beach vibes and summer sunsets. This is why during times like this, we resort to romanticizing the summer, no matter what your plans are. For some of us, this summer will be all about working and making your resume bigger. For others, it is the last chance to have free time before grad school, a job, etc. Some of us will be leaving Minnesota. No matter where you end up going, you might want to swim. And this show to me encapsulates the true nostalgia of summer fun. The main characters, Emma, Cleo, and Rikki, are not typical Netflix show characters with shallow personalities that are just fuel for drama. They have actual depth, and flaws that are similar to real people, and make mistakes and go on adventures without it being unrealistic — other than the mermaid part — or boring. We can actually see teenagers doing homework, hanging out, having jobs, and doing normal teenager things! And the plot, though cheesy occasionally, is incredibly fun to watch if you are in a nostalgic mood.
The overall aesthetic of the show is also what makes this underrated. Set in the early 2000s, we can see old fashion trends that are becoming more and more prominent nowadays, like lace tops, long flowy skirts, tankinis, and low rise cargos. We can also feel true flip-phone nostalgia — Lewis’ ringtone is still iconic to this day — and long for the good old days when internet cafes existed. Frutiger Aero, which is the name of the beachy Y2K aesthetic, is totally making a comeback this summer, and it’s hard to not want to pack your bags and move to a beach town where you can hang out with your friends and pretend to be mermaids.
If you would like to dive deeper into this Y2K gem, you can watch the first season of “H2O” on Netflix, and you can find all seasons on YouTube with ads.