High Heat review: A melodramatic telenovela that takes itself too seriously

Through its mishmash of a myriad different unconnected plotlines, the series quickly becomes exhausting to power through, made all the more frustrating by the snail’s pace its main story takes.

High Heat

Story:

Although they are twins, Poncho (Iván Amozurrutia) and his brother Daniel are poles apart, with the former being an exotic dancer and the latter a journalist. But despite their differences, the two share an unshakeable bond, having had only each other to look to after being orphaned at a young age. Poncho’s world is torn apart when Daniel gets brutally murdered. Poncho’s investigation into his brother’s death leads him to take up a job as a fire station and he soon discovers Daniel’s connection to a dreaded serial killer, known as the Butcher of Reynosa.

Review:

High Heat establishes just what kind of tone viewers can expect from the show with its very first scene. A group of firefighters with perfectly chiselled physiques are interrupted in the middle of showing off their assets in a photoshoot, when they are called in to fight a devastating blaze. And this pretty much sums up what to expect from the telenovela, perfect physical specimens of characters showing themselves off in the midst of over-the-top moments of drama. The show had all the makings of a gratifying telenovela in this aspect, if it were not for its feeble attempts at trying to package itself as something more than that through its convoluted writing.

The series follows the story of Poncho, a carefree exotic dancer living under the wing of his more serious, driven twin brother Daniel. The former’s life is turned upside down when his brother is brutally murdered, and Poncho’s quest to uncover the truth leads him to a serial killer known as the Butcher of Reynosa, whom Daniel was investigating. Unbeknownst to Poncho, the man whom he thinks to be the killer is none other than the twins’ father.

Anyone familiar with telenovelas can make a safe bet that High Heat’s set of big reveals and twists do not end with that shocking revelation. As the series progresses, a host of twists and turns make their way into the story, as it snowballs into a mishmash of unconnected plotlines. In its misguided attempt to give each and every supporting character a well rounded arc, the series ends up with its foot in more boats than it can afford. Although the show did try to give its viewers some form of variety by giving the supporting characters some interesting battles in their personal lives, the way they develop are painfully inorganic. Despite stretching on for 39 episodes, it still feels as though the show fell short in investing the time needed to flesh out those arcs in the way that the characters deserved.

While the sub plots seemed rushed, the same cannot be said of the main story, with Poncho’s attempts at discovering the truth behind his brother’s death moving at a frustratingly slow pace. His incompetence and naivete shine through with each step he takes in his investigation, and it is hard to find out if his obtuseness is something the writers incorporated into his character on purpose or not. His partner through his ordeal comes in the form of the enigmatic Olivia, the only female firefighter in the station Poncho tries to ‘infiltrate’. The beginnings of the duo’s relationship is hastily done, and the bland chemistry between the two is in sharp contrast to the show’s title.

Like most telenovelas, High Heat does not shy away from laying on the plot twists as thick as it can, no matter how implausible they might seem. But rather than taking the implausibility in its stride, which borders on the comical at times, the show seems to make a feeble attempt at taking itself too seriously. The seriousness in its tone and characters do not translate well onto the screen with the ridiculous plot and painfully awkward dialogues. The dialogues, even in the most tense and serious of situations, are nothing short of laughable at times, and the writers seem to have been oblivious of the same as well, as well see a fair share of the same happening throughout the show.

Verdict:

High Heat squanders whatever potential it had of becoming a watchable telenovela by taking itself too seriously rather than leaning into the melodrama it is rife in. The mishmash of an array of unconnected plots, coupled with the painfully slow pace of its main story, also contribute to making the show an exhausting watch.

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