The following article contains spoilers for ‘Class of ’07.’

If reuniting with your classmates at your 10-year high school reunion wasn’t daunting enough, imagine being stuck with them within the confines of your school as the world floods. You can reminisce about the times shared, the familiar chatter and laughs that happened in the classrooms, but you’re also faced with painful memories.

Kacie Anning’s Class of ‘07 is a humorous, heartfelt show about the power of female friendship and how the bonds formed by a group of former classmates help them prosper during an apocalypse. It’s refreshing to see these women create a unit that not only provides them resourcefulness during scarce times but also emotional stability. They have a person to confide in. It’s just between them with no male character in sight. 

The show features many friendships, whether newly formed or repaired after years of strain. Protagonist Zoe (Emily Browning) and her former best friend Amelia (Megan Smart) serve as the most prominent relationship in the series. They haven’t spoken in 10 years since Amelia abruptly left school without telling Zoe why. At that point, the two were no longer on talking terms.

This strain that caused a crack in their relationship back then continues to tear ten years later. Amelia attends the Ridge Heights 10-year high school reunion in hopes to see Zoe again, though Zoe has no clue about the reunion due to living in seclusion for six months. Her stint on a Bachelor-esque TV show called The Match ended in embarrassment and she could no longer put up with the jeering comments that pinged her phone. 

Old Bonds That Scar

When Zoe arrives at her old school after noticing the ground cracking, she seeks to find an evacuation centre. Her classmates are bewildered to see her again but proceed to mock her about her TV mishap. It’s Amelia who greets her with sincerity, asking her if she’s okay. We see through flashbacks how the two once were during school and it’s clear to the audience that there is still a level of care between them. 

The remnants of their friendship rise once the apocalypse starts and the two are forced to work together. This happens to a lot of the women within the show; being stuck together within the school has caused memories to resurface. Zoe has to come to terms with the daunting fact that she wasn’t the most supportive friend after learning why Amelia left school. “It’s my biggest regret that you had to go through all of that alone,” she says to her.

There is a constant tug-and-pull game that occurs between the two women. Amelia is depressed and shuts out Zoe. She is adamant that the two are not friends and would’ve likely not stayed friends even if they had kept in touch. Zoe, however, is more optimistic about their relationship and does what she can to make amends with her. 

A Message of Hope

In the end, it’s their bond, though scarred and bruised, that keeps these two women alive. Amelia falls into a pit of depression and is now nihilistic but Zoe tries to give her hope. “I’m the whole reason you came here. I’m the reason you’re still alive,” she says to her. But Amelia can’t take it anymore. When the women decide to resort to cannibalism after they have no food, Amelia chooses to sacrifice herself.

But Zoe puts a stop to it, knocking her out and putting her on a makeshift boat with a bike. She’s determined to save her friend, get her antidepressants, and come back home. Much to Amelia’s annoyance, Zoe stands her ground. She says they’re all lucky to have each other and friendship is the only thing they have left. But most importantly, she says the difference between surviving and living is doing the same thing, but having someone by your side to do it with. The show sprinkles this message throughout.

Processing Trauma

The group of women survive together and do everything as a routine. When the apocalypse initially happens, they all form a “sisterly agreement” not to eat any of the food or drink any water right away. Even Saskia (Caitlin Stasey), who previously subjected her classmates to bullying back in school, has the other women looking out for her. She takes on a leadership role in the group and the pressure of being back at school gets to her. She sets up a broom as an imaginary therapist and hides any vulnerability from the other women. 

But they support her nonetheless. Even when Saskia is on trial for likely killing Sandy, they learn to forgive her. They’re beside her when she comes to terms with the trauma she experienced at school. Saskia was groomed by a teacher, Mr. Gafferty (Sam Cotton). She processes the trauma by burning every piece of that man that was left in the school. The women and Saskia watch on as the remnants of Mr. Gafferty flicker to a crisp. It’s a liberating moment for not only her but for everyone else.

They had bonded over their regrets and bandaged the wounds they had endured from Ridge Heights. Most importantly, they had each other as a unit. These women just need a shoulder to lean on, especially at a time when it’s a matter of life and death. They had made a routine and when things got worse, they still had each other.

Healing Together

Even the character of Sandy (Sarah Krndija), despite Saskia pushing her out to sea, comes back to the group because she needs a friend. She needs Teresa (Sana’a Shaik). Teresa promises her that they will raise Sandy’s baby together, forming a family unit, without a patriarchal figure. Megan (Chi Nguyen) decides to stop drinking for both her well-being and to keep her friendship with Tegan (Bernie Van Tiel) intact. Each woman deals with their own internal struggles despite what waits beyond the school grounds. It’s the community of support they have made that keeps them afloat. Whether that be Zoe helping Amelia get her medication or Phoebe (Steph Tisdell) covering for Renee’s (Emma Horn) lie about her being a doctor.

The apocalypse is a matter of survival for them, but Ridge Heights is a matter of overcoming so much more—together.

Class of ’07 is now streaming on Prime Video.