*gasps in Spanish* When someone told me that Elite was like if Gossip Girl and How to Get Away with Murder had a Spanish baby, I never hit play SO fast in my life. Season 1 of Elite tells us that three students from working-class backgrounds have been awarded scholarships to Las Encinas, a highly upscale private high school. All three students are greeted with hostile attitudes and looks from their upper-class peers. Conflicts begin to unfold that lead to lots of drama, steamy romances, and even murder that changes their lives forever. I wasn't sure what I was getting into for this, but I was living the whole time. It was racy, dramatic as hell, and just so intriguing from beginning to end. This is not your average high school teen drama - if anything, it's darker. What makes this Spanish drama stand out the most is, ironically, it goes for substance instead of style. The murder is not always the most important thing, and when it is, they don't overplay it. They drop little tidbits of the dark possibilities of who did it and why that makes the twists even crazier. Not only that, but there are nuanced discussions of race, privilege, and sexuality that show care and cultivation to elevate this from your average binge. I also loved that the creators gave these teens some human emotions and depth. Even in its most tropey decisions, every character is not placed into a box. Morality seems a key theme in this show - and it proves like, in real life, there is no easy one-size-fits-all answer for every problem. Especially when those problems can range anywhere from relationship troubles to drug dealers to over-controlling parents. I think what I loved the most is that a lot of the characters were not the same by the end, not only to show real high school teen growth... and the unfortunate downside of a murder happening. Elite explores the idea of what happens when teens decide they're grown enough to be adults - it can end up having the deadliest of consequences. They did it perfectly, and it sets up for what could be a more dramatic season 2.
This might be the best high school drama you ever watch. You won't be disappointed.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Popcorn BowlThis is the place where I watch TV shows and then tell you what I think. Archives
December 2020
Categories
All
|