In an age of ever-increasing globalization boosted by social media, there are more connections and wider access to different places all around the world. It is a good time for streaming services to showcase a larger array of content from a variety of countries, offering many exciting options for fun viewing.
The Spanish series “La Casa de Papel” (translated to “Money Heist” in English) and German series “Dark” are just a couple of examples of hit shows that are able to garner broad viewership despite not being American productions.
Among the best of these foreign programs is “Elite,” another Spanish series which has recently released its third season. It bears similarities to “Riverdale” and “13 Reasons Why,” but possesses a unique aura all its own that is intoxicating and addicting. This teen drama is an entertaining mixture of guilty pleasure and thriller-like traits that makes it easy to binge.
Featuring an ensemble cast, “Elite” is set in a fictional secondary school called Las Encinas, a prestigious institution that harbors quite a few dark secrets underneath a façade of prestige and glamour. After the collapse of their previous school, three teenage students from working-class backgrounds—Samuel García Domínguez, Christian Varela Expósito and Nadia Shanaa—are gifted with a scholarship that enables them to transfer to the famous academy. Some of the wealthy classmates do not take kindly to this, and the heated dynamics and sparks that fly as a result of the interactions make up much of the show's drama. Tensions rise that eventually lead to consequences worse than anyone could imagine.
Each season contains one prominent mystery that, through a flash-forward plot, forms the main story line, in addition to various subplots that delve into the characters' personal arcs and struggles. In season one, a murder is committed, and we slowly learn who the culprit is. In season two, one of the main characters goes missing, though they may or may not be alive. The latest season's main whodunit revolves around the murderer of season one's murderer, and it all comes full circle.
All throughout these mysteries, “Elite” explores class issues, truth vs. lies and progressive themes of diverse sexuality in ways that are consistently intriguing. The series is akin to transgressive fiction and does not shy away from challenging ideas. Thanks to its ensemble cast, all of whom are excellent in their roles, there are plenty of colorful characters and juicy subject matter to chew on.
Samuel (often called "Samu" for short by his peers) becomes the love interest of one of the wealthy students, Marina—something her hot-headed brother Guzman strongly protests. Christian enters a polyamorous relationship with Polo and Carla, also rich kids. Nadia, the daughter of Palestinian-Muslim immigrants, struggles to gain independence and agency while dealing with romantic feelings for Guzman (the latter holds mutual feelings for her). Nadia's brother Omar is a closeted gay man who secretly meets with his boyfriend Ander, the son of Las Encinas's principal. As one can tell, a lot happens and it is a blast.
One of the strongest aspects of “Elite” is how skillfully every individual subplot is woven into a larger tapestry and ultimately interlinked in some way or another. As a result, much of what happens does not feel like tedious filler that drags, and instead is both interesting and relevant. Many things could have easily gone wrong, but the series is bolstered by the excellent script and impressive technical and production qualities. It also helps that every character, despite being incredibly flawed, is nuanced and sympathetic.
If anyone fancies a show that dishes out suspenseful mystery with a generous serving of vivid teen drama in another corner of the globe, one need not look much further than the seductive and daring “Elite” on Netflix.