"Elite" Season 2 Review

By Winter

   Last week we experienced the gracious return of one of the most beloved Teen Latin TV Show Elite, coming back for its second season after almost a year of agonising wait for the fans. The series tells the story of three working-class teens enrolling in an exclusive private school in Spain and the events that lead to clash between them and the wealthy students, resulting in a murder. It is basically the only show that can compare to Riverdale when it comes to excessive slow-motion shots and the love for high school drama by sixteen-year-olds. 

   Elite's first season had two timelines - the aftermath of the assassination of Marina (Maria Pedraza) and the events that led up to it. Most Netflix shows have been structured similarly, with the scene-by-scene counting with shots from the before and the after, including the notorious drama 13 Reasons Why, the other adored Latin series La Casa de Papel and one of the first ones to take up the technique, ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder.

PS.: Beware of major spoilers from Elite Season 2 from this point on.

  Following the imprisonment of Samuel’s brother Nano (Jaime Lorente) for the crime on Season 1, the students of Las Encinas are still processing the shocking events that took place the year before. We see Marina’s brother Guzman (played by Miguel Bernedeau) in deep mourning, something he decides to deal with by taking on a drinking and drug problem, only aggravated by the introduction of a new and enticing character, his girlfriend Lu’s stepbrother, Valerio. (Jorge Lopez). The situation only gets more and more interesting as we watch the conflicting romance of Guzman with Nadia (Mina El Hammani), something we've been waiting for since the first episode, AND (wait for it...!) a 'sibling affection' between Lu (Danna Paola) and Valerio.

   There’s no doubt, however, that the most shipped couple, especially by the LGBTQ+ community, is Omar (Omar Ayuso) and Ander (Arón Piper). They may have had ups and downs throughout the whole of Season 2, but love came through in the end. We do see some bromance though between Ander and Polo (Álvaro Rico) on Episode 4 and shockingly, absolutely no one that watched the latter's journey and discovery of his sexuality on the first season, the moment was priceless!
Of course, we can’t not mention all the fiery scenes that happened between the actors playing Samuel (Itzan Escamilla) and Carla (Ester Expósito), who, by the way, forgot all about her previous romance from Season 1 with Christian (played by Miguel Herrán, also on the cast of La Casa de Papel). What’s the tea sis?! Well, I believe we can all agree that both men are equally enchanting and, uhm, attractive, to say the least. The thing is, the heartthrob was temporarily absent for being depressed. In both productions, his characters were cut off from the plot with reversible options without involving death.

   According to the website Mix de Séries, Herrán was often not present through the recordings because he couldn't leave home. That would have led the directors to push Miguel away so that he could focus on treatment.
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   Despite missing the star's charismatic presence on the show, there’s no denying that the Season 2 of Elite is a must for anyone interested in Romance, Drama and yet another mystery (WHAT?!). Try to watch it in-between the playing of Latin-hispanic music; songs such as 'Los Días Raros' by the band Vetusta Moria, 'Lo Que No Me Dices' by Kimberley Tell and 'Mala Fama' by Danna Paola herself, all soundtracks of the show, are strongly advised. Non-parental viewing discretion recommended. Enjoy!

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