The toxic teenagers of “Elite” return for another season of melodrama and murder that becomes highly addictive after the first episode. Fans were unsure of what to expect after some of the greatest stars left the show, but if there’s anything “Elite” gets better than most Netflix shows, it is the introduction of new characters to spice up their seasons. We’ve seen Rebeka, Cayetana and Valerio bring the past seasons to life with their distinct personalities, and season four followed a similar formula to keep things interesting.
The most dysfunctional trio of siblings, Los Benjamines, disrupted the remaining students of Las Encinas with their flashy personalities and talent for creating conflict. The plot of “Elite” often surrounds a murdered or disappeared student, while giving the others strong motives to become the suspects, so viewers never know what to expect. But the heart of the show is in the small interactions between the characters who can go from friends to enemies in less than a scene. After four seasons, it’s easy to feel attached to these characters, as they are all fleshed out and receive equal opportunities for development. That being said, it’s also tragic to watch as their relationships fall apart. Season four has seen the most separations and shattered alliances thus far, but I don’t mind at all because they gave us the best relationship: Rebeka and Mencía. My two favorites this season fell in love despite living in different worlds and carrying their fair share of emotional baggage. Their fiery personalities are delightful to watch on screen, and when they come together as a power couple, magic happens. Also a lot of swearwords that sound like music when they say them using that lively Spanish phrasing. One thing essential about “Elite” is the language. Although the translations might be decent, it’s always better to watch shows in their original language if possible, as the language preserves the authenticity and emotion of each performance. Reading subtitles isn’t hard.
Another interesting addition to the show was Phillipe, played by pop singer Pol Granch, whose style and easy charm covered the dark secret that burdened him. I don’t like Phillipe as a character because of what he did to Cayetana and the other girls, but his character also explored the loneliness and alienation that wealthy people face when they are only recognized because of their titles. He had moments of humanity despite the atrocities he committed. That is a consistent characteristic of “Elite,” as it refuses to portray two-dimensional caricatures and instead develops human beings on screen, showing all the good and the bad.
I’m still not over the fact that Guzmán and Nadia broke up, but it was destined to happen sooner or later. Pro tip: don’t do long-distance relationships. Guzmán has always been one of the most interesting and conflictive characters of the show, but I feel like he hasn’t been so essential in season four. If anything, he became unlikable at times, like his season one version, as he returned to his classist ways and let Ari get in the way of his friendship with Samuel. Despite all that, it’s impossible to hate him. Miguel Bernabeu is an excellent actor with a rather charming smile, and his character has small redeeming moments that show how Guzmán is actually soft inside.
The show becomes considerably more explicit this season as there are more than four sex scenes per episode. Some of them aren’t necessary at all and seem like over-the-top decorations, while others are useful to drive parts of the drama, but this is a resource that becomes overdone by the end of the season. “Elite” doesn’t hold back and shows the lives of sexually liberated high schoolers in detail (although all of the actors are 18+) but this also raises the question of how realistic this is. I doubt many people had similar high school experiences. Then again, “Elite” deals with Spain’s wealthiest kids, and apparently, nothing is off-limits for them. However, it’s good that these scenes also show queer love and offer good representation of these relationships, without making them central to the narrative, but just part of everyday life. Normalizing LGTBQ+ characters in these big stories is necessary, and Netflix has stepped up to the occasion multiple times with their original shows.
Overall, “Elite” is a highly addictive show and the characters are precious despite their many flaws, but season four isn’t the strongest of the bunch when compared to the intensity of seasons two and three. The showrunners succeeded at keeping the show interesting even after some of their biggest stars left the production, but I doubt they can keep going for much longer. If anything, I wish to see the show’s protagonists appear in more projects now that they’ve demonstrated their immense talent.