With Latin vibes and swag, Rebelde -- Netflix's latest Mexican teen drama to kick off 2022 -- has the winning combo of a simple yet interesting storyline and a cast that shares chemistry to keep viewers hooked.
Influenced by the lifestyle of teenagers from the early 2000s, it is a remake of the Argentine telenovela Rebelde Way.
The first season, with eight episodes, takes viewers along a journey following a group of students from different walks of life pursuing a music career at Elite Way School (EWS).
Leading the pack is Jana (Azul Guaita Bracamontes), a former child star hoping to be taken seriously and with a determination to show the world she's more than a one-hit-wonder.
Luka (Franco Masini) also joins the group of main characters as an ego-driven influencer and musician whose narcissistic behaviour causes more friction within his band than camaraderie as he chases the limelight while dealing with an egotistical father caught up in a personal agenda which is more important than the needs of his son.
We then have the devilishly handsome Estebán (Sergio Mayer Mori) who has won a scholarship to attend EWS but has ulterior motives that don't have anything to do with his music career.
The supporting characters include Dixon (Jeronimo Cantillo), a Colombian native who dreams of becoming a rapper, and lesbian character Andi (Lizeth Selene), a talented drummer who has unsupportive parents in her quest to achieve her dreams.
To complete the group of social misfits is MJ (Andrea Chaparro) who lied to her ultra-religious parents to attend EWS and follow her passion of becoming a pop icon.
The six teenagers join together to compete in the Battle of the Bands and win a prize of recording an original song. However, before they get close to their goal, they come up against a fraternity, a secret society known as The Lodge, that plans to prevent them from winning.
Coming from diverse echelons of society, each character has a story worth exploring. The emotional baggage they carry and how each deals with it makes their character endearing and the plot entertaining to follow.
In my opinion, the four characters that stand out are Luka, Dixon, Estebán and Sebastian. The cast does an amazing job in bringing out the characters, and their vulnerabilities in particular tugged on my heartstrings.
There are also several aspects of the original series embedded within the story, most notably the songs, The Lodge secret society, school uniforms, and the characters of the original cast members. This is how much the nostalgia factor was given thought to as the show endeavours to create its own unique impact on the narrative, characters and even the dilemmas each character faces. The chemistry between the main cast members is at the heart of the series. The bond created through a common passion for music and the unforeseen circumstances they are thrown into makes Rebelde hit all the high notes in terms of being entertaining. The audience gets a taste of the new generation of youthful rebels in this series, each with a distinctive character and a headstrong approach towards life. A relatable narrative with a good mix of teen fun makes this a must-watch series across the board. While Rebelde aspires to reach the Gen Z crowd and attract an entirely new generation of fans, the cast and plot are interesting enough to appeal to all generations.
- Rebelde
- Staring Azul Guaita Bracamontes, Franco Masini, Sergio Mayer Mori
- Directed by Santiago Limón
- Now streaming on Netflix
