Deep Sea, the series of the moment on Netflix: bipolarism, drugs and the problems of the rich

Beach, heat and hormones, a very effective trident in the mission of capturing pubescent eyes. Add to this luxury, excess, an unsolved death, a high dose of seduction and sex, and a “millionaires vs. poor” thing, and the formula usually explodes. AND Netflix blows it up for the umpteenth time.

With its clichés in tow, the series Swelling (Knock Off in the original title) satisfies that aim of magnetizing young people, although it does not have overly artistic ambitions. It combines the brightness of the European coasts and the hegemonic beauty of its actors the darkness within the wealthy clans.

A summer as a teenager on the Belgian coast and among the rich. It could be a perfect plan, but also a tragedy, because There is no social position, education or neighborhood that saves a teenager from the dangers of the world and its inner monsters… not even from their own parents.

Louise (Pommelien Thijs) and Alex (Willem De Schryver) seem to be the perfect couple, children of well-groomed families with a good name and financial solvency. All you need is a magnifying glass to understand the complexity of their dysfunctional family trees and how family secrets influence their arrogant behaviors.

Daan (Eliyha Altena), the humble boy who arrives in the coastal town of Knokke-Heist with his mother Melissa (Anna Drijver), is the one who It’s about stirring up the hornet’s nest of prejudices and proposing the triangle of history. The game involves finding out which member of each family has the most poisonous sting..

The beginning is almost the end. A flashback of the protagonist gives us the idea that in the present (and paraphrasing maritime themes) Alex is up to his neck in water. “They already know,” he tells his mother, as if he’s ready for what’s to come. What do they know? Who is?

Beyond the juvenile plot, the world of the adult characters opens up interesting subplots and always transports us to the terrain of the complex relationships between children, parents, husbands, lovers. Miseries masked with impunity and an idea that is always present: fat wallets can’t make up for the gaps.

The general topic does not escape the typical stories of teenagerYES, the path to self-knowledge in that transition to adulthood. On this journey of idyllic settings, high tides, sand, campers, infidelity and hidden crime, we navigate dramas like mental disorders, drug use and gender violence.

Belgium doesn’t have a massive presence in streaming catalogues, but some of what could be seen here was powerful (like the thriller two summersor the psychological thriller Tabula Rasa). This product has points of connection with another European (Swedish) series that the algorithm has among its favorites these days on Netflix: A normal family. In both, hypocrisy and social masks are determining factors in the plot.

With several twists and good performances, Swelling (of which there is already news of a second season, and which from time to time could refer to the Spanish Elite) keeps the pace in easily digestible chapters (10, 35 minutes each). It works these days like a good summer pastimelike those intense dives that are enjoyed and forgotten at the speed of a wave.

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Qualification: Well

Type: Drama. Protagonists: Pommelien Thijs, Willem De Schryver, Eliyha Altena. Direction and creation: Anthony Van Biervliet. Episodes: 10, from Netflix.