“Elite” and other series to watch on Netflix if you're a fan of youth stories

The youth genre is one of the most transformed in the history of television and film. Between the 80s and 90s, the mention of drugs and sex scenes were considered controversial, something that is not necessarily the case today. The current narratives are mainly aimed at generation Z, so the inclusion of gender, sexual and ethnic diversity in a large number of productions for streaming has been normalized. What titles starring teenagers with these themes can we enjoy on Netflix?

Élite

The Spanish series has become one of the biggest non-English language hits in the “N” giant throughout its five seasons. The story is set in the prestigious private school Las Encinas, where mostly children from wealthy families attend. One day, three new scholarship students from humble origins arrive, an event that provokes a confrontation between rich and poor, while strange disappearances occur and murder is discovered.

The original Elite cast consisted of María Pedraza, Itzan Escamilla, Miguel Bernardeau, Miguel Herrán, Jaime Lorente, Alvaro Rico, Arón Piper, Mina El Hammani, Ester Expósito, Omar Ayuso and Danna Paola. Faced with the departure of the vast majority in the third season, the actors were renewed until they built an almost completely different cast.

Baby

Inspired by the real events about the intimacy of a group of teenagers in Parioli, a neighborhood for wealthy people in Rome, the plot follows young women who rebel against everything around them to embrace independence and self-identity. Both are students and, unwittingly (or maybe they do), end up being part of the world of child prostitution. To do this, they will have to lead a double life, but the secrets will not last forever. The three-season Italian drama stars Benedetta Porcaroli and Alice Pagani in the roles of Chiara Altieri and Ludovica Storti, respectively.

Control Z

At the National College in Mexico City, a hacker takes revenge against his peers and publicly exposes the students' deepest secrets. Sofia is a quiet, observant girl who will be responsible for investigating who is behind these attacks and will help others expose their identity. Ana Valeria Becerril, Michael Ronda, Yankel Stevan, Zion Moreno, Luis Curiel, Samantha Acuña, Macarena Garcia, Fiona Palomo, Andrés Baida, Patricio Gallardo, Ivan Aragon and Xabiani Ponce de Leon were in the main cast. The Mexican series currently has two seasons.

Sex Education

In three seasons, this British series has managed to captivate more than one by empathy and understanding to portray topics such as adolescent sexual pleasure, homosexuality, abortion, sexual harassment, among others. Asa Butterfield brings to life Otis, a boy who has learned a lot from his mother, a sex therapist (Gillian Anderson), and applies this knowledge to open a clandestine clinic in his school with Maeve (Emma Mackey) because students need guidance... and very urgent. It currently has three seasons and, soon, more episodes will be released.

Young Highnesses

Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) is one of the new students of the renowned Hillerska boarding school, a place where he will discover himself and decide what he really wants to do in life. It is there that he begins to imagine a future full of freedom and love, while he is very far from his true obligations as a member of royalty. What will happen when I ascend to the front line in the succession to the throne? The dilemma will begin when I have to choose between love and duty. Swedish fiction released its first season in 2021.

The Society

Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies and Paranormal Activity 4) stars in this teenage drama about a group of young people who are taken to a replica of their wealthy New England city without any trace of their parents. Uncontrollable and with no established hierarchical order, there is a struggle to find out what has happened and find their way back home, but they will have to establish rules and create alliances to survive in the process. This is a modern version of the novel Lord of the Flies, published by William Golding in 1954. This title joined the controversial Netflix cancellations after broadcasting a single season.

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