Review of the Netflix series ‘Freeridge’ – SerieTotaal

The teenagers of Freeridge, a fictional Los Angeles neighborhood, are without exception witty, pedantic, preoccupied with matters that are too adult and, moreover, too present. Meanwhile, the actors playing these teenagers give new meaning to the term ‘overacting’. Fortunately for them and for the viewer, you get used to it quickly.

freeridge It is a spin-off of the Netflix series on my block which ran from 2018 to 2021 and took place in the same district. This time the sisters Gloria and Inés take center stage. The two constantly get into each other’s hair and do not hesitate to throw themselves on the ground in the schoolyard. To avoid a suspension, they pay their uncle Tonio to pose as their father Javier.

At a garage sale, one of his best friends, the bisexual Cam, manages to find a mysterious box. The thing is so horrible that Cam hopes that his boyfriend Andre will break up with him as soon as he receives it. However, when a strange woman appears who wants to take the object for hundreds of dollars, the group of friends is convinced that the object is under a curse. The lady suddenly appears everywhere and disaster lurks around every corner.

This teen series is a cross between light-hearted drama: Father Javier has cancer and the girls still miss their deceased mother, and a boring comedy about real teen issues. This is complemented by a touch of mystery, though this element is easily dismissed by writer-director Lauren Iungerich. This results in a faltering series, in which the tension is sometimes hard to find.

Also, a completely logical explanation can be found for every strange event. Meanwhile, teens are not only fighting with each other, but with their hormones as well. Cam confesses that he’s actually head over heels in love with his best friend Demi, but since she’s said some nasty things about him in the past, it’s impossible for Cam to throw himself at her feet. The jobless Tonio has hired an assistant who quickly manages to win Gloria’s heart. bakfish drama.

Not everything is uplifting. The creators are hesitant to really delve into the drama, but they also don’t want to let the laugh machines work overtime. The end result is a wildly over-the-top jumble of genres. The length of the episodes (about twenty-five minutes on average) doesn’t really invite character studies, but that could be a good thing.

It’s not entirely horrible, especially once you’ve put aside your aversion to grotesque characters with their one-liners. Neither is the pursuit of diversity, the main asset now being a curvy teen in the leading role. This youth series is just a real case of meat and fish.

★★☆☆☆

freeridge can be seen in Netflix.