How a Gay Couple On a Netflix Show Stole My HeartWarning: Spoilers for the first season of Netflix&r
How a Gay Couple On a Netflix Show Stole My HeartWarning: Spoilers for the first season of Netflix’s Élite ahead.If you know me (or follow me on Twitter), chances are you’ve already heard me sing the praises of Élite. Netflix’s new Spanish-language series follows three working-class students who are given scholarships to Las Encinas, an elite private prep school in Spain, after their own school collapses — only to find themselves caught in a murder investigation when one of their peers turns up dead.In the two weeks since it premiered, I’ve tried to turn everyone I can onto the show, even going as far as to personalize my recommendations for each person. I describe it as a “deliciously catty show about wealthy teens” to Gossip Girl fans, as a “drool-worthy stash of real estate porn” for those who loved Big Little Lies, and as an “engrossing murder mystery” for those who like the time-hopping structure of procedurals like How to Get Away With Murder.But no matter who I’m talking to, I always stress one particular factor (two, rather): Omar and Ander, two (unspeakably attractive) gay characters who, over the course of the season, somehow find a way to be together despite everything pulling them apart.As the series’ defining queer relationship, it’s not saying much that Omar and Ander’s love affair stood out to me the most. (After all, I am a gay man.) But it wasn’t just the fact that Omar and Ander were gay that drew me into their orbit. Their relationship was always more than just that, in and of itself — it also opened up discussions about class difference, racism, and religious dogma. It was one of the show’s most emotionally impactful stories.Élite is notable for dealing with gay intimacy in a frank, realistic way — particularly when compared to other high school shows (perhaps aside from Riverdale, whose impressive exploration of gay cruising culture in the show’s second season deserves mention) — allowing Omar and Ander to have real sex and, more importantly, show the act as something explicitly sexy. It’s one of many reasons Omar and Ander are my favorite television couple of the year.But beyond that, much of Omar and Ander’s appeal stems from their being two of the most sympathetic characters in a show full of incredibly unsympathetic people. Though initially introduced as part of a group of elitist Las Encinas rich kids intent on belittling the school’s transfer students, Ander, a budding tennis champion, is quickly established as one of the nice ones. In early scenes, he noticeably refrains from engaging in his friend group’s threatening taunts, and even helps to de-escalate some of the more potentially volatile arguments that break out between his friends and new students. It’s later revealed that Ander isn’t filthy rich like most of his peers. Rather, he’s at Las Encinas as the son of the school’s principal. Plus, his father has big plans for his future as a tennis star, even though Ander finds himself losing interest in the sport completely.Continue reading: Netflix -- source link
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