Derek Williams

Stunning series, whose 5 seasons I binge-watched the over a period of several days. Extraordinary, impeccable performances from all the actors, all of whom show nuanced range and depth. It obviously doesn't hurt that they're all beautiful to behold, and there's little doubt that 'eye-candy' promos draw the crowds in. That said, it is good that there is no attempt to conceal skin blemishes and other aspects connoting coming of age. The English language overdub of the Spanish original is almost flawless. At first Elite comes across as endorsement of teenage drug-taking, sexual violence and cheating on partners but this turns out to be redemptive at the end, with numerous unexpected sub-plots along the way - to say any more than that would be a spoiler! The normalisation of being LGBT+ is also a significant feature of this series, with same-sex relationships explored in very much the same emotional depth as opposite-sex ones. This is much to be welcomed after decades of negativity in the portrayal of LGBT+ characters. Those who criticise this and say "keep it private" ignore the fact that straight people are free to celebrate their sexuality every day of every week of every year in all literature, theatre and public life. A straight man can walk down any street in any city of any country in the world, and hold his wife's hand, and no-one will attack him for it. Meanwhile, in 76 countries, and even in in liberal nations, gay people are still getting killed for it. It is wonderful to see a powerhouse like Netflix take on risky themes with shows like Elite and Heartstopper, likewise Prime, Disney and Hulu with Love Victor, and to see concomitant risk vindicated by good viewing numbers.