One of the main objectives of Netflix is to connect with all kinds of audiences, which leads to the need for proposals that are radically different from each other. That occasionally translates into controversy, but the most common is that there are simply the most diverse films and series. For example, ‘The longest night’ and ‘Fanatic’the last two Spanish series on the platform -the last one available from this July 29-.
Initially sold as a series with just 10-minute episodes, ‘Fanatic’ finally reduced the number of episodes from 10 to 5 and extended their duration to around 20 minutes each. It is still unusual to see such short dramatic series, but what is really interesting here is that we are facing one of the most pleasant surprises on Netflix so far this year.
Convincing and engaging
On paper, the premise of ‘Fanático’ doesn’t sound bad at all, since it tells how the fan of a successful musician takes advantage of the great resemblance he has to his idol to try to make a profit from his death by pretending to be him. What held me back a bit is that the world of Spanish trap doesn’t motivate me too much and that a priori I feared a series too oriented to a young audience and caring little about the rest of the viewers.
There is something of that, well Roger Guel It uses a visual aesthetic that is reminiscent of that universe, but it does so avoiding the most unnecessary excesses and as a way of emphasizing the characteristic peculiarities of the world in which Lázaro is about to plunge. After a few minutes of trial and error, one quickly acclimatizes to that formal decision that reaches its best moments with the grotesque talk show led by two comedians played by avenge nuns.
Also, do not give in to the temptation to go back to them more than necessary, which could have been exhausting. They get out what’s necessary, which could be said for every other aspect of the series. In return there may be a certain tendency to the schematic when it comes to laying the foundations for certain characters, but their motivations are well defined and ‘Fanatic’ gets just what he needs from them.
Everything in its place
And it is that the soul of the series is Lorenzo Ferro, whom some moviegoers may remember for having been the protagonist of ‘El Ángel’ and who in ‘Fanático’ plays both the famous singer who commits suicide in front of his fans and Lázaro, the precarious young man who ends up taking his place. Very convincing in both facets, one thing that is greatly appreciated is that this is not another story of an innocent person corrupting himself, because at all times he knows where he is getting into and how to react to the different problems that arise on his way to glory.
In addition, the writers of ‘Fanático’ have taken care to give a little space for let us better understand your motivations, because initially he seems destined for a shitty life very far from his dreams, but everything changes, and he does it largely on his own initiative. There it is fair to recognize that this benefits the character but also that the characters most associated with that more normal facet of theirs are less interesting than the rest.
Parallel to his rise to fame, ‘Fanatic’ yes it affects the dark side of this world, paying attention to all those involved in a case as particular as the one addressed in the series. Everything is there presented in an agile way but without sacrificing an iota of intensity.
In addition, Ferro is well accompanied in the interpretive aspect, where he seems to have sought to surround him with interpreters who know this world well in order to achieve an extra dose of credibility. None of them may shine particularly brightly, but they all fit their respective characters like a glove.
Otherwise the question remains whether it will have a second season, Well, this story of how he replaces an idol without seeming to care about an audience more interested in what he represents than in what he is can still give a lot of himself. At least I was left wanting more, because its five episodes are seen in a sigh.
In short
‘Fanatic’ is not a revolutionary series, but it is a fiction that has very clear ideas, knows how to tell the story that it proposes to the viewer and also how to hook us with a story that in other hands would easily have lasted twice as long. It gives him plenty to sneak into the best Netflix series of this 2022.