Olympo is one of Netflix’s latest additions to its Spanish catalogue. Its mystery elements and academy-like setting, as well as some cast cross over, immediately drew comparisons to another Spanish drama on the platform: Elite. The two shows do have some striking similarities, but their differences leave fans split on which reigns superior. With only one season and no confirmation of a second season yet, how does Olympo stand on its own and in comparison to its predecessor?
Olympo’s mystery doesn’t stack up to Elite’s
Elite faced a downfall that many other shows experience: too many seasons. The final seasons of Elite relied more on repetitive relationship drama than the intriguing mysteries set up in the first season. It also didn’t help that, like many shows that go beyond three or so seasons, the original cast was long gone by the end. That being said, since Olympo only has one season so far, let’s compare it to Elite’s own first season.
Olympo is backed by the same production company behind Elite, a fact that was immediately evident when the first trailer dropped.
Where’s the resemblance? There’s a mystery at the center of the plot, teenagers at an academy/boarding school setting, and lots and lots of sex. Now that first one is where Elite wins out. Elite‘s first season throws viewers into a murder mystery straight away. From there, the season slowly unfolds the characters’ secrets until the murderer reveal. This slow reveal is complete with police interrogations and flashbacks that keep the intrigue going.
Meanwhile Olympo tries to replicate a similar intrigue with Nuria’s disappearance storyline, but it doesn’t hit all the marks. For one, the “who is doping?” question is just less exciting than “who is the murderer?” But the more obvious issue is that the mystery doesn’t get the development it needs. Elite made sure all its characters were connected to the murder plot. This allowed for multiple perspectives on the events and made it so that the mystery never took a back seat to the other storylines.
On the other hand, Nuria’s disappearance and Olympo’s role in it affect certain characters more than others. Sure, the HPC athletes have to undergo some forced drug testing but Amaia and the select few chosen to join Olympo’s ranks are the only ones in the thick of it. This means as other storylines, many romantic in nature, get explored, you tend to forget all about Nuria.
Olympo’s setting is more intriguing
But while its mystery plot isn’t as exciting, Olympo wisely strays from Elite‘s academic setting. Let’s face it, school-based shows are a bit overplayed. The elite athlete crowd Olympo chooses to focus on makes for a fresher take on the teen drama that Netflix needs.
The different HPC athletes shed light on many of the sports world’s pitfalls. Zoe, from the moment she steps foot on the track at HPC, does not fit in. She isn’t built for the pressure that environment demands, and she doesn’t really want it. On the flip side, you have characters that want it too much. The biggest offender is Amaia. She’s so desperate to make it to the top, for herself and her mother, that she’ll do anything. Anything means pushing herself past her limits and forgetting the people that truly support her. Olympo also does a great job of exposing the homophobia latent in sports through Roque. He’s either hides forever or risks his future as an athlete. And when he does embrace himself, others see him as a great marketing strategy rather than a human.
The best part of the sports in Olympo was the synchronized swimming team. Of all the other sports, from track to rugby, this one held the most focus and felt the most realistic. The track and rugby scenes were decent, though Roque’s actor Agustín Della Corte is a professional rugby player. But the synchronized swimming sequences were beautifully shot and executed by cast and stunt doubles.
Both have hit-or-miss characters
The characters in both shows do fall into similar archetypes. Amaia is very similar to Elite‘s Lucrecia or Carla. Zoe draws parallels to Samuel’s storyline. You have mean girls, jocks, and the like. There’s ones that you’ll hate and ones you’ll love in both. Roque was one of the standouts in Olympo. His storylines, both sports-related and romantic, added layers to his character. He proved himself to be both strong-willed and loyal. Since Zoe’s character reminded me of Samuel in Elite, I was hoping for more character development from her but didn’t really get it. Meanwhile Amaia, though insufferable at times, has clear motives. Plus, her position at then end of this season sets her up for an interesting arc moving forward.
Olympo does have potential. It offers a unique backdrop to the classic teen drama, one that reveals the dark side of being a pro athlete. It also has some interesting characters whose respective actors clearly approach their portrayal with authenticity and care. While it lacks in plot focus and character development, the beginnings of a rebellion hinted at the end of season one could lead to a more exciting and cohesive second season.
