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Warning: This article contains mention of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Netflix’s Elite captured audiences worldwide with its mix of high-stakes drama, high-school scandals, and forbidden romances. Set in Las Encinas, an exclusive school for the elite, the series follows wealthy students and their working-class peers whose arrival on scholarships causes some major drama. Starting with a bang, Elite solidified itself as one of Netflix’s most successful teen series, gaining early praise for its compelling mysteries and complex characters that kept audiences glued to the screen. However, over its eight-season run, the show started to lose its spark, leaning too heavily on recycled plots and predictable twists.
It's not uncommon for a show that runs for that long to have highs and lows, particularly at a time when streaming originals tend to have relatively short runs. By the time Elite ended with season 8, it was clear that Elite was a once-addicting teen drama that now offered very few thrills and surprises. Despite ending as a shadow of its former self and leaving fans longing for the tension and innovation of its early years, Elite proved itself to be a major milestone in Netflix’s catalog that we won’t forget any time soon.
8 Season 8
A Disappointing Finale
The eighth and final season of Elite is arguably the worst of the series, receiving a dismal 35% rating from fans on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, the beloved show ended on a disappointing note, leaving much to be desired. The final installment lacked the intensity, character development, and engaging storytelling that had made Elite so popular. Instead, season 8 offered repetitive character arcs, a weak central plot, and a lackluster finale.
8 | 35% |
7 | 53% |
4 | 53% |
6 | 58% |
5 | 68% |
3 | 82% |
1 | 83% |
2 | 88% |
One of the most notable shortcomings of the closing chapter was the missed opportunity to develop key storylines. Although Elite’s final season brought back an original character not seen since the fourth chapter, the return of Nadia Shanaa (played by Mina El Hammani) didn’t have the meaningful impact we had hoped for. Instead, it felt more like an attempt to fill gaps rather than a purposeful narrative choice. In the end, the final installment failed to deliver the powerful conclusion Elite deserved.
7 Season 7
New Faces, Similar Struggles
Elite’s fourth and seventh seasons are often tied for second-to-last place in terms of audience reception. One of the most boring chapters of the hit Netflix series, the seventh season of Elite was marked by weak storylines, a lack of chemistry among the cast, and repetitive themes. Despite sharing the same score as the fourth installment, it was ranked lower due to its hyper-reliance on new characters who failed to add much (if any) excitement to the existing narrative.
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By this point, some of the Elite characters we liked became increasingly frustrating to watch (Omar, we’re talking about you). Their stories not only became painfully monotonous but also predictable, making the seventh season tough to digest for fans who were hoping for something closer to the intensity of the first three chapters. After season 7, it became obvious that Elite needed to end soon. Unfortunately, season 8 was not much better, with many considering the final chapter even worse than its predecessor.
6 Season 4
Overcrowded Cast And Shallow Drama
With several things that don’t make sense in Elite season 4, it’s no surprise that the installment did not deliver as much quality and suspense as some of the previous chapters. It earned a middling 53% rating from Rotten Tomatoes' audience, securing its place among the top three worst seasons of the series. Elite season 4 focused too much on some of the not-so-interesting aspects of the show, valuing generic drama over character arcs.
Introducing a new set of characters did not, in this case, equal a more engaging narrative; instead, it created a feeling of a jam-packed cast.
While Elite has always thrived on being the perfect blend of mystery, scandal, and teen drama, its fourth chapter notably turned away from character-driven storytelling to shallow, over-the-top drama. Introducing a new set of characters did not, in this case, equal a more engaging narrative; instead, it created a feeling of a jam-packed cast. Still, some familiar faces from previous seasons, like Cayetana Grajera (played by Georgina Amorós), got a much-needed arc development, making the season somewhat watchable and, at times, even enjoyable.
5 Season 6
A Disappointing Turn
Elite season 6 was the first chapter of the series where a dip in viewer enthusiasm was palpable. Earning a score 10 points lower than the previous season from Rotten Tomatoes users, the installment failed to resonate with die-hard fans due to a lack of highly anticipated drama. Whereas season 5 indicated that the show was starting to lose its magic, Elite season 6 confirmed that the series was never going to be the same again.
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Although season 5 ended on a cliffhanger, its resolution was not what we were hoping for. Samuel García, played by Itzan Escamilla, is now officially dead (this was definitely one of the times we felt bad for Samuel), and it honestly felt as if he did not get the grand send-off that he deserved. However, the writers pulled through by tackling heavier themes throughout the rest of the season, including gender identity, domestic violence, and sexual assault. This grounded the storyline in a more realistic setting, which ultimately helped this chapter be more meaningful than it would have been otherwise.
4 Season 5
Embracing Serious Themes For Deeper Drama
Despite receiving mixed reviews, the fifth season of Netflix’s Elite had enough qualities that make up for its low point. The installment added new characters and delved into more mature topics, but that did not resonate with everyone, as seen with season 5's audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Elite started to become too complex for its own good, not to mention how replacing established characters with newer ones is always risky.
While it introduced some fresh takes, Elite season 5 fell a bit flat in terms of staying realistic. Rather than treating the characters as high schoolers, the show turned its focus to pleasure-driven storylines filled with sex and drugs. By this point, the rollercoaster of emotions, drama, and mystery still had us hooked, but, at the same time, had started to feel excessive and overly dramatic. Nevertheless, Elite remained entertaining and intriguing, even if it didn’t measure up to the high standards set by its first three seasons.
3 Season 3
Thrills, Growth, And New Faces
Although some have criticized it as one of the weaker chapters, Elite season 3 closely follows its predecessors in terms of quality and pacing. Much like the first two seasons, the third one focuses on yet another deadly mystery — this time, the death of Polo Benavent (played by Álvaro Rico). This plotline successfully revived the series' intrigue without feeling repetitive, as the characters were forced to confront their pasts as they unraveled the truth.
Overall, even though the third season may not be the pinnacle of Elite , it still delivered on the thrill and quality front.
In addition to exploring familiar faces on a journey of growth and self-reflection, Elite's third installment seamlessly introduced new people. While Yeray Engoga and Malick Diallo, played by Sergio Momo and Leïti Sène, respectively, may not have been everyone’s favorite characters, the pair added significant emotional intensity to the plot (in the form of major drama). Overall, even though the third season may not be the pinnacle of Elite, it still delivered on the thrill and quality front.
2 Season 1
Intrigue, Tension, And Characters That Hooked Us
Elite season 1 set the stage for everything that followed, introducing us to the world of Las Encinas and its intriguing characters. Although many consider it to be the best season of the series, Elite still had room for improvement. The show clearly had interesting ideas and a fun premise, even though it was full of teen drama tropes viewers had already seen in similar shows. Still, the initial chapter was packed with intrigue and high-stakes drama that got us hooked from the very first episode.
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Beyond the central mystery of Marina’s death, Elite’s complex, multidimensional characters were the true highlight of the first season. From the start, each of them felt authentic, with their own unique struggles, desires, and flaws. Ultimately, what made this chapter so compelling is how deeply it explored the characters' motivations and the tension between them. Additionally, the high production quality created an immersive experience that made sure viewers kept coming back for more.
1 Season 2
A Perfect Blend Of Drama And Mystery
Despite being an emotional rollercoaster — or perhaps precisely because of it — Elite season 2 stands out as a fan favorite. With an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, the second installment of the hit Netflix series delivered tension, drama, and mystery. Building up from the themes and ideas that had worked in season 1, Elite season 2 is arguably when the show peaked. There was enough of everything that made the series so interesting in the first place, with each aspect of the show getting time to shine as opposed to what happened in later seasons.
The season picks up after the shocking death of Marina Nunier, played by María Pedraza, leaving her friends and the students of Las Encinas dealing with the aftermath. This storyline added both emotional depth and intense tension to the plot, making it one of the most, if not the most, suspenseful seasons of the bunch. In addition, the chemistry between some of the characters was off the charts, with Omar Shana (Omar Ayuso) and Ander Muñoz (Arón Piper) taking the crown in Elite’s best couples department. Paired with more developed character arcs and a cohesive narrative, the second season firmly secured its place as the show’s top-ranked chapter.
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5/10
Elite
Created for Netflix, Elite is a teen drama series set in a fictional privileged high school. The story follows three working-class teenagers — Samuel, Nadia, and Christian — who transfer there after their school is burned down. Culture and economic clashes ensue, but things get much more terrifying and dramatic after a murder of a fellow schoolmate thrusts the status quo into disarray.
Release Date October 5, 2018
Cast Alvaro Rico , Claudia Salas , Andres Velencoso , Itzan Escamilla , Omar Ayuso , Carla Diaz , Jaime Lorente , Jorge Lopez , Diego Martín , Maria Pedraza , Mina El Hammani , Manu Rios , Miguel Herran , Danna Paola , Martina Cariddi , Aron Piper , Georgina Amoros , Miguel Bernardeau , Ester Exposito , Pol Granch
Seasons 6
Directors Carlos Montero
English (US) ·