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Published Feb 2, 2026, 6:16 PM EST
Amanda M. Castro is a Network TV writer at Collider and a New York–based journalist whose work has appeared in Newsweek, where she contributes as a Live Blog Editor, and The U.S. Sun, where she previously served as a Senior Consumer Reporter.
She specializes in network television coverage, delivering sharp, thoughtful analysis of long-running procedural hits and ambitious new dramas across broadcast TV. At Collider, Amanda explores character arcs, storytelling trends, and the cultural impact of network series that keep audiences tuning in week after week.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Amanda is bilingual and holds a degree in Communication, Film, and Media Studies from the University of New Haven.
Netflix didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for Finding Her Edge, but that hasn’t stopped viewers from locking in. Since quietly dropping in January, the YA ice-dancing drama has been gaining real-time traction, emerging as an unexpectedly effective stand-in for The Summer I Turned Pretty — glossy, low-stress, and tailor-made for comfort bingeing. It’s not loud, buzzy, and it’s definitely not prestige TV, but Finding Her Edge knows its lane, sticks to it, and glides confidently to the finish.
What Is 'Finding Her Edge' About?
Image via NetflixFinding Her Edge centers on Adriana Russo (Madelyn Keys), the middle daughter in a once-iconic figure skating family. Her parents were Olympic champions, their Ontario rink trained elite talent, and the legacy was supposed to carry on uninterrupted. Then her mother died — and everything stalled.
Adriana stepped away from competitive skating entirely, helping her father keep the rink running as finances quietly spiraled. When forced back onto the ice due to circumstances beyond her control, Adriana finds herself partnered with Brayden Elliot (Cale Ambrozic), a talented ice dancer known for being challenging and troublesome — hence why he is often viewed as not worth the effort.
Things get complicated when Adriana’s former skating partner and ex-boyfriend, Freddie (Olly Atkins), returns to the rink with a new partner, who just so happens to be Adriana’s best friend. Cue unresolved feelings, competitive rivalry, and all those messy emotional entanglements that make Young Adult Drama so appealing. While this setup certainly lends itself to romance, the real theme of the series is the pressure from family expectations, financial hardship, and the burden of a legacy Adriana was never meant to inherit.
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Why It’s Clicking as a 'Summer I Turned Pretty' Alternative
Image via NetflixThe comparison to The Summer I Turned Pretty is more about plot than vibe, as Finding Her Edge operates in the same emotional register: soft lighting, familiar tropes, and conflict that simmers rather than detonates. This show is designed to be easy; episodes flow smoothly into one another, emotional beats are legible from a mile away, you’re never confused about who’s upset or why, and you’re rarely asked to sit with discomfort for too long. That accessibility makes it bingeable, even when storylines wobble, the series never becomes abrasive or exhausting. It’s the kind of show you put on “just to check out” and realize you’re four episodes deep without really noticing.
Despite the marketing, Finding Her Edge doesn’t fully succeed as a romance-forward series. The love triangle between Adriana, Brayden, and Freddie is unbalanced, with Brayden clearly receiving more thoughtful character development. Freddie often feels underwritten, popping in and out of the narrative as needed rather than driving it.
The Russo sisters’ dynamic carries far more emotional weight. Elise, Adriana's elder sister (Alexandra Beaton), must cope with injuries, fears, and resentment after missing her chance to become an Olympian. Elise's feelings of resentment toward Adriana are emotionally complex; therefore, they are messy, unfair, and incredibly human. The show does a good job of not "fixing" this situation in the narrative. As the youngest sister, Maria provides levity and perspective against the family's preoccupation with their legacy and success. Despite being the show's main focus, the relationship between Elise and Maria gives the show a stronger foundation than the main love story does.
Where Finding Her Edge really finds its footing is on the ice. The series gives skating sequences room to breathe, allowing choreography and physicality to communicate emotion where dialogue sometimes falls short. Ice dancing is inherently intimate, and the show smartly leans into that — lingering glances, near-misses, and charged silences often sell tension better than the script. The use of professional skating doubles and appearances from real-world champions adds credibility, even when the body doubling is noticeable. Unlike some YA sports dramas, Finding Her Edge actually respects the sport. It treats skating as work — exhausting, risky, and deeply emotional — rather than just aesthetic filler.
Why 'Finding Her Edge' Is Becoming a Sleeper Hit
Finding Her Edge isn’t chasing viral moments or prestige accolades; it aims for viewers to watch and keep coming back. In this context, the show’s restraint is its most valuable commodity. It conveys a sense of gentleness, is drama-free, and is sincere without being overly sentimental. In a highly competitive demographic where series sell larger, more colorful, and more emotionally charged content, the mildness of Finding Her Edge has its place and is an interesting departure.
Individuals who have invested their zeitgeists in The Summer I Turned Pretty are finding similar attributes in a cold-weather alternative: fewer beachy desires, but a greater degree of frostbite. Based on its recent performance, it can be inferred that Netflix viewers will be glad to continue watching Finding Her Edge.
English (US) ·