SEASON 1
Olympo is a Spanish Netflix series that dives headfirst into the world of elite youth athletics-but not in the way you'd expect. Set in the fictional Pirineos High Performance Center, the show starts as a sleek teen sports drama and slowly reveals a much darker, more sinister underbelly involving performance-enhancing drugs, institutional pressure, and psychological manipulation.
The story follows Amaia, a dedicated synchronized swimmer and team captain, who begins to suspect something isn't right when her best friend suddenly outperforms her. As she digs deeper, the series escalates into a tense conspiracy surrounding experimental doping and how far young athletes-and the adults around them-are willing to go for glory.
Visually, the show is stunning. The cinematography and production design feel polished and modern, and the use of water, mirrors, and slow-motion sequences really amplify the emotional weight and physical toll of the sport. The cast, particularly Clara Galle as Amaia and María Romanillos as Núria, deliver solid performances that balance internal conflict and teenage vulnerability.
However, Olympo is not without flaws. Some character arcs feel underdeveloped, the pacing can be uneven, and the show occasionally leans into melodrama more than it needs to. There are moments where the emotional beats feel rushed, and certain plot twists are a bit too convenient. Still, the themes-ambition, exploitation, identity, and bodily autonomy-are strong enough to carry the series, especially as it builds toward a cliffhanger ending that suggests there's more to uncover.
It's not subtle, and it's definitely not family-friendly, but Olympo manages to be both thought-provoking and entertaining. Fans of Elite, Élite Short Stories, Black Swan, or even Spinning Out will likely find something to latch onto here.
