Elite (2018-present) is a young adult drama series that premiered on Netflix. So far, seven seasons have been released, totaling 56 episodes (not including the miniseries Elite: Short Stories). And a final season announced for 2024.
The series follows the lives of students at Las Encinas, addressing themes such as classism and the discovery of sexuality, alongside typical school topics.
Elite quickly became one of the most popular series of its time, partly due to some of the cast already being recognized from "La Casa de Papel," another series on the same platform. It also gained prominence in Mexico thanks to the participation of Danna Paola, who began her artistic career as a child actress.
However, what drew the most attention was the explicit manner in which it addressed uncommon themes, such as polyamorous relationships. In season 1, a bisexual character quickly stood out: Leopoldo "Polo" Benavent Villada (Álvaro Rico), who had been in a relationship with Carla Rosón Caleruega (Ester Expósito) since the age of 12.
Polo's bisexuality is not revealed until (SPOILER) a conversation with Ander, where he mentions, "maybe I am". This is not an attempt to render him invisible but rather a natural process of self-discovery. Guzmán (Miguel Bernardeau) was the first man he was sexually attracted to, which helped him understand his attraction to boys.
But Polo was not the only bi character. Valerio Montesinos Rojas (Jorge López) in season 2 gained many followers for his outgoing personality and for tackling the taboo of sibling attraction (even though they were half-siblings on their father's side). Again, his orientation is not explicitly mentioned, but it is evident when he decides to get involved in a polyamorous relationship with Cayetana (Georgina Amorós) and Polo.
In season 4, we see female bi representation with Rebeka "Rebe" de Bormujo Ávalos (Claudia Salas) and Mencía (Martina Cariddi). Both date boys before starting a relationship, suggesting the discovery of their bisexuality, though they do not mention it openly. Their relationship, like many others in Elite, is marked by the complexity of fulfilling family roles and societal expectations.
Although Elite is not perfect, its work in making bi characters visible in Spanish content distributed on one of the world's leading streaming platforms is noteworthy. It also sets a precedent for future similar content.