Merlí

Nothing, and I mean nothing, has ever messed me up like this brilliant show did, and the best thing about that is that among all the sad moments, there were a lot of really powerful happy moments that brought forth just as much if not more tears. I can't even begin to describe how important this show is, and I'm not sure if it's even possible to put it properly in words. Throughout the show, we see the evolution of each character, Merlí included, partly thanks to Merlí's amazing advice and their own initiative. The suffering and success faced by these characters is all explainable in some way or form, so When his teachings of philosophy go beyond the classroom and the characters apply these ideas to their own lives and relationships, the beauty of having a teacher who actually cares about connecting with their students in a non-superficial way really hit me. Each character that came and went left their mark, but their loss never felt out of place or useless. This show had me feeling nostalgic for characters and memories I've only been aware of for a few days, had me loving each and every one of the characters because an actual effort was made by the writers and actors to make them understandable, and had me sobbing at how absurdly perfect some moments were. This was beautifully written, beautifully filmed, beautifully acted, and powerful in its subtlety. Watch. This. Show. Watch it, fall in love with it, gain an interest in philosophy, pay attention, and allow yourself to really *think*. 10/10!

At first when i accidentally saw a thumbnail in a video sharing website about two young-good-looking boys looking at each other (probably in love) i thought it's going to be a soap opera cliché contained young gay story who are closeted, with its typical conflicts. I was wrong. Merlí is a 'rich' soap opera, whenever i watch the episodes it feels like i'm taking a class, studying Philosophy, and it is actually teach us about it indeed. Almost everything about this series is super, the directing, the acting, the soundtracks, plot, you name it. I really hope they will be released officially with English subtitle, but you may not be worried if you understand Spanish or Catalan because you can watch them in TV3's website. In summary, Merlí is a classy soap opera which highly recommended to watch. Salutació!

Having lived in Catalonia for some time many years ago I was automatically drawn to Merlí.

To say that I was pleased, or that it is well-done, would be gross understatements! Truly... "Merlí" is indeed a dazzling gem! Anything lacking due to financial constraints is made-up for fifty times over in so many ways – particularly in the compelling performances of the actors, one can't help but feel what they are portraying!

The show deals with quite a broad spectrum of unique and sensitive topics- a number of which are often considered taboo in certain areas- but I really enjoy the thoughtful and creative way in which they are handled and beautifully woven into the story and philosophical discourse themes in such a natural, believable & organic way.

I especially enjoy the many on-location shoots and cinematic views featuring Barcelona and the local area which are very beautiful and picturesque.

Aside from the normal frustration about the poor decisions of the characters now and then; the reservation I do have about "Merlí" is the prolific use of profanity throughout the dialogue. While it doesn't bother me, I can imagine that especially for a native Spanish speakers it could detract from one's enjoyment- because such words always have so much more emotional gravity for native speakers.

Language barrier is certainly somewhat of an issue for me- my Spanish is limited (and much more focused on American dialects/pronunciations) and I only have some peripheral familiarity of Catalan vocabulary lingering from my time there. My proficiency in Italian has proved rather helpful before I managed to locate English subtitles. The acting is so fantastic that the most important emotions & concepts are clearly understood. I finally collected English subtitles for all of the episodes now- although they seem to vary significantly in tone, accuracy, quality and style, etc. But they beat nothing all of the place! And I'm anxious to re-watch what I've seen and finish watching the currently available episodes with the translated dialogue.

Virtually all of the original dialogue spoken during filming is Catalan; which is not just a regional, colloquial dialect of Spanish. It is a bonafide, unique language with an instantly recognizably different phonology, and very distinct vocabulary & literature going as far back as Castilian Spanish. In fact Catalan was the official (commercial/governmental) and common spoken language for most of what is now Spain for many centuries; and linguistically it has more in common with Franco-Italo romance languages than it does with Spanish or Portuguese. Currently its use is mostly limited to Catalonia & Valencia where it holds equal legal status as Spanish and nearly everyone is bilingual. This explains how such a seamless Spanish language audio track was also recorded by all the original actors. I watched the first season in Spanish, but have only been able to find the original Catalan version of second season.

No reviews to date? Seriously? One supposes that is mainly because it speaks a language (Catalán) with which relatively few Europeans or Americans are familiar. Yet it appears regularly on YouTube with Spanish and even on occasion badly translated English subtitles. No excuses, however. A splendidly scripted, acted, and filmed TV series like this deserves better attention.

The narrative centers on a teacher and his philosophy class in a contemporary Barcelona high school. Each episode follows the teacher's life both at home and in the context of how he interacts with a specific set of acquaintances drawn from that milieu. No punches are pulled where the tone and depth of such relationships are concerned; fine and coarse language intermingle freely, as do sexual tensions involving all the characters.

But the most surprising aspect to me is how thoroughly expert and technically adept an obviously low budget film from a region lying at the northern extremity of its EU country succeeds in every way at generating a first-class production. I like everything about it: the musical track, the use of lighting, the camera work, and the direction. It is equally startling to discover in a minor TV series actors of all ages and kinds delivering top performances. Any language barrier fades away, almost as if it were a silent film with subtitles barely visible.

Now in its second season, this one should be a "must see" for the avid film fan.

One of my favorite television shows. Recently, I've been getting into shows from foreign countries. I happened to come upon this on Netflix after watching "Elite" and binged the first season in a weekend.

Merli is philosophy teacher who moves in with his mother and comes to teach at his son's school. There he builds unforgettable connections with the students as well as their parents and staff, beginning to help mend the broken lives and relationships that surround him. He isn't without his faults though; he's brash, brutally honest and a bit of a playboy. And he learns that sometimes just meaning well isn't enough.

This show is full of heartbreaking moments and moments that'll fill you with joy. Unfortunately Netflix only offers the first season and the last two seasons are hard to find on the internet but don't let this dissuade you. This is definitely something to watch if you're in the mood for a feel good show that teaches lessons of life and philosophy. Don't let the subtitles dissuade you either; if you're not a fan of foreign shows, you might miss out on this gem, which would be a travesty in many ways. Merli is worth the watch because it's the sort of show that will resonate it your heart long after you've finished it. Don't miss out on it!