Like many of you, we also kind of missed the Netflix youth series “On My Block” – which received favorable reviews, but not so much attention outside the United States. We’re not sure the fate of her spinoff, Freeridge, will be any different – and in fact, there’s a good chance we wouldn’t have noticed her if it weren’t for her lead actress. But even without it, it is a witty, pleasant, wholesome comedy drama without being oppressive – exactly, in short what you would want your children to see, or exactly what you want to see, if you are in the mood for a youth series. And we will say it as clearly as possible: we will always prefer a youth series that is aware of being such and plays within the boundaries of the genre, than a series that tries to make edgy twists by force in order to be noticed. In short, we will take one “Freeridge”. over a million “and die” (Oh yeah, right, it’s not a teen show. It’s an adult cartoon that puts a dark twist on the… Scooby-Doo characters? Sure. The audience really craved it).
So what do we have here? A bunch of teenagers with all the usual teenage drama (and comedy), and also one maybe-magical box that maybe-put a maybe-curse on them. And maybe not. The series pretty much avoids taking the direction of “it’s a fantasy series” (or horror), and instead goes for a subtle touch of magical realism – in a rather similar way that sictoms from the eighties rarely did, and really? We quite like it.
But wait, we promised you we would talk about the star of the series. So this way: in the main role here is a lively Kayla Monterosso – and it’s a name you should make the effort to remember. Mohia is a young actress who first appeared on television screens only two years ago, but in a very short time she stole the show for Larry David as Maria Sophia in the 11th season of “Calm Down” – a violent and disturbed high school diva, whom Larry had to cast in the series he is working on (this Long story, but basically, her dad is blackmailing him). It was still possible to manage with all this, but Maria Sofia is also the worst actress in the world – a role that Haya plays simply perfectly. Really, we didn’t see many funny things on TV last year like Kayla Monterosso coming to life playing the world’s worst actress. In short, Mohaya received a lot of justified attention – enough to be upgraded within a year to a main role in a Netflix series. Good and beautiful, happy and justified, and above all – makes you want to see her in many other things. A feeling that we are sure the world will answer soon.
“Freeridge,” now on Netflix