Netflix’s Once-Addictive Teen Drama Ends With Very Few Thrills & Surprises

Elite follows a group of teenagers who study at Las Encinas, a super-exclusive school attended by those with a lot of money and power in society. One of the biggest aspects of the teen drama is the culture clash between those with scholarships and the ones who pay to go to the school. Elite season 8 once again explores that element, with students getting into situations that put them and their loved ones in danger. As with every season, Elite‘s final year once again revolves around a murder, but it feels like the same old in many ways.

Las Encinas might look like the perfect school from the outside, but the establishment could not be more rotten from the inside. One of the key aspects of the show’s entire run is the fact that the school ends up poisoning its students, who feel enormous pressure to behave a certain way to fit in. Elite season 8 explores power dynamics, with new and old characters playing a role in the central mystery. The only problem is the show has gone on for so long that very few surprises remain.

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Elite Season 8 Has A Problem With Its Characters

It’s hard to root for many of them

There is no denying that Elite‘s best years and characters are far behind it. Season 8 is very much a retread of past seasons, though the characters here are difficult to root for. Elite never quite managed to move on from its original cast, with character dynamics not hitting like they used to and the murder reveals getting progressively less thrilling. Elite season 8 managed to at least bring back Nadia, who had some emotional scenes. Her presence was nice, though it was superfluous to the story.

Elite season 8’s driving force is the arrival of sibling duo Emilia and Héctor Krawietz. The pair spearhead Las Encinas’ alumni association, which affects the lives of all students. It’s hard to define how I feel about them. On the one hand, many uncomfortable and over-the-top situations come from Emilia and Héctor’s inclusion; however, some of the best drama of the season also involves them. Some of it was good, but it was hard not to roll my eyes at some of the situations they were a part of.

Elite season 8 ultimately has character issues. Every other season of the show — even the ones following the excellent first three seasons — had something important going for them. I could easily pinpoint the best character from each episode, but the same could not be done with season 8. Most of Elite‘s characters had their arcs wrapped up by season 7, and their return in season 8 led to characters falling back into old patterns. Certain dynamics and motives felt contrived to justify the characters’ presence in the final season.

Elite’s Ending Is Just Fine

Elite‘s dark, sexy tone is back, but the show feels too familiar. The reason behind the final murder and the killer’s identity are easy to guess early on, which makes season 8 feel overly long. But while there are quite a few issues with Elite season 8, it serves as a fine ending for the show, hitting some key beats that had to be addressed to explain what the future holds for the characters beyond the season 8 finale.

For those who have watched Elite up to season 7, it makes sense to finish watching the show, even if the twists and turns are not as intriguing as they used to be. For those who stopped watching the series after the original Elite cast left, season 8’s story and fan service are not strong enough to warrant a return to see how the story concludes.

When Elite was firing on all cylinders, it was great. The series brought forward exciting reveals and electric pairings, with a dark tone that kept us on edge. Over the years, it became clear that Elite would never be as good as it was in its first few seasons, despite sporadic thrills. Elite‘s series finale is fitting, though, and it does a decent job of bringing its story to a close.

All 8 episodes of Elite season 8 are now streaming on Netflix.

Created for Netflix, Elite is a teen drama series set in a fictional privileged high school. The story follows three working-class teenagers — Samuel, Nadia, and Christian — who transfer there after their school is burned down. Culture and economic clashes ensue, but things get much more terrifying and dramatic after a murder of a fellow schoolmate thrusts the status quo into disarray. 

Pros

• The series’ ending is fitting
• Season 8 has some good dramatic moments

Cons

• Characters are all over the place
• Season 8’s murder fails to be exciting