WHITE LINES is a new Netflix series by the creator of the hit series Money Heist. It’s a thriller-mystery, and the trailer gives an excellent indication of its intensity. The season has 10 episodes, and you’ll probably watch them fast. Read our season 1 White Lines review here!
White Lines is a new Netflix series by Álex Pina. He also created the Money Heist series on Netflix which is a massive hit. Based on the hype around this new series, I think Netflix has another hit on its hands. Especially since it’s actually really good from the first episode.
The new Netflix series takes place mostly in Ibiza, and yes, the title does refer to drugs. As well as being an analogy for the lines we cross (or don’t) in general.
The genre is thriller-mystery and if you watch the trailer (featured at the bottom of this review), you should be intrigued. It’s the kind of trailer that simply draws you in and leaves you wanting more. I love it!
Continue reading our White Lines review below.
Lots of great characters
The real strength of White Lines is definitely its impressive gallery of characters. Especially since we also get to follow most of them in the present as well as in the late 1990s. This means we see two different actors portray the same character as younger and older versions.
Fortunately, it works really well and the casting is spot-on all around. Just as we know it from other Netflix productions such as the German Netflix series Dark, where most characters exist in three different time periods.
You might like: Our review of the Netflix series Dark here >
For White Lines, we’re only dealing with two, and honestly, whether it’s the present or the past, every single scene shot in Ibiza makes me want to go there. Essentially, Ibiza is like a character all on its own. So is the soundtrack, which features dance tracks from the late 1990s. You know, the kind Axel Collins (the DJ that turns up dead in the present) would play!
As for those other characters, most of them are shown to have many different sides to them, which is exactly what makes this story work. Sure, there are characters that fall easier into the “good” or “bad” category. Most, however, are a little bit of both to at least some extent.
The cast of White Lines
Obviously, the main reason the characters work so well in White Lines is thanks to the writing. As a very close second reason, you’ll find the perfect casting.
The main character is Zoe Walker who is portrayed perfectly by Laura Haddock. She might be familiar to you as Meredith Quill from Guardians of the Galaxy. Yes, the mother of Star-Lord in those movies. Also, she starred in the Da Vinci’s Demons series and the BBC 2019 mini-series The Capture.
You might also recognize Pedro Casablanc, who plays the head of the powerful Calafat family in White Lines. Pedro Casablanc was in Twin Murders: The Silence of the White City and he’s in the Baztán trilogy, which just had The Legacy of the Bones released on Netflix recently. Finally, he’s in the Netflix series Toy Boy, so there’s plenty to recognize him from.
Recommended reading: Our review of the Netflix thriller series Toy Boy here >
You’ll probably recognize a lot more of the actors in this new Netflix series such as Daniel Mays (Good Omens) and Marta Milans (Shazam!). RadioTimes has done an excellent job of covering all the main characters and the actors who portray the young and older versions of them, so head on over there for more information.
Watch White Lines season 1 on Netflix now!
We’ve already mentioned that the creator of White Lines is Álex Pina, who also created the Netflix series Money Heist which has four seasons out so far. Prior to creating that series, Álex Pina also created several other series. One of the writers on White Lines is Esther Martínez Lobato, who also wrote and co-created several of his past series.
In other words, Álex Pina knows how to create a series and how to keep it going for several seasons. And he also knows that working with good people is the way to do it.
The ten episodes of the season are directed by three directors. Nick Hamm (The Hole) directs the two first episodes as well as the two last, so he’s definitely key to the overall tone. Also, Luis Prieto (Kidnap) directed episode 3-5 and Ashley Way (Ripper Street, Doctor Who) is the director of episodes 6-8.
Season 1 has ten 45-minute episodes and I will definitely be watching this entire season before the weekend is over. After all, not much else to do during these quarantine times. Also, watching the beautiful surroundings (while all the crazy stuff is happening) is a perfect perk of watching this new Netflix series. Mostly though, just watch it because it’s very entertaining!
Season 1 of White Lines is out on Netflix worldwide from May 15, 2020.
Details
Creator: Álex Pina
Writers: David Barrocal, Esther Martínez Lobato, Ed Wethered, Alberto Úcar, Nacho Sánchez Quevedo, Javier Gómez Santander
Directors: Nick Hamm, Luis Prieto, Ashley Way
Stars: Guillermo Lasheras, Pedro Casablanc, Javier Garrido García, Belén López, Marta Milans, Kassius Nelson, Rafael Morais, Daniel Mays, Laura Haddock
Plot
The body of a legendary Manchester DJ is discovered twenty years after his mysterious disappearance from Ibiza. When his sister returns to the beautiful Spanish island to find out what happened, her investigation leads her through a thrilling world of dance clubs, lies and cover-ups, forcing her to confront the darker sides of her own character in a place where people live life on the edge.
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