One of Netflix’s buzziest shows right now, Spanish-language series Welcome to Eden has steadily been climbing up the streaming giant’s ratings since it launched internationally earlier this month, on 6 May - and it’s out now in the UK.
But what is it about – and is it worth watching? We unpack your next binge-watching obsession.
Are you happy?
That’s the question facing the attractive protagonists of Welcome to Eden. As social-media savvy, disillusioned twenty-something year olds, they want to have fun – or so they think.
So when protagonist Zoa is one of those invited to an ultra-exclusive party, set on a secret island in the middle of nowhere (and organised by a new brand of energy drink), she jumps at the chance.
However, all is not as it seems, and a small group of partygoers wake up the next morning as the only ones left on the island.
As it turns out, they were chosen for a reason, and the group then find themselves at the mercy of a commune led by a charismatic woman. Does she want to help them? Is Eden really paradise – or is it hell?
Basically, the show is like Fyre Festival on steroids – and it’s been getting people hooked.
Why is it proving so popular?
Full of sex, intrigue, complex relationships and a good old helping of dystopia, Welcome to Eden ticks all the boxes if you’re looking for an LGBTQ-friendly, interesting and tense thriller. Even better, all the episodes are out right now, making it the perfect binge-watching material.
Created by Joaquín Górriz and Guillermo López, the show’s appetite for plot twists – with the final episode’s cliff-hanger causing uproar online – has been getting people excited for the second series already, especially the romantic relationship between Zoa and fellow partygoer/prisoner Bel.
“#WelcomeToEden better be getting a 2nd and 3rd season & we better have Bel and Zoa together the whole time!” one wrote, while another admitted that they had “finished welcome to Eden within 1 day and I’m rewatching it again”.
“I watched all of Welcome to Eden yesterday evening and I still can’t stop thinking about that ending,” another wrote. “I need more.”
So, will there be a second season?
Unfortunately, despite the cliffhanger, there has been no official word from Netflix on whether there will be a second season. However, given the way the show ended, we’d be shocked if one wasn’t in the works – if only to tie things up.
However, Netflix usually waits about a month after the launch of a show to determine whether it’s popular enough to renew – so watch this space.
