Netflix’s answer to 100 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy was a Spanish medical drama that is just as dramatic and probably even more grotesque. Breathless, or Respira, tells the story of the doctors of a busy hospital named Joaquin Sorolla and their struggle to save lives while dealing with other troubles of their own. Romance, violence, drugs, sex, and everything else under the roof are regular subjects in each episode of the show. The first season of the medical drama was a chaotic mess that was enjoyable because of the non-AI nature of the story. While it is tropey and familiar, there’s nothing that reads “this is not made by humans” about it. And that’s what makes it an entertaining show, which I will continue to give a chance to. The series focuses on the struggles that medical staff go through on a daily basis. Of course, it’s highly dramatized, with a lot of extra zest on the side to make it both serious in an over-the-top way and also thrilling.
The healthcare system has always been a place of inspiration for melodramas. Breathless uses this to its full advantage, even bringing in a political angle. This way, two storylines are playing out simultaneously. In the first season, Patricia was a character who was almost an outsider and even felt like a threat, but I feel like she’s pretty much assimilated in the second season, though I do not appreciate the Nestor-Patricia arc. The second season goes into the privatization of public hospitals and the overworking of healthcare facilitators. It’s a political game between Patricia and the hospital, but at the same time, just as before, each episode sees the doctors handling multiple different cases, and if you’re a new adult, you’re likely either going to think, “I want to be a doctor” or “I never want to be a doctor” after watching this. I don’t know about you, but learning random medical terms used to be my favorite pastime despite not knowing a thing about medicine.
If you’ve already seen Breathless season 1, not much has changed in season 2. It’s just as quick-paced, scattered, and dense with different stories woven together. Also, if you were wondering, yes, Jesica survives, though I feel like she was kind of sidelined, and I also didn’t like how things turned out for her this season. On the other hand, Biel, I think, got more screentime than Jesica. This is not a spoiler because it’s revealed pretty early on, but Nicolas, the new character, is Biel’s father, and he brings a new dynamic to the show. Biel’s love life isn’t as much the focus as his father-son dynamic is. Guess pretty boys can be serious too, eh? Jokes aside, though, it’s nice to see more range from the actor who has such striking looks and probably gets sidelined and typecast as a pretty face often. Also, I feel like this show is a family drama masquerading as a medical drama because, despite the setup, a surprising amount of it is about parenting, which is very interesting, if not straight-up odd.
Meanwhile, I really didn’t enjoy where things went with Rocio and May. I’m really not sure why things had to pan out the way they did for her, so that’s a plot point that I think I kind of ignored through this season. A new character is introduced in the 7th episode of the show, which I thought was a bold choice. This character is definitely going to play a huge role in the next season, though I can’t tell as of now if they’re fully good or a morally grey character. I do think they’re quite ambitious, and it’s interesting to see their dynamic with Jesica, so I would hope it doesn’t turn into something basic later.
The show introduces another strong female character named Sophie, who is like a Patricia part 2, almost. However, she’s a very elusive character whose mysterious nature could make or break the hospital. She’s also Nestor’s rival, and he’ll do anything in his power to call her out as a fraud. There are so many characters on this show; it’s honestly hard to keep track. Quique finds a new love interest, but you’ll have to watch to find out what happened with Oscar and if this one sticks. Additionally, because of the whole privatization thing, the dynamic between the old characters has also changed, so it’s interesting to see it all unfold.
Overall, I feel like Breathless is still a breath of fresh air, despite the claustrophobic nature of its plot. It’s not unique by any means, but it’s highly engaging because of the multiple stories it combines and brings to the surgical table. I can’t say it’s moving or anything, but it’s certainly got an exciting flair to it, and there’s a chance you’ll get attached to some of the characters. There’s something for everyone, but the thing I don’t quite enjoy about it is how each season kind of ends inconclusively, specifically because it’s teasing the next season. But I will admit the ending of season 2 isn’t as shocking as season 1’s, and anyone who’s worried they’ll be left as devastated as they were in the first season, let me ease your stress, because you won’t.
When I watched the first season, I called it Netflix’s Grey’s Anatomy and also said it was going to be the Spanish entertainment industry’s next big thing, and I still stick by that statement. In comparison to the other Spanish dramas, it’s fresh for sure, and it feels unique because the setup is brand new. At the end of the day, if you’re a fan of medical dramas, watching people cutting through people’s tummies, and feeling like you’re medically educated, then this show is meant for you. I think the show still lives up to the first season, so I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
