“Toy Boy” is a Spanish series that deals with a murder mystery. The series has endless subplots that might leave you exhausted. From the Irish mafia to a rape-murder case. At the center of this mystery drama is Hugo, a male stripper who was falsely charged with murder. After seven years, his case was reconsidered as a pro bono case by a law firm. The reopening of the case brought forth ugly truths that had been kept hidden for a long time.
Every episode compulsorily has a performance by the male strippers working at the Inferno club. The name of the series originates from how the male strippers felt in the hands of the rich and powerful. Though mindlessly entertaining, “Toy Boy” drags the murder mystery plot for way too long.
‘Toy Boy’ Season 1: Plot Summary
Hugo Beltrán was a young stripper who enjoyed the glamorous aspects of his profession. He met Macarena Medina, an influential woman from a wealthy family, and the two shared a sexual relationship. One night, Hugo accompanied Macarena to an underground party. He was high on drugs and indulged in sexual acts. He woke up to find himself lying inside his boat, and as he went outside, he saw a burning corpse. The police arrived and handcuffed Hugo for the murder at the same moment. Hugo had no recollection of the night.
After seven years in prison, a law firm appointed lawyer Triana Marin to reopen the case and provide Hugo with a fresh trial. Triana was able to free Hugo from prison on probation; the challenge was to prove his innocence with evidence. The burned corpse was claimed to be that of Phillip Norman, husband of Macarena Medina. Hugo blamed Macarena for setting him up in the murder case of her husband, though she denied involvement and hoped for justice as well.
The reopening of the controversial case was not a matter of luck but rather of power. The Rojas family, another influential and wealthy family, competed with the Medinas, and they wanted to stir controversy to ruin their reputation. A loss in reputation would eventually help the Rojas win the deal to build the port, and that was the ultimate motive.
With a complex plot and various backstories, “Toy Boy” tries to keep it engaging but takes far too many ideas off the plate.
Who Was Alvero Rojas?
As the story proceeds, we learn that Phillip Norman is indeed alive and in hiding. This leads to the question of whose body was burnt on Hugo’s boat. Phillip Norman faked his death, but the reason was unknown. It was proved that the Medina family paid Hugo while he was in hiding. Macarena was unaware that her husband was alive, yet money from her company was transferred to his account. She started losing her mind as she felt betrayed and manipulated by someone close to her. As the rape and murder blame shifted toward Philip, he was murdered inside his house as well. This raised suspicion as the actual criminal was still out there trying to cover their tracks. After studying and investigating the corpse, it was identified as the body of Alvero Rojas. When Alvero Rojas went missing on the night of the murder, his family believed he had traveled to South America.
Upon further investigation of Alvero Rojas’s personal history, it was found that he pimped his classmates to wealthy clients. Among his list of affluent clients was Phillip Norman. It was later found that even Borja Medina, the trusted brother of Macarena, was his client, and Alvero tried to blackmail him with a video to extort money. In the process of finding the scandal, the dirty secrets of the Rojas family were also revealed.
What Had Happened With Andrea?
Andrea was the son of Macarena. He had severe mental health issues. From the night of the murder, Andrea displayed symptoms of trauma. It was initially believed that he had undergone an accident, and the news of his father’s death must have caused him grave pain. Later, when Hugo found a medical report stating that Andrea was sexually assaulted that night, he questioned Macarena. Macarena was unaware of the assault even though her signature was on the report. She knew someone was trying to create chaos in her life. It became clear that the rape and murder mysteries were connected. Andrea was in a lot of pain as a result of his past trauma, and he tried to run away from his family several times. His only friend was Jairo, a male stripper with whom he spent most of his days.
Andrea had confessed his truth and recorded it, which he then transferred to a flash drive and handed over to Jairo, to keep safe. He wanted Jairo to only take a look at it when things got complicated. Jairo noticed the flash drive when Andrea was hospitalized. He decided to play the video, but right at that moment, the Irishmen entered his house and stole his belongings. The Irishmen worked for Mateo Medina, another cousin of Macarena. Mateo wanted Jairo to leave the town, and Andrea, his failure to do so led to the physical assault. After a series of complications, the video eventually reached Zapata, the cop who was always present in the midst of the chaos.
‘Toy Boy’ Season 1: Ending Explained: Who Was The Murderer?
Zapata tried to sell the video to the highest bidder. Finally, it was Rojas who bought the video. A video was telecasted that showed Andrea confessing his truth and blaming Hugo for the rape and murder. Hugo knew Andrea was lying, and he tried to find a way to not end up in prison once again. When the Rojas confronted Zapata, saying that the video he had given them was not the one telecasted, Zapata confirmed that the one telecasted was fake and recently made out of fear.
Hugo was asked to reach the Medina country house by the criminal. Upon reaching, he found Andrea hanging from the ceiling, his feet barely touching a table that kept him alive. Hugo tried to save him by untying the rope, but was greeted by Mateo. It was Mateo who had raped Andrea when he was a little child. Andrea wanted to meet his mother when he was left alone with Mateo. This angered Mateo, and he assaulted Andrea. Soon after, Alvero entered the room and figured out what Mateo had done. As Alvero hit Mateo, Mateo got hold of a sharp object and battered his head. Phillip had reached out soon after. He wanted to report the case to the police, but Mateo reminded him about the money he owed to the Rojas. The murder report would give rise to a scandal to avoid it the two framed the death of Philip.
Mateo planned to frame Andrea’s death and murder Hugo. He would blame Hugo for Andrea’s death and arise as the savior. But Hugo managed to overpower him and save Andrea. What followed was a long run and chase between Hugo, Andrea, and Mateo. Hugo helped Andrea escape the house. Mateo pointed his gun towards Hugo, and just when Hugo felt powerless, Zapata arrived and shot Mateo. Zapata later re-recorded Andrea’s statement, where he clearly explained the events of the night. Zapata left out one question, as Triana had pointed out. He did not ask how the body was burned and who helped them keep the body on the boat. The only witness, Mateo, was shot by Zapata, and throughout the series, it was evident that Zapata would do anything for money. In a way, it indicated that Zapata was involved in helping Mateo frame the murder plan.
As Hugo and Triana celebrated the victory with their friends, a bomb blasted into the Inferno club. After gaining consciousness, Hugo searched for Triana and found her lying senseless on the floor. “Toy Boy” Season 1 indicates that Triana has passed away, with Hugo lamenting the loss of the only person he called family. The bomb blast was planned by the Irish mafia, who wanted to take revenge on the strippers after they entered an Irish party and took back Jario’s belongings.
It can be assumed that Season 2 of “Toy Boy” will deal with the conflict between the Inferno strippers and the Irish mafia. Along with that, the secrets Zapata continues to carry with him regarding the murder night can also add to the drama. Whether or not Triana has truly passed away can only be confirmed with the second season that releases on 11th February 2022.
See More: ‘Toy Boy’ Season 2: Ending, Explained – Who Planted The Bomb At Inferno?
“Toy Boy” is a 2019 Crime Thriller Television Series streaming on Netflix.
