What is The Accident about? New tragic Netflix series explained
NetflixThe new Mexican drama The Accident (or Accidente) starring Ana Claudia Talancon, Erendira Ibarra, and Erick Elias has become a hit on Netflix.
New TV shows on the streaming service have been many folks’ gateway into international film and television, and The Accident might be your first Mexican series.
Whether it is or not, the thriller from Leonardo Padron has captivated the attention of subscribers with its twists and turns.
Here’s what it’s all about and what reviews are saying, so you can decide whether to watch it now that it’s streaming on Netflix.
The Accident’s plot
The Accident is about a child’s birthday party gone wrong. A tragic accident occurs when the kids are playing, and the adults shift blame onto one another in the grief.
Wealthy couple Daniela and Emiliano throw a birthday party for their son Rodrigo in Santa Cruz, Mexico. Balloons are blown up, party games are afoot, and parents and caregivers are dotted around. Then the wind picks up, leading to an accident that kills three kids.
In the aftermath, the community wonders if it was a truly unavoidable accident, or whether one or more of the adults attending could have intervened or kept a closer eye on things.
Is it worth watching?
The Accident has received middling reviews. It was criticized as melodramatic and heavy-handed by some.
Decider advised readers to skip it, writing, “The Accident takes too many big swings in the first episode without taking any time to let us live with its characters. It’s also very eye-rollingly melodramatic through most of the first episode.”
Heaven of Horror’s review was more positive, stating, “There is a soapy feel to it at times, but the thriller and drama elements outweigh that.”
The Accident’s Rotten Tomatoes score
The Accident is rotten on Rotten Tomatoes but not many critic reviews have been logged on the aggregator yet.
It sits at 33% with four rotten and two fresh write-ups as of August 23, 2024. This is likely to change as reviews come in, but the consensus isn’t positive.
Is it based on a true story?
Netflix confirmed The Accident is not based on a true story. It’s fiction.
NetflixThis makes sense given the series plays like a philosophical exploration of grief, unexpected tragedy, and our knee-jerk reactions when faced with incomprehensible loss.
Cast
The Accident cast features well-known Mexican actors like Ana Claudia Talancon (Soy Tu Fan) and Sebastian Martínez (The Marked Heart).
You may also recognize Alberto Guerra from Griselda, another Netflix series.
- Ana Claudia Talancón as Daniela
- Sebastián Martínez as Emiliano
- Alberto Guerra as El Charro
- Eréndira Ibarra as Lupita
- Shaní Lozano as Yolanda
- Silverio Palacios as Moncho
- Erick Elías as Fabián
You can watch The Accident in English or Spanish
Netflix presents the series in its original Spanish language but provides English subtitles and an audio dub for viewers who don’t speak Spanish.
As usual with its international content, there’s a larger selection of subtitles and dubs for other languages too.
For more, check out Stranger Things Season 5, The Sandman Season 2, or Ginny and Georgia Season 3.