With a title that hints at scandal and obsession, this narrative introduces a daring first big fiction bet of 2023, arriving late at night as a bold move on the channel on a Wednesday. The new series, crafted in collaboration with Alea Media and known for recent works such as Patria and Entrevías, has become a focal point for critics who contend the story whitewashes a pedophilic dynamic while exploring love and sexual tension. It centers on a relationship between a 42-year-old woman and a 15-year-old teenager, raising questions about why a story would include such dynamics and how a network would bring it to light.
The creator explains that the aim was to tell stories through a male vantage point, while highlighting the double standard that a flawed woman faces in a society quick to judge. The important point, he notes, is to ignite a discussion about whether women deserve the same right to make mistakes as men, a theme that sits at the heart of the plot.
rain of criticism
From the first episode, the dialogue and power dynamics are portrayed as unhealthy and toxic, according to comments from a leading actor involved in the project. The actress who plays the partner emphasizes that the series should provoke questions, conflicts, and doubts that fiction can explore and dissect.
Even some of the writers stepped forward to defend the show against persistent backlash. A writer asserted that the claim of normalizing pedophilia misses the point and that depicting crime on screen does not equate to endorsement. He argued that showing crimes such as serial murders or kidnappings can be part of storytelling without apology, a stance he believes some critics misinterpret.
The executive producer notes that the fiction digs deeper than mere physical attachment. It examines how long-term exposure to violence and self-harm patterns can shape people, drawing on extensive research about abandonment syndrome, psychologically battered woman syndrome, eating disorders, and motherhood to shape the characters into recognizably human figures.
suicide attempt
Beyond the debate, Scandal Relato de una Obsesión follows two figures spiraling toward an abyss, dragging along their internal struggles. Early on, the heroine decides to end her life by leaping into the sea, only to be saved by the young man in a moment of intense tension. The narrative promises a distorted love arc that veers into obsession, portraying a woman who is entangled with a husband and daughter while her own story keeps shifting under the weight of longing.
The savior character bears his own burden, having lost his mother at birth, a loss that fuels a lifelong sense of guilt. Compounded by a difficult relationship with his father and school problems tied to high intellectual abilities, he becomes a volatile presence whose impulses often outpace control.
Actors note that some scenes push boundaries but were handled with a natural ease that surprised them. One performer found the experience smoother than anticipated, while another admits initial concerns about how those moments would feel on screen.
The series, titled Scandal Relato de una Obsesión, wrapped eight episodes after filming concluded the previous summer. Production took place in Madrid’s natural landscapes and along the coastlines of the Valencian Community, including Dénia, Cullera, Castellón, and Valencia. The creator praises the Mediterranean setting as a counterpoint that lends a striking glow to the disturbing narrative.
Source: AFP