BABY’S SECRETS TUMBLE
Will The Sex Ring Be Stopped + Love Triumph?
In November 2018, Netflix debuted the first season of the teen drama, Baby. Not undeservedly, the six-episode series sparked a mix of controversy and intrigue among viewers and critics. The highly debated story follows four mixed up high schoolers who have been lured into the world of drug running and prostitution in a posh section of Rome.
Similar to Spanish Nexflix drama, Elite, Baby gives viewers a peek into the glasshouses and boarding schools of European high society. Reminiscent of The Catcher in the Rye, the show proves that the ‘right postcode’ or a brimming bank account doesn’t guarantee a happy home. The stars of the show, Chiara and Ludo, played by Benedetta Porcaroli and Alice Pagani, are brilliant actresses. Their fresh skills and nuanced facial expressions add a multidimensional authenticity to the emotional conflicts brought about by their unique circumstances.
With an incredibly fast-paced design, each episode quickens the heart in anticipation. And after an abrupt ending to season one– with little to no character resolution– fans of the show were desperate for answers. Will Chiara leave this life and study abroad in the US? With Severio’s phone and list of criminal contacts, will Ludo become the ring leader?
Season 2, which came out in October 2019, tied up many of those loose ends, but the intense finale only provided more questions.
To recap, for most of season two, Chiara leaves ‘sex work’ in order to be with her teenage boyfriend, Damiano. However, their heated love story nearly comes to a full stop after all sorts of blackmail and manipulation forces Chaira to pretend to date her gay classmate Brando. With Severio’s phone, Ludo spends much of the season ‘in charge’ of her own ‘sex career.’ Ultimately though, both girls end up back in the hands of pimp, Fiore.
The show is loosely based on the real life “Baby Squillo” scandal of 2014. It was discovered that a number of young girls from Parioli, Rome, were involved in prostitution to procure designer clothes and other luxury items. According to the Daily Beast, dozens of teens were victimized by the real life version of this story. One such victim said that she became involved in the prostitution ring by typing the phrase “‘easy money’ on Google.”
Due to the real-world complications surrounding this story, the dramatization has been criticized for potentially glorifying the sexual exploitation of young girls. In response, Kelly Luegenbiel, Netflix Vice President of International Originals, said, “The first thing that we are always looking for is authenticity, and this show has that.” Additionally, Netflix writer Re Salvador said of the series, “[it is] a story about love, not prostitution.”
Despite the controversy– or due to it– the third season of Baby is finally here. The six-episode series premieres on September 16th, 2020. The official trailer — watch it above — hints at pushed boundaries, broken relationships, and twisted family ties. With dramatic flashes of courtroom scenes, Chiara, Ludo, and other characters face the music as an intense police investigation ensues.
If you have been eagerly awaiting answers to the plot twists and cliffhangers from season two, buckle up. This season will be Baby’s last, so alongside the drama and intensity, viewers can expect to finally find some resolution to this well put together and highly debated Netflix original.
