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Parents' Guide to

Alba

By Stephanie Morgan, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Graphic series uses sexual assault as soapy plot device.

TV Netflix Drama 2022
Alba poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Alba starts off surprisingly strong, presenting a graphic and stirring look at the experience of a woman (impressively played by Elena Rivera) who is drugged and sexually assaulted during a night out with her friend. Repeatedly questioned, doubted, blamed, and slut-shamed, her experience is a believable depiction of the trauma experienced by sexual assault survivors that's almost too realistic to watch. Which makes it all the more jarring when an endless amount of soap-opera-style drama soon unfolds. As the story moves forward, more and more people in Alba's life become, or are revealed to be, involved -- each of their storylines more convoluted than the next. Soon the horrific crime, repeatedly replayed in upsetting detail via Alba's flashbacks and her attackers' cellphone footage, is diminished to nothing more than the driving incident for over-the-top melodrama centering around illicit romances, evil archetypes, and twist after unbelievable twist. This is a show that can't decide what it is, and ends up being woefully careless with such a sensitive topic. As a result, it's too brutal to be entertaining and too ridiculous to be affecting.

TV Details

  • Premiere date: July 18, 2022
  • Network: Netflix
  • Genre: Drama
  • TV rating: TV-MA
  • Last updated: February 17, 2023

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