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Picture: Netflix
It’s been a few weeks since the new Spanish medical drama series Breathless (also titled Respira) hit Netflix screens. Although there are plans for future seasons, we’ve yet to get official confirmation on whether or not the show is due for a second outing, but the early signs look positive. Let’s dive deep into what to expect, what’s been said about the future, and the performance thus far.
As a recap, the new Spanish-language medical drama is set in a bustling public hospital in Valencia that’s under great strain from pressures bubbling up internally and externally. The series comes from Carlos Montero, who has collaborated with Netflix on a slew of projects since 2018, working on Elite, Apaches, Feria, In Love All Over Again, and In Family I Trust.
The show is inspired by other heavyweights in the genre although it is authentic to Spain with local politics at the center of the story. The creator explains, “Respira drinks from Grey’s Anatomy, ER, Hospital Central… I’m a big fan of these shows. But I think it differs in the social and political aspects.”
Has Netflix Renewed Breathless?
50/50
As of September 18th, the show has yet to be officially confirmed for future seasons, although given the cliffhangers (more on that shortly), there’s definitely the intention for more to be on the way, which means we need to look into the data to see whether the show will be renewed or not.
As mentioned, the show was designed to be multiple seasons. Earlier this year, we were invited to Tres Cantos for a set tour where Montero and VP of Content for Spain, Portugal, and the Nordics, Diego Ávalos, said that development had already started on season 2. The show was consistently referred to as a strong bet for Netflix Spain, with executives expressing confidence that the show would connect.
Ávalos confirmed that Montero was “already halfway through writing season two” in June, adding, “We’re way ahead of where we want to be because we believe so much in the series.”
Picture: Netflix
Three weeks in, Breathless has 85 million viewing hours globally, which equates to roughly 13.3M views. If we stack up the premiere of Breathless vs other Spanish-language show debuts from around the world (including Berlin, which was a spin-off with a built-in audience), we can see the show tracks towards the lower end of the middle of the pack. This isn’t encouraging, suggesting the show hasn’t broken through globally as it should’ve. Of course, there is data we can’t see such as how many starters there are and how many people got to the end. Naturally too, we don’t know the budget of the show which all gets taken into account.
If we turn to FlixPatrol, we can see where the show performs best on Netflix courtesy of daily top 10s tracking over 90 countries. Naturally, the show is performing best in Spanish-speaking countries, although the show has also broken out across Europe. Another strong sign that the show will be renewed is the performance in Spain itself. As of the time of writing (three weeks after release), the show remains the third most-watched TV title, and as we’ve covered before, international shows that appear in their home countries’ top 10s for over 30 days are almost a surefire renewal.
Heatmap for popularity for Breathless – Picture: FlixPatrol
What to Expect From Breathless Season 2
The show definitely has some unresolved storylines, given that season 1 concluded with some rather big cliffhangers for most of the main cast.
By the end, Jessica Donoso’s fate is perhaps the biggest of those cliffhangers. Should she survive, her recovery will likely take center stage next season alongside her continued love triangle with Biel and Lluis. One of the other main characters with medical woes of their own is Patricia Segura, who was diagnosed with cancer by the end of season 1.
The disappearance of May and Rocío’s daughter at the end of Season 1 is another major unresolved plotline heading into Season 2. Then you’ve got the hospital itself and how leadership continues to navigate the uphill battles it faces. Lluis is at the forefront of this, managing the financial struggles while facing increasing scrutiny.
Do you want to see Breathless come back for a season 2? Let us know in the comments down below.
