TV FROM AROUND THE WORLD: "Baby" (Italy)

If you love watching scandalous and juicy teen dramas, boy do we have the one for you to get sucked into next! And even better, it’s Italian! So you know what that means -- for the duration of your binge, you can vicariously feel like a rebellious and cosmopolitan Italian teenager galivanting day and night around Rome. Currently available to stream all 3 seasons on Netflix, “Baby” is the riveting coming-of-age story that follows the secret, intricate, and highly risqué lives of elite Roman high schoolers.

The interesting part is that, despite how incredibly unfathomable the highly-matured young characters and their complex storylines may seem, this show is actually loosely based on a true story. Back in 2014, two high school girls from affluent and notable families in Rome, amongst roughly a dozen other girls, were involved in an underage prostitution ring in order to buy their way into even more luxurious clothing, lifestyles, and reputations. You can guess this didn’t exactly provide the most profitable outcome for the teenagers, and the ring was eventually busted by the police after suspicious parents got involved. But, it surely was a field day for reporters! The news eventually turned into quite the media sensation in Italy and came to be known as the “baby squillo” scandal. Thus, from this, the magnificent and un-put-down-able Netflix series “Baby” was born! You have to admit, that’s quite the creative foundation for a television show.

Questionable behavior aside, an overwhelmingly consuming element to this story that we can all resonate with is the natural inclination teenagers have to defy societal norms and adult supervision in search of their identity and independence. Although most of us (I hope) experience this in a far less severe form than the one this show depicts, the naiveté and impassioned desire to define oneself, break free from all forms of control, and live the most uninhibited and individualistic life a teenager could is always something so tragic and beautiful to watch. There’s scandal, romance, relatability, and the technical elements of the show are executed well. Once you’re ready to spice up your watchlist, “Baby” and all 3 of its seasons will be waiting for you on Netflix!