Riv4li Review 2025 Tv Show Series Cast Crew Online
Netflix’s obsession with teen dramas makes complete sense, because the audience for a coming-of-age show is never just teenagers; it’s a range of people who have already experienced or are going to experience teenhood, who also become active audiences if a show is well done, making for a good family watch. Often, though, Netflix leans into more adult-friendly teen shows, making them glossy and soap-operatic or very edgy with social commentary that mostly just misses the mark. Of course, this doesn’t apply to everything, but you can clearly tell when a teen show is written with an adult mindset. But then there are the ones set in middle school that end up becoming too kiddy and never really have their finger on the pulse of real teenagers. RIV4LRIES tries really hard to bridge this gap by sticking to a show mainly focused on the tribulations of early teenhood but then places too much attention on the romantic angle.
The show sets the tone for clashing groups of teenagers, as the name suggests, in an “insiders” vs. “outsiders” plotline. Terry is a new student in Pisa, and her first day goes terrifically well when she’s immediately taken in by the most popular group at school, self-titled “insiders.” Terry is upset that she had to move from the plush city of Rome to tiny Pisa, which is known only for its leaning tower; however, her time there is soon going to change her. Terry notices soon after that the insiders are actually bullies, who use their popularity and good looks to boss over the rest of the school. This is something she doesn’t really care about, and she prefers to be a rebel (maybe with a cause this time), choosing to pick the outcasts of the class as her only friends. Soon enough, she gets caught up in a game of us vs. them, calling her own group the “outsiders.” This leads to a series filled with a competitive narrative filled with pranks, more pranks, and well, more pranks.
The concept of RIV4LRIES is actually pretty good, using Terry as a walking anti-bullying campaign and showing us what it feels like for teens not to be seen or heard. It’s definitely a loud show with a lot of “main” characters, all of whom are decently well written and have a lot to say. However, there’s definitely a stereotypical feel to it too, though I can’t put a finger on what makes it so. I think the biggest problem with the show is that, in a time where we’re making our shows shorter and shorter, this one overstays its welcome with 14 episodes all dropped in one day. While this is actually like watching 7 hour-long episodes, for a show with not much substance, it can definitely feel a bit too long and boring, especially in the middle section.
But I guess since this show is specifically targeted at middle-schoolers, with the pretty actors and their captivating screen presence, I can’t really call it a bad show. It’s certainly a good attempt, and I think it uses themes that are globally relatable, making for the perfect setting for a Netflix show. Visually, the show is beautiful because it’s set in the town of Pisa, and there are some stunning landscapes and cobblestone backgrounds that really work to make this a picturesque show. They even integrate the tower into the story, which is quite cute. Also, I’ve noticed that shows based in different European countries have a certain kind of color grading that makes it obvious where you’re meant to be. For example, Switzerland will look grey and moody, while Spain and Italy will look sun-kissed and summer-ready. While I like the idea of this, making the country that the show is set in a part of the storytelling, I find that it’s a bit too obvious in this show, which makes it almost feel like it’s a set rather than the actual place. It feels too much like a social media filter has been added to a TV show, which is meant to be grainy and realistic.
The thing that annoyed me the most about the show, though, is the emphasis it places on the romantic angle. There’s too much time spent on figuring out who likes whom, and then the montages of parallel romantic moments can feel a bit jarring when integrated into the rest of the story. This is not to say teens don’t love romance; in fact, they most definitely do, but this show is trying to do too many things at once, and everything just feels like the same thing repeating itself over and over again, ultimately making the middle section feel bloated rather than being of substance.
However, I must appreciate that the teen actors all do a fantastic job at bringing their characters to life and carrying this show on their shoulders. While there are some storylines dedicated to the adults, in an attempt to give the show more of a full-family feel, it’s mainly about the kids, and they’re definitely worth watching. The dynamic between friends is sweet, and the cast definitely has a role to play in how natural it comes across.
At the end of the day, the show almost feels like it has a chosen-one narrative, with Terry at the heart of the story, but it’s obviously not a fantasy drama; it’s rooted in realism. I think the show has a lot of potential, and if there is a second season, there’s certainly a lot of room for improvement. The show also has a cameo from Pietro, a character from another series titled DI4RIES, also about teenage drama. I think the show is average and good for background watching. Teenagers should definitely not binge-watch it, because it’ll just feel like the same thing happening over and over again. The whole point of getting to watch something as a teenager is to revel in it because it’s a rare opportunity, eh? Jokes aside, though, watching a couple of episodes at a time might make the show more entertaining and feel less repetitive. So, with that said, I’ll give RIV4LRIES 3 out of 5 stars. There’s an extra .5 in there for the engaging teens on the show.
