The new Mexican drama The Accident (or Accidente) starring Ana Claudia Talancon, Erendira Ibarra, and Erick Elias has become a hit on Netflix.
New TV shows on the streaming service have been many folks’ gateway into international film and television, and The Accident might be your first Mexican series.
Whether it is or not, the thriller from Leonardo Padron has captivated the attention of subscribers with its twists and turns.
Here’s what it’s all about and what reviews are saying, so you can decide whether to watch it now that it’s streaming on Netflix.
The Accident summary
If you’re looking for a short summary, The Accident is about a child’s birthday party gone wrong. A tragic accident occurs when the kids are playing on a bouncy castle, and the adults shift blame onto one another in the grief.
Wealthy couple Daniela and Emiliano throw a birthday party for their son Rodrigo in Santa Cruz, Mexico. Balloons are blown up, party games are afoot, and parents and caregivers are dotted around. Then the wind picks up, leading to an accident that kills three kids.
In the aftermath, the community wonders if it was a truly unavoidable accident, or whether one or more of the adults attending could have intervened or kept a closer eye on things.
As everyone’s ulterior motives come into play, the Netflix series descends into chaos, one in which characters are driven by greed or grief – or sometimes both.
Cast
The Accident cast features well-known Mexican actors like Ana Claudia Talancon (Soy Tu Fan) and Sebastian Martínez (The Marked Heart).
You may also recognize Alberto Guerra from Griselda, another Netflix series.
- Ana Claudia Talancón as Daniela
- Sebastián Martínez as Emiliano
- Alberto Guerra as El Charro
- Eréndira Ibarra as Lupita
- Shaní Lozano as Yolanda
- Silverio Palacios as Moncho
- Erick Elías as Fabián
Is it based on a true story?
Netflix confirmed The Accident is not based on a true story. It’s fiction. However, there have been a number of accidents involving bouncy castles over the years.
It makes sense the story isn’t true, given the Netflix series starts off with the accident before descending into a soap opera style thriller plot.
Fox’s police procedural 9-1-1 also launched a bouncy castle into the sky in Season 1 Episode 3, but according to the University of Georgia, the scene might not be as improbable as it looks.
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Almost 500 people have been injured by wind-related bouncy castle accidents in the last 20 years, with almost exactly the same incident happening in Australia in 2021.
Last year, it was announced that a bouncy castle firm was charged for breaching health and safety regulations after six children were killed and three were seriously injured by the incident, which unfolded at the Hillcrest Primary School fair.
Is it worth watching?
The Accident has received middling to low reviews, having been criticized as melodramatic and heavy-handed by some.
Decider advised readers to skip it, writing, “The Accident takes too many big swings in the first episode without taking any time to let us live with its characters. It’s also very eye-rollingly melodramatic through most of the first episode.”
Elsewhere, Common Sense Media said, “Although the series aims to be a unique thriller, it ultimately veers too far into soap opera territory, with characters engaging in shocking behavior like crashing funerals and seeking violent revenge with little consequence.”
Heaven of Horror’s review was more positive, stating, “There is a soapy feel to it at times, but the thriller and drama elements outweigh that.”
Ultimately, if melodrama is your taste, The Accident is worth a watch. Just don’t expect prestige TV when you go into it.
The Accident’s Rotten Tomatoes score
Although there’s no audience score, The Accident has earned just 29% from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
This figure is from September 2024, based on seven reviews. But since the series dropped in August, it’s unlikely this will change too dramatically.
You can watch The Accident in English or Spanish
Netflix presents the series in its original Spanish language but provides English subtitles and an audio dub for viewers who don’t speak Spanish.
As usual with its international content, there’s a larger selection of subtitles and dubs for other languages too.
The Accident is streaming on Netflix now. For more, check out Stranger Things Season 5, The Sandman Season 2, or Ginny and Georgia Season 3.
