This Netflix original series is based on the novel El desorden que dejas, whose author is Carlos Montero himself. It is a psychological thriller set in Novariz, a small fictional town in Galicia.
The story
Raquel moves with her husband to Galicia to replace a literature teacher. On the first day of class, she learns that the last literature teacher, Viruca, has committed suicide. She finds a note in her bag that says, "How long will it take you to die?" She must confront students who do not forgive her for her "intrusion" into the school, and try to come to terms with the traces Viruca has left. 
Technical fact sheet
Original title: El desorden que dejas Genre: Dramatic thriller Creation: Carlos Montero Production: Vaca Films Music: Ricardo Curto, Lucio Godoy Country of origin: Spain Channel of origin: Netflix Nb. of seasons: 1 Nb. of episodes: 8 Duration 35-56 minutes Diff. Original: December 11, 2020 Cast : Inma Cuesta, Bárbara Lennie, Tamar Novas, Arón Piper, Roberto Enríquez.
Impressions
It is not without some surprise that we will watch this little Spanish series. We must face the facts, lately the series leave something to be desired. "Elite", "La casa de papel", have tumbled so much that the eyes of most of us, have turned to other horizons in search of these jewels comparable to "Breaking bad" or "Game of thrones" (still fearing an end as disastrous as that of the latter). But, without the buttocks of Regé-Jean Page, will we want to discover the second season of "The Bridgerton Chronicle?" This is the only problem with the performance of an actor or actress who is too charismatic. As soon as they leave a movie or series, it tends to collapse like a tent from which the main support has been removed. Without this distant cousin of Chucky who sang us 1, 2, 3 suns in the Korean style, will the next series of the Land of the Morning Calm be as successful? Knowing above all that this desire to intensify at all costs the previous success, can precisely cause the opposite effect and give only an amalgam of soulless elements. On the Danish side, things seem as frozen as the icy landscape. After this brilliant "The Bridge", the Danish series seem to have reached an ultimate point impossible to surpass. It's not bad. It is even quite good but, linear and without any notion of risk. Like, we're going to allow ourselves a little madness… 
And then from time to time, oh miracle, we come across mini-series that may not make too many waves, but that call us to watch them in a row, enjoying every second of the plot. Two women. A walk in the footsteps of the other. Whatever she does, she inevitably finds herself in the narrow space that the other may have left her. A small village where everyone knows each other. The cold. It's cold in Galicia. This familiarity allows Spanish students to treat their teacher as equals. Paranoia. Eyes that look everywhere, on the lookout. Hidden stories, clumsy tracks. Ambiguous characters that hint at all kinds of possibilities, some more twisted than the others. And then, these actors who know how to fit perfectly, blend into this impassive and dull atmosphere that gives the humidity of the sea. Carlos Montero gets rid of the excessive and superfluous aspects of Elite to draw without filter a straight line to the essential. 
Inma Cuesta, seen in Almodovar's "Julieta" or in "Everybody Knows" (Todos lo saben, lit. "Everyone Knows") by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. Bárbara Lennie, also seen in "Everybody Knows" and "El Reino", among others. And then Arón Piper, best known for his role as Ander in "Elite". Brutal, whole, without complexes, this young actor of 25 years could measure up to the young years of Vincent Cassel. If in the Spanish series "El embarcadero" the personality of the two women ends up stuffing us (from the first second by the way), here, the turn of each lightens the intensity and avoids us an overdose of estrogen. Their way of being so different from each other, allows us to rest when it could become too heavy. Raquel's innerability, and her exhausting but no less legitimate witch hunt, contrasts with Viruca's arrogance and vehemence. If we add to all this the almost schizophrenic character of Iago, the plot evolves in a homogeneous balance but not at all boring. 
The only thing that might bother lovers of details is the accent. Or rather the lack of accent. Or rather, efforts to assign an accent to oneself. It appears, it disappears, as if the actors remind themselves from time to time that you have to speak with an accent. But hey, it will not bother the French viewer at all, only the Spanish speakers (500 million people). We welcome Carlos Montero's decision not to plan a sequel. Not wanting to cling at all costs to the success of a first season to make a second one that would not happen to his ankle. And we sympathize with Hwang Dong-hyeok, who is pushed to create a squid as powerful as the first.
Episodes
In the mouth of the wolf (En la boca del lobo) They know (Lo saben) Count to three (Cuenta hasta tres) Dive Fall (Caída en picado) The Secret Place (El lugar secreto) Your hidden face (Lo que no quiso ver en ti) The Third Victim (La tercera víctima) The mess you leave (El desorden que dejas)
Shooting
The city of Novariz is fictitious, a place invented by Carlos Montero in which he mixes the cities of Celanova, Allariz, Bande and Ribadavia. Through this thriller, the production wanted to show the landscapes of Galicia, A Coruña and Ourense, to the 190 countries that use Netflix. But high school is not fictional. The Lyceum of Novariz is actually the Celso Emilio Ferreiro High School of Celanova and is the same educational center where Carlos Montero himself studied. The institute is part of the monastery of San Salvador and since its decommissioning in the nineteenth century it has devoted itself to public education. Its baroque architecture, stone classrooms, impressive library or cloisters, are some of the elements that make it one of the most unique institutes in Galicia. The series was shot during the school year, so it was not possible to use the classes of the institute itself. The film crew created their own classroom in one of the empty classrooms in the annex building of the cloister. (source)
