Television series

Malhação

Name: Malhação
Genre: Drama
Released: 1995
Cast: Gustavo Goulart, Alexandre Frota, Luiza Mariani, Cláudio Heinrich, Danielle Winits

Coming-of-age

Malhação is a Brazilian teen soap opera that launched in 1995 and became a cultural institution. Set initially in a Rio gym, later a high school, it follows interconnected friend groups through romance, friendship drama, and coming-of-age crises. Melodramatic, earnest, and wildly entertaining—the kind of show that generates genuine investment in its characters' lives.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love sprawling melodrama about teenagers' friendships, crushes and rivalries, and relish seeing a cast grow up across years of episodes.

Skip it if you need tight plotting and a finished story, since this runs in long, loose arcs, has been on air for decades, and can feel repetitive in its stretches.

What it asks of you: Expect a commitment measured in hundreds of hours, with each forty-minute episode a small slice of an unhurried, ever-shifting daily serial that keeps its own pace.

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If you liked this

Skins2007

A brutally honest ensemble drama about British teens navigating drugs, sex, identity and mortality. Like Malhação, it treats teenage problems with complete seriousness rather than condescension, and builds genuine stakes around character relationships.

But Considerably darker and grittier than Malhação. The tone is often bleak; character deaths are not reversed with soap opera logic. Some storylines feel exploitative rather than earned.

Glee2009

High school ensemble with rotating protagonist focus, musical numbers, and soap operatic plotting. Captures that same energy of friend groups bonded through shared experiences and interpersonal drama. Early seasons especially nail the melodrama-and-hope balance.

But Becomes increasingly self-aware and detached as it progresses. Later seasons abandon character consistency for shock value. The tone swings wildly between sincere and ironic.

Degrassi2001

Canadian teen ensemble tackling serious topics—addiction, pregnancy, abuse, identity—with the same earnestness as Malhação. Multiple character arcs that span seasons. School setting grounds the soap opera elements in recognizable reality.

But Production values are noticeably low. Some storylines were handled more responsibly than others; a few feel dated or misjudged now. It's longer than Malhação's 40-minute format, which changes the pacing.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Malhação

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

City Hunter2011

Both build devoted audiences through character charm and relationship dynamics rather than plot complexity. The ensemble bond matters more than the action or conflict around them.

Hong Kong action comedy that shares Malhação's DNA of charming lead, loyal friend group, and romantic entanglement—except it's a spy-action series where the protagonist fights crime. The same warmth and humor underneath the genre. Pure fun.

But Wildly different genre and tone. If you want teen drama rather than action spectacle, this won't hit the same. Subtitles required, and the humor is culturally specific.

Élite2018

Spanish teen ensemble with mystery-driven plotting and high melodrama. Builds intricate networks of secrets and betrayals. Stylish production and strong character work make you invested in people you initially didn't like.

But Considerably more sexual and violent than Malhação. Serves wealthy characters' lives without critique. Recent seasons feel padded and plot-driven rather than character-driven.

The O.C.2003

American teen soap opera about new money, old money, and misfit characters trying to fit into an exclusive world. Characters matter more than plot coherence. Those guilty-pleasure dynamics and ridiculous high stakes are exactly the appeal.

But Leans heavily into stereotypes about class and looks. The cool-person posturing hasn't aged well. Second half loses focus and doubles down on shock value.

Friday Night Lights2006

Ensemble high school drama with genuine emotional depth. Strong writing and acting make teen problems feel real and significant. Builds community and connection—different tone than Malhação but same investment in character relationships.

But Slower pacing than soap opera television. Not melodramatic; everything feels grounded and understated. If you want plot chaos and romantic entanglement, this won't deliver it.

My So-Called Life1994

The spiritual predecessor to teen ensemble television. Janitor's-closet intensity, interior monologue, the sense that every conversation matters. Cancelled after one season but feels complete. Captures adolescence better than almost anything else.

But Very dated production. Only 19 episodes exist—you'll want more. The pacing is deliberate and quiet; it's about feeling, not plot momentum.

Euphoria2019

Contemporary high school ensemble with visual flair and serious engagement with how teens actually talk, think, and suffer. Character-driven, with ambitious filmmaking. Each episode builds on the ensemble in different ways.

But Extremely dark, with graphic depictions of addiction, abuse, and sexuality. No lightness or humor to balance the heaviness. Some viewers find it exploitative rather than exploratory.

Riverdale2017

Teen ensemble with soap opera plotting cranked to absurdist levels. Camp mystery drama. If you want melodrama without apology, this commits fully. Genuinely entertaining in its refusal to explain logic.

But Plot becomes incomprehensible. Characters make choices that contradict their established personalities. The tone is confused between sincere drama and self-aware parody. Exhausting rather than engaging after a while.

O Outro Lado do Paraíso2017

Direct lineage—both from TV Globo, both Brazilian, both unapologetic about soap opera emotion, but separated by time and intended audience. See what the form becomes when characters age up.

Brazilian prime-time soap opera with the same language and sensibility as Malhação, but for adult audiences. If you want to see what Malhação grows into—the same emotional register, the same embrace of melodrama, but with stakes that have genuinely changed—this is it.

But Extremely long commitment. Brazilian telenovela pacing means slow-burn storytelling. Daily episodes stack up quickly. The aesthetic is dated even when new.