Adversity tests the sincerity of friends. Some may have heard this proverb during their student years because it highlights the significance of true friendship that lasts even in challenging circumstances. However, it turns out that, when faced with extreme adversity, some people seem to be more willing to stab their friends in the back. When watching the Mexican web television (TV) series Control Z (2020), viewers may realize that friendship can be easily broken due to personal interests rather than being a confidential and firm relationship.
The story of Control Z begins at a Mexican high school, Colegio Nacional. One day, a secret about Isabela— the so-called queen bee of the school —is revealed in front of everyone in the school auditorium by an unknown hacker named @_allyoursecrets_. After it is revealed that Isabela is transgender, the hacker informs Isabela that her friends betrayed her and grants her an opportunity to get back at them by revealing their secrets. The secrets of other students are then released by the hacker, subsequently throwing the school into a state of uncontrollable chaos and confusion.
To find the hacker, Raul, a friend of Isabela, asks for help from Sofia, a student at the same school who is able to deduce the truth others cannot perceive through simple observation. Sofia strives to find the hacker with a transfer student, Javier, and she comes to suspect that the school Wi-Fi, which all school members can use, is involved. The story then charts the delicate and intense psychological warfare that emerges as Sofia tries to unveil the hacker's identity. The series is set in a typical high school with hierarchies between the students, where the disclosure of personal information through the Wi-Fi is very much a real-life possibility.
The Secrets — Control V or Control Z?
If you learned the secret of someone else, would you act as you did before you came to know the secret or tell others? If you press Ctrl-Z on a keyboard to remove changes and return to the original state, you may preserve your friend’s self- esteem and also your friendship. However, the characters of Control Z choose Ctrl-V, pasting and passing the information around, thus becoming estranged from each other. Insulting Isabela in her presence about her use of the women’s restroom was the lowest level of the misdeeds conducted by her classmates at Colegio Nacional.
From gossip behind their backs to speaking ill of their classmates to their face, many offensive actions occur in Control Z. Students criticize those whose secrets are exposed. The students choose to press Ctrl-V and offend their classmates. When their secrets are in danger of being unveiled, however, they became nervous. The students did not want their secrets to be exposed, but the students were detached about others’ secrets. These egoistic decisions lead the audience to consider what true friendship means.
Familiarities to the Series
Big fans of TV shows and films may feel a sense of familiarity about Control Z. In the words of New Musical Express (NME), a British pop culture magazine, this series looks like a mixture of Gossip Girl (2007) and Black Mirror (2011), finished off with a dash of Sherlock (2010). The anonymous exposure of secrets through social media is a typical cliché that is reminiscent of Gossip Girl, which focused on the release of gossip through a blog. The focus on the dangers of a high-tech society follows the lead of Black Mirror, which explores the side effects of technology. Moreover, the scene in which Sofia comes to conclusions based on a clue looks similar to the many scenes in Sherlock.
Overall, this series integrates various genres, such as teen drama, mystery, cybercrime, and more. Such a mixture of genres may create disharmony, but Control Z combines various themes into its own distinctive and successful style.
Behind the Scenes
The audience of Control Z can look out for interesting behind-the-scenes stories as well. For instance, Zion Moreno, the actress who stars as Isabela, is actually transgender. The young Mexican-American actress was born a boy but transitioned at a very young age, just like her character in Control Z. With her impressive acting, Zion has been announced as a cast member in the upcoming Gossip Girl reboot in 2021. Also, Michael Ronda, the actor who stars as Javier, actually dreamed of being a football player, just like Javier.
The official Instagram account of Control Z makes use of the words todos tus secretos, which means all your secrets in Spanish. Also, the profile picture of the account is the same as the hacker's profile and they posted the photos that appeared during the scenes. The posted videos have also been edited to be similar to the videos made by the hacker in the series. These usages of Instagram lend realism to the series and make it seem as if the events in Control Z are real.
With various positive feedback toward the series, many viewers have been interested in the release of the second season of Control Z. Although it is not released on Netflix yet, the second season is expected to be aired in May 2021 once it is produced. However, it is possible for the release day to be postponed put down to the restricted outdoor works due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Control Z delivers a theatrical blend of gossip and a high-tech society, providing entertainment during times of tragedy and boredom under quarantine and lockdowns. A mixture of clichés at first glance, Control Z reveals the egocentric decisions and realistic behaviors of teens, possibly encouraging viewers to reconsider their own actions. The secrets unveiled in the series relate to serious issues such as the study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) issues and even corrupt politics, which most teen dramas do not deal with. These serious topics hidden in this teen drama present viewers with an opportunity to think more deeply about our society.
Television Series Information
Release Date: May 22, 2020
Director: Alejandro Lozano
Genre: Teen Drama
Starring: Ana Valeria Becerril, Michael Ronda, Zion Moreno
Number of Episodes: 8