Gangs, Gangs, And More Gangs

By Cory R.

Netflix’s original series, On My Block, was released in March 2018. The show was released and was met with amazing reviews. In March 2019 the second season was released, but is it as good as its predecessor? Both of the seasons have their own strengths and weaknesses.

The second season lacks in action but is very strong with character development for the four main characters: Ruben, Jamal, Cesar, and Monse. At the end of the first season, Ruben was shot by a rival gang member who was trying to shoot Cesar. The shot also killed Olivia, Rubens love interest, and shot Ruben. After the shot, Ruben has PTSD-like symptoms of having flashbacks when a certain song plays or when he hears a loud noise. All of these things add so much to the season, it’s almost just like the entire season plays around the healing process. The amount of focus for Ruben and the shooting really adds to Ruben’s character and gives him just so much more development; it does help the season a lot.

Cesar has to deal with getting kicked out of his brother's gang, the Santo’s. He was kicked out and exiled for not being able to kill a rival gang member, which had made him homeless. His part in the season revolves around him having to deal with not having a family and trying to just get by. Cesar is one of the more violent characters, at least in the first season. But in this season he reveals that he isn’t like all the other gang members, and he just can’t go around shooting people. The Santos then exile him from their street.

Jamal is enjoying the payday of the RollerWorld money he found right at the end of season one. Throughout this season he’s just trying to get the money clean so he’s not caught with the criminal money. He also grows some facial hair this season and he’s rich. So his character is only a little different from the first season.

Last but not least, Monse is dealing with her mother trying to get her to leave her dad and go live in a nice rich mansion with her and her new family. Monse also still loves Ceaser, although some of the acting in their scenes is not the best, it just seems forced between the two actors which kind of takes the second season a little bit lower than the first one.

All in all, the first season is better than the second season but it was kind of hard to follow such a good debut season. I’d still recommend the newest installment to the series because, even though it’s not as great as the first season, it’s still a good season. Just the character development by itself makes this season good and really does make up for the lack of action.