If you're wondering whether Sky High: The Series deserves a spot on your watch list, you aren't alone. Spinning out of Daniel Calparsoro's 2020 Spanish action film Hasta el Cielo, the Netflix television continuation dives deeper into the gritty underworld of Madrid's high-stakes heists. It trades the sweeping scale of traditional Hollywood crime epics for raw, localized street-level chaos, focusing heavily on grief, power struggles, and survival.
The short answer is that it's a mixed bag. If you love fast-paced European crime dramas like Money Heist or Elite, you'll find enough momentum here to keep you hooked. If you expect tight plotting and flawless character logic, you'll likely hit a few frustrating roadblocks. Let's break down what the show gets right, where it stumbles, and whether it's actually worth your time.
IMDb Ratings and General Audience Reception
When looking at the metrics, Sky High: The Series sits at a middling score on major aggregator platforms. On IMDb, the series hovers around a 6.3 to 6.5 out of 10, drawing comparisons to its cinematic predecessor.
Audience reactions tend to split into two distinct camps:
- The Action Fans: Viewers who appreciate gritty street crime, atmospheric European settings, and relentless chase sequences find plenty to enjoy in the physical production value.
- The Plot Purists: Viewers looking for intricate, mind-bending twists often feel let down by repetitive character choices and predictable narrative arcs.
Critics on sites like Rotten Tomatoes have pointed out that while the show boasts high production gloss and committed performances, it occasionally struggles to justify its expansion from a standalone film into a multi-episode television format.
Plot Overview: What is Sky High About?
The narrative kicks off following a devastating loss. Sole, played by Asia Ortega, is left as a newly widowed single mother after her husband Ángel dies. Refusing to bow down or let her powerful, crime-lord father Rogelio (played by Luis Tosar) control her life and business affairs, Sole makes a dangerous choice.
She steps directly into the criminal vacuum left behind, aligning herself with her late husband's network of smash-and-grab thieves. The core tension revolves around her balancing act: she has to prove she commands enough respect to lead a crew of hardened criminals while dodging her father's watchful, manipulative eye.
Cast and Performances
The strongest asset of the series is its principal cast, many of whom carry over or build upon the energy of the original movie.
- Asia Ortega as Sole: Ortega anchors the emotional core of the show. Her transition from a grieving widow to a calculating crime figure drives the primary narrative tension.
- Luis Tosar as Rogelio: Tosar brings a heavy, intimidating gravitas to the screen. As the patriarch who views protection as control, he makes for a compelling antagonist who isn't entirely a cartoon villain.
- The Supporting Crew: Actors like Álvaro Rico and Richard Holmes fill out the ranks of the heist crew, adding friction, loyalty tests, and volatile energy to every break-in.
Performance-wise, the actors sell the material well, even when the script asks them to navigate melodramatic dialogue or sudden, jarring shifts in tone.
What Works Well
- Atmosphere and Tone: The series captures a dark, nocturnal aesthetic. Madrid feels claustrophobic, neon-lit, and dangerous.
- Action Sequences: When the show focuses on its smash-and-grab robberies—cars crashing through storefront glass, adrenaline-fueled getaways—it moves at a breathless pace.
- Character Independence: Watching Sole carve out space in a violently patriarchal environment gives the crime drama a sharper thematic edge than its film predecessor.
Common Criticisms and Flaws
- Narrative Padding: Because the story was stretched from a tight feature film into an episodic format, certain subplots feel bloated, dragging down the middle episodes.
- Familiar Tropes: If you've consumed a dozen modern cartel or street-gang thrillers, you'll spot major plot twists coming episodes in advance.
- Stiff Dialogue: Some intimate or emotional scenes suffer from heavy-handed writing that feels out of place amid the high-octane chaos.
Is It Worth Watching?
You should watch Sky High: The Series if you want a weekend binge that requires low cognitive load, features strong Spanish language production values, and delivers decent crime action.
Skip it if you demand pristine logic, original heist mechanics, or deep character growth that avoids standard genre clichés.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to watch the 2020 movie first?
It helps, but it's not strictly mandatory. The series recaps enough of the baseline relationships—specifically Sole's history and her father's dominance—to let new viewers jump right in, though watching the film gives you better context for Ángel's legacy.
How does it compare to Money Heist?
While both are Spanish crime projects featuring high-stakes thefts, they differ vastly in tone. Money Heist relies on elaborate master plans, ideological flair, and a charismatic mastermind. Sky High is much grittier, messier, and smaller in scale, focusing on street-level desperation rather than intellectual chess matches.
Is the series entirely in Spanish?
Yes, the original audio is European Spanish, and it's best experienced with subtitles to catch the nuance of the actors' performances, though dubbed audio tracks are available on Netflix.
Will there be a Season 2?
Netflix has treated the project largely as a self-contained continuation of the film's universe, and no official announcements have indicated a sprawling multi-season renewal plan.
