Review of Estoy vivo

Estoy vivo (2017– )
10/10
The most entertaining Spanish series I've ever seen
20 May 2019
This is more a review of the first season than the second. First, a bit of background: a cop Andrés Vargas is killed by a sadistic serial killer and we see him go to the Passage, the transition to the afterlife. While processing Vargas, oops, it seems a little mistake was made. He actually shouldn't have died. When he demands to return to his life on Earth, to his wife, two daughters, and his elderly father, the Passage informs him that is impossible because time on Earth moves much more quickly. Five years have already passed since his (non-)death, and Andrés Vargas is long dead & buried. The best they can do is to return him to Earth in another body, Manuel Márquez

As it so turns out, his new body looks nothing like his old self, but Vargas does get to return to his old job in his old precinct. The catch is that his new assigned partner is his daughter, who has grown up & become a cop during his absence. The other catch is that if he tells anyone his true identity, he really will die, for good this time. He figures that being near his family, even if he must hide his true identity, is better than nothing at all.

With his daughter as his partner and a rather odd companion from the Passage named Iago, Márquez chases down the serial killer responsible for his death and the murders of a number of young women. Estoy vivo is hardly your typical cop show, however. It's also a supernatural thriller, with elements of family drama, romance, and goofball humor all thrown into the mix.

Honestly, I watched every episode of the first season at least three times. I must have watched the Season 1 finale a half-dozen times. From one minute to the next, I am doubled over laughing, then terrified, then on the brink of tears. Believe it or not, the show manages to navigate through the comedy, drama, suspense, and police action as if such nuttiness were totally normal.

The second season wasn't nearly as good. While still a great series, a single viewing of every episode sufficed. That said, I am literally counting the days until the Season 3 premiere.
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