Merlí

He’s surly, unorthodox, unapologetically blunt, and he’s about to change your life. Meet the new philosophy teacher, Merlí, who will help his students view the world in a whole new light, both in and out of the classroom.

Merlí (2015-2018) is a Catalan-language coming of age drama series created by Héctor Lozano for TV3. Francesc Orella plays Merlí Bergeron Calduch, a blunt, unorthodox philosophy teacher who arrives at a Barcelona high school and refuses to teach by the book. His classroom becomes the pressure point for his students, especially Pol Rubio (Carlos Cuevas), a restless teen grappling with his sexuality and a turbulent crush, and Pol's stepbrother Bruno Bergeron (David Solans), whose own tangled emotions run alongside. Other students, including Tània Illa (Elisabet Casanovas) and Marc Vilaseca (Adrian Grösser), carry their own romantic and family crises into the lessons. Each season moves through a school year, with philosophical ideas from Plato to Nietzsche used as a lens on everyday teenage dilemmas about love, friendship, and identity. The series spans three seasons and forty episodes, following one continuing group of students as they grow up. The tone is warm, candid, and often wistful, mixing playful classroom banter with heartfelt confessions. Fans of Dead Poets Society, Skins and Élite will find resonance in its blend of teen ensemble drama, charismatic mentorship, and honest portrayals of adolescent desire.

Acclaimed by audiences for its warm, frank handling of teenage identity, friendship and philosophy in a Barcelona high school.

• Dead Poets Societycoming of age high school drama with a charismatic teacher reshaping students' lives
• Skinsteen drama centered on friendship, first love and identity in a school setting
• ÉliteSpanish-language teen drama with rotating student ensemble and sexual identity themes
• Sex Educationcoming of age teen drama with ensemble of students navigating love and self-discovery

Created by

Héctor Lozano

Release Date

2015-09-14

Episode runtime

40 min

Rating

8.6 / 10 (1190)

What is Merlí about?

A surly, unorthodox philosophy teacher shakes up his Barcelona high school class and the teenagers who come to rely on him.

What is Merlí like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Merlí as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Merlí violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Merlí.

What did critics think of Merlí?

Acclaimed by audiences for its warm, frank handling of teenage identity, friendship and philosophy in a Barcelona high school.

Which shows are like Merlí?

Shows with a similar feel include Dead Poets Society, Skins, Élite, and Sex Education.

How long is Merlí?

Merlí: 3 seasons, 40 episodes.

Is Merlí still running?

No, Merlí has ended.