Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Netflix has released a highly anticipated biographical drama miniseries on the legendary Brazilian Formula One racer Ayrton Senna. A high-stakes project since its inception in 2020, the show was met with sheer disappointment. The reviews from critics and fans ring a similar tone of dissatisfaction. The legacy of the Brazilian hero was not easy to do justice to. But the Netflix series barely managed to scrape the surface of his life.
While the series had great potential of winning hearts with Senna’s larger-than-life story, Netflix seems to have fallen short in its attempt to present a dramatized version of Senna’s life fully. There are many things wrong with this miniseries. However, five significant flaws in the show convince viewers that the show is an absolute disaster.
1Senna– A Hagiography?
When it comes to biographies, there’s always the risk of going overboard with the portrayal of the main character. Commonly, they end up being shown in a brighter light than others. Netflix’s Senna is also guilty of being and hagiography. Everyone is againstAyrton Senna, who must fight to make his place in the sport.
Furthermore, Senna is seen being subjected to some good old racism during his time in Europe. Surely it would have been the case. At the time, the Europeans weren’t particularly welcoming of their South American cousins. It shows a lot of hooligans in F3, which is a rather inaccurate depiction; as footages from that time suggest otherwise.
Where Is Ayrton Senna Buried? The Mystery and Controversy Around F1 Legend’s Horrific Crash
In favor of portraying Senna as “the good guy” as opposed to everyone against him, the show conveniently passes over the wrong done in Senna’s life; the responsibility of which, only he can bear. For instance, the Ayrton Senna-Martin Brundle crash in F3 1983 was completely skipped from the show as it was something Senna was responsible for. But the extrapolation of the racism Senna might have faced was justified. The show’s motive seems to be to paint everyone else in a better light.
2Lack of Depth in the Character Exploration
Another one of the series’ most glaring flaws is the superficial character depiction throughout all episodes. This is something which manifests itself in lack of character development which is an entirely different problem on its own. The show suffers from a serious case of the characters acting a certain way because the script needs them to further the plot.
The characters are not explored enough for the viewers to understand their motivations behind something. For instance, Alain Prost, Senna’s fiercest rival wants to defeat him on the track, and Jean-Marie Balestre wants to put an end to Senna’s career. And this just seems to be something that has to be done because the characters want to. The motivation they must have to bring Senna down was never explored and leaves viewers wondering and disassociated.
3Pacing Issues and Crammed Episodes
Another issue ofSennawhich contributes to the show being an absolute disaster is its awful pacing. For one, it probably wasn’t the best idea to fit the significantly dynamic lifetime of a celebrated public figure into a six-episode miniseries. The story has suffered at the hands of this format.
The miniseries format of storytelling calls for an economical take on what needs to be shown and what doesn’t. However,Sennafails to achieve this distinction, leading to the episodes feeling ill-paced and simultaneously crammed and rushed.
For instance, Senna goes from imaginary car races from his childhood to winning go-kart championships in a few minutes.
The Unfortunate Reason Why Michael Schumacher Did Not Attend Ayrton Senna’s Funeral
Furthermore, Senna’s arc with his childhood sweetheart, Lilian de Vasconcelos Souza, was done within half an hour. During this time, they got marriedanddivorced. This integral chapter of his life was treated as something that just needs to be done with.Senna’s other romantic relationshipswere also not explored enough.
4Ill-Portrayal of Senna-Prost Rivalry
The rivalry between the French driver Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna is often dubbed as the fiercest rivalry in Formula One history. In real life, the racers when on track, harbored the spirit of making each other lose more than they wanted themselves to win. But after Prost’s retirement in 1993, they started to mend their relationship. Prost even saidMotor Sport Magazinethat even though he did not share a particularly close bond with Senna at the time of his death, they were well on their way to start a friendship. Prost was also one of the pallbearers at Senna’s funeral.
The pair shared a complex relationship in real life. And it is something that has been seriously downplayed in the show. Alain Prost has been painted as a staunch villain of Senna’s. There are even some made-up instances to emphasize that.
The show fails to account that real-life events are more nuanced than good and bad.
5Historical Inaccuracies and Glossed-Over Controversies
Historical accuracy is a crucial part of a biographical series.Sennahampers with true events and stories for the sake of dramatization and plot advancement. Key happenings of Senna’s career and life are altered and some are completely removed from the show.
Certain controversial acts and habits of the legendary Brazilian racer are fully glossed over. For instance,Senna was known to be an aggressive driver. Someone who did not always care or wasn’t aware of the potentially damaging place he was putting his fellow drivers in while racing. But he was also a man with a gentle heart. Someone who will be the first to check in and care for other people. He also made significant efforts in the direction of driver safety for F1 racers. This was something that the series did not cover fully.
Furthermore, Senna’s belief in divine guidance during races is hardly mentioned. It is an integral aspect of Senna’s personality and his philosophy as a racer.
Gabriel Leone’s ‘Ferrari’ Prep Should Convince You He Will Make Ayrton Senna Proud: ‘There was a mission to evoke a Brando style and energy’
This compromise of factual integrity does not go over well with the fans of the sport.
Due to these and several other flaws, the show on the whole became just a huge missed opportunity. Despite having the perfect recipe for a stunning biographical drama, the series prioritized style over substance. The sanitized portrayal of Senna robbed the show of what could have been its strongest point: Senna’s unique characteristics.
The show serves as a brilliant reminder of what irregular pacing, and in general, errors in the execution of a story can adversely impact a potentially dynamic storyline. Perhaps it would have been better as a series spanning several episodes and maybe a few seasons.
Arpita Joshi
Articles Published :73
Arpita Joshi is an Evergreen Content Writer at FandomWire. With almost two years of experience, she has learned intricate details of writing in different niches, particularly entertainment.
