Based on Vedat Türkali’s Turkish novel ‘Fatmagül’ün Suçu Ne?’ (or ‘What is Fatmagül’s Crime?’), ‘Alba’ is a Spanish drama series that revolves around the titular character, who is a university student enrolled in an institution in Madrid, Spain. During her holidays, Alba travels to her hometown with her boyfriend Bruno, who is also a native of that place. Alba, however, encounters a tragedy one dreadful night at a party, when her drink is drugged, and a few guys chase her, rape her, and then abandon her on a beach.
When it emerges that Alba is unable to recall the specifics of the evening and that three of her attackers are close friends of Bruno, things become further complicated. These incidents serve as the catalyst for the whole storyline, which centers on Alba’s quest for vengeance against her attackers while being continually let down by the legal system, as well as her friends and family.
The gripping series, which stars Elena Rivera and Eric Masip in the lead, addresses several problems experienced by rape victims, such as victim blaming, a corrupted legal system, and demeaning interrogation techniques. If you are into watching such a nuanced portrayal of a delicate subject, the following list of similar suggestions may be to your liking. You can watch most of these shows similar to ‘Alba’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. When They See Us (2019)
A four-part 2019 criminal drama television miniseries titled ‘When They See Us’ is based on events that unfolded in the Central Park jogger case in 1989. The main focus is on the lives of the five Black and Latino men who were wrongfully charged and then tried on rape and assault allegations against a white lady in Central Park, New York City. Just like with ‘Alba,’ issues related to the right to counsel and due process of law are discussed in this award-winning series.
6. 13 Reasons Why (2017-2020)
The teen drama television series ‘13 Reasons Why‘ is based on Jay Asher’s 2007 book of the same name. Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette), a high school student, is the protagonist of the show, which centers on what transpires after Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), another high school student and Clay’s crush, dies by suicide. She records an explanation of her decision to take her life in a bundle of cassettes that she leaves behind before passing away. As we see in ‘Alba,’ this series beautifully showcases the agony many women experience while they seek for their attackers to be held accountable for their deeds.
5. Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
The drama television series ‘Big Little Lies‘ is based on 2014 Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name. It tells the tale of five ladies who become caught up in a murder trial in Monterey, California. Its main focus, nevertheless, is also on marital rape. Because the husband is a loving parent, Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman) justifies the marital rape and abuse she encounters in ‘Big Little Lies’ in a variety of ways.
When her husband is accused of sexual assault by some other woman, Celeste slowly begins to see the gravity of his acts. Similar to ‘Alba’, this series features characters struggling with the consequences of rape and how it can be a twisted, fascinating, and instructive experience.
4. Making a Murderer (2015-2018)
A Wisconsin native named Steven Avery is the main subject of the true-crime documentary TV series ‘Making a Murderer.’ He spent 18 years in jail after being wrongfully found guilty of sexually assaulting Penny Beerntsen and attempting to kill her. He was, however, convicted of Teresa Halbach’s murder in 2007. Both ‘Making a Murderer’ and ‘Alba’ deal with a spine-chilling rape trial procedure that tries to comprehend two sides of an identical circumstance.
3. I May Destroy You (2020)
A British dark comedy-drama limited TV series called ‘I May Destroy You’ centers on the issue of sexual assault. This highly acclaimed drama centers on Arabella (Michaela Coel), a young Twitter sensation-turned author in her late 20s who rose to stardom with her first book ‘Chronicles of a Fed-Up Millennial.’ After a typical night out turns into a terrifying sexual attack, her life completely changes. ‘Alba’ and ‘I May Destroy You’ tackle overlapping subjects such as daring and sensitive easing of the agony of sexual assault and the absence of a responsive legal system in an intricate way.
2. Guilt (2019-)
To put it mildly, the Scottish drama and suspense series ‘Guilt’ is exhilarating from beginning to end. The series is focused on two brothers who engage in a hit-and-run that results in the death of an old man on a street in Edinburgh. In an attempt to cover up the murder, the brothers’ problems get more serious, and the plot broadens to include new people and storylines while maintaining the guilt narrative thread. This unpredictable series also features the bleak and decaying justice system and the themes of guilt as seen in ‘Alba’.
1. Unbelievable (2019)
Based on the 2015 news report ‘An Unbelievable Story of Rape,’ ‘Unbelievable‘ is a true crime television miniseries that centers upon a teenage girl named Marie Adler who is accused of lying about being raped. It showcases how two investigators take a winding route to discover the truth and solve the perplexing case. It is packed with powerful performances by Toni Collette, Kaitlyn Dever, and Merritt Wever.
‘Unbelievable’ is a strong yet devastating portrayal of rape survivors who recount their tales with integrity and patience. The similarities between the narratives of the miniseries and ‘Alba’ can be seen in its focus on the trauma of the rape victims, authorities’ growing skepticism of the victim, mishandling of rape investigations, and the overall repercussions of sexual assault on its survivors.
Read More: Where is Netflix’s Alba Filmed?
