Upamanyu Biswas
Created by Leonardo Padrón, the Mexican Netflix show ‘The Accident’ revolves around a tragedy that occurs during a children’s birthday party and tears apart a local community of affluent people. When Emiliano and Daniela host a birthday party for their son, Rodri, they expect it to go as smoothly as possible as the kids enjoy themselves. However, an unforeseen circumstance rears its head and takes a toll on the lives of three children, including Rodri, and a missing fourth. Subsequently, the show deals with the fallout from the event as each family tries to contend with their grief while trying to figure out what exactly went wrong that day and who is culpable for the terrible deaths of three innocent kids. SPOILERS AHEAD.
A Combination of Negligence and Unavoidable Circumstance Costs Rodri, Gabriel, and Mateo’s Lives
For Rodri’s birthday, Emiliano and Daniela spare no expense for the enjoyment of the kids. As Rodri’s approval and happiness mean everything to the two parents, they even get him a jumping castle to play with, which the kids excitedly mount during the birthday party. However, on that specific day, Emiliano is distracted by the prospect of an incoming call from an American investment firm that is supposed to fund a theme park project on an adjoining piece of empty land. When the call arrives, he heads indoors with his two lawyer friends, David and Javier. Unfortunately, a strong wind blasts through the backyard during this period, lifting the bouncy castle high into the clouds and dropping the kids one by one. Rodri, Mateo, and Gabriel die as a result.
The parents of the three kids are devastated by the loss of their kids in what is seemingly an accidental event triggered by a ferocious wind. However, soon after, evidence is discovered that the stakes of the bouncy castle, which were supposed to be hammered into the ground, were left lying around carelessly. Therefore, a blameless incident very quickly spirals into a tale of finding the guilty party. At first, suspicion is cast upon Moncho, Emiliano’s groundskeeper, who was supposed to handle the menial tasks, like hammering the bouncy castle stakes during the event. Moncho is beaten, and his house is burned by Charro, a ruthless businessman and the father of one of the dead kids. However, Moncho maintains his innocence throughout the investigation process.
It is only later that the person responsible for the recklessness is found to be none other than Emiliano himself. During the party, the affluent lawyer is so distracted by the call from the investment firm that he leaves the stakes lying on the ground. Although it is initially Moncho’s task, Emiliano relieves the man of the duty to handle other tasks while he does the hammering himself. Subsequently, his irresponsibility costs him dearly when three kids die as a consequence of his actions, no matter his intentions. The mental scar it leaves on Emiliano is so grave that he suffers throughout the narrative, wanting time and again to give himself up to the authorities. Tragically, even if he follows up on that outcome eventually, the deaths of the three kids stay on his guilty conscience up till the very end.
The Death of the Three Kids Serves as the Inciting Incident For the Story
While the death of Rodri, Gabriel, and Mateo is a dark blot on the community of people whose lives are affected by it, the incident also allows the three families to go through a violent catharsis of their own, albeit not without cost. The senselessness of the tragedy is what sets up the events that follow in the narrative. In essence, ‘The Accident’ is an exploration of people’s resilience when an extraordinary event rocks them to their core and leaves them with nothing. Creator Leonardo Padrón said, in a press statement made in Spanish, “The accident is basically a tool that allows me to explore things that have more layers, like how we deal with problems and how we face personal tragedies.”
“It’s been proven that human beings have a great capacity for resilience,” he continued. “I’m taking a look at four families to see how they react against an ordinary event. I think that’s what’s interesting, what draws me in, because while the show is a thriller it also asks dozens of questions. Accidents always have a guilty party at the center of it.” Therefore, the deaths of the three kids serve as a catalyst for the escalation of affairs surrounding the families as they try to grapple with their losses. It is a dark event that unleashes negative emotions to run wild among the community while they navigate its treacherous waters. Although the loss is impossible to reclaim, it allows the show to probe into how humans react to situations that are incredibly bleak and not of their making.
Read More: Where Was Netflix’s The Accident Filmed?
