À l'amour, à la mort

Love You To Death is a really entertaining ride. If you're expecting a standard rom-com, this series is so much more. The humour has a real dark edge to it, especially when it comes to the main female character, Marta. Although she's very self-absorbed and messed up, there's an authenticity to her that's missing in most of these shows.

Occasionally, Love You To Death does veer a little too closely to the standard rom-com format, but all the characters are engaging enough to overcome some of the forced wackiness.

If you're up for a rom-com with a harder edge and some really pointed humour, I'd recommend Love You To Death totally. I'd give it a solid 8.8.

One note - if you're watching this show with English subtitles, like I did, you'll have to be a very quick reader at some points, as the dialogue is very fast-paced. During these sections, it can be a bit frustrating, as you'd like to be paying closer attention to the actors' facial expressions and actions. However, that's simply not possible with the rapid-paced dialogue. Still, there are enough times when the speaking slows down and you get to appreciate how skilled the actors are in all their roles.

Every now and then a Spanish production manages to pass the test, and this one does so in an enjoyable way.

The plot has a deep dramatic background, but the script and pacing follow the classic romantic comedy formula. The blend works well enough to be fun.

That said, as often happens with these kinds of scripts, I doubt a foreign viewer could enjoy it in quite the same way as someone living in Spain. It relies heavily on contemporary cultural references that give it some life.

It's definitely above the average level of most Spanish series that aren't considered "big productions." And it stands out across the board, particularly in the script and direction.

Of course, it still has a few cringe moments and some loosely held plot points... I'm praising it relative to other Spanish works, but if I place it on a global scale... it's just another decent show that'll give you a good time, but nothing more. A solid six out of ten for me.