Netflix recently released a show titled The Accident, and its bizarre premise based on shockingly real events is helping the Mexican drama rise in popularity. Since releasing on August 21st, The Accident has dominated the streamer’s Top 10 list despite not much fanfare ahead of release. As in the case of Under Paris‘ impressive Netflix success, the streaming service seems to have found another winner with their international programming.
The Spanish-language show is a 10-episode drama thriller that follows a horrific tragedy at a young boy’s birthday party in Santa Cruz, Mexico. The Accident‘s characters make up a group of family and friends affected by the unexpected event, but the group fractures when justice is sought. The tragedy in focus involves the deaths of three kids who became trapped in an inflatable bounce house when it went airborne during a birthday party. Believe it or not, the wild premise is not complete fiction.
Netflix’s The Accident Is Inspired By Real Bounce House Tragedies
The Show Isn’t Based On A Specific Real Event
Technically, The Accident is not based on a true story or a specific event. However, the basic premise of The Accident‘s central tragedy was inspired by several true stories of bounce houses causing injuries and deaths. If not set up correctly, bounce houses and castles have been known to fly into the air from gusty winds and surprise weather events. The wind strength could potentially cause the inflatable to go airborne, taking anyone inside with it, which is exactly what happens in The Accident.
As shared by Netflix’s Tudum, there have been 28 deaths and nearly 500 reported industries caused by inflatable bounce houses between 2000 and 2021. While some of the cases have resulted in rolling bounce houses harming those inside, more severe cases, like in The Accident, include incidents of people falling out of the inflatables from great heights in midair or acquiring injuries when the structure crashes back to the ground. Similar cases have been caused by trampolines, which aren’t traditionally staked into the ground like bounce houses.
The Accident Is Going Viral For Its Wild Premise
Viewers Can’t Decide If It’s Funny Or Horrifying
Even without a notable cast familiar to mainstream viewers or heavy marketing surrounding the release, The Accident has managed to hit #3 (so far) on Netflix’s TV show list shortly after its debut. Much of the popularity has come from word-of-mouth and social media buzz, with viewers sharing their thoughts on the thrilling family drama. There’s also been a wave of clips being shared to prove the nearly unbelievable nature of the show, which is undoubtedly helping the show go viral.
«The melodramatic way The Accident presents the tragedy and how the bounce house is shown flying through the air has inadvertently made the premise into a laughing matter«
Of course, the deaths of children and ensuing grief on display in The Accident have caused some viewers to describe the show as heartbreaking. It’s not a topic most would take lightly, but the melodramatic way The Accident presents the tragedy and how the bounce house is shown flying through the air has inadvertently made the premise into a laughing matter for some. Viewers are also poking fun at the family and friends wanting justice for the event that was essentially caused by unpredictable weather.
Is The Accident Worth Watching?
Netflix Show’s Is Being Compared To An NBC Show From 2015
Immediate reviews of The Accident have been mixed at best, but most of the noteworthy reactions have been coming from traditional viewers. While the melodrama seems to be working for some, the ones considering The Accident a «must watch» seem to be declaring the thriller a «so bad it’s good» scenario. Following the bounce house tragedy, the show features a lot of twists and turns as the victims’ families demand answers. The drama spins into multiple other storylines, so if you can get past the bounce house element (whether you think it’s funny or terrifying), it could be worth a watch.
Interestingly, the buzz surrounding The Accident has resurfaced discussions on another bizarre drama that began at a birthday party. NBC’s The Slap had a similar «must see to believe» premise, but for this show, it involved a man attending a birthday party who ends up slapping the young son of another party-goer. The rest of the episodes then deal with the emotional fallout.
So, if The Slap was something that caught your eye when it aired in 2015, The Accident might be the wild new show for you. That’s also the case for those who want to stay on top of viral trends and hate being out of the loop with major pop culture discussions. It might not be Netflix’s next masterpiece, but we can see why it’s getting so much attention.