While being a spinoff usually guarantees an audience and a sure footing, for Netflix’s Freeridge its spinoff status is the source of its problems. Freeridge is a spinoff of another popular Netflix show, On My Block, which takes place in the same town, the titular Freeridge. Most spinoffs include some of the same characters or continue the story of its predecessor in some way, but Freeridge is something completely new, following characters Gloria, Ines, Demi, and Cameron as they grapple with a cursed box, ghosts, and teenage issues like love.
On My Block’s RollerWorld storyline and beloved characters unfolded over the course of four seasons. The Netflix show concluded in 2021, and its successor Freeridge was ordered by the streaming service the same year, though it didn’t premiere until February 2023. This meant there was plenty of time for high expectations to rise for Freeridge’s plot and characters, which takes a new, different approach to the On My Block universe. Unfortunately, though, rather than Freeridge’s connection to On My Block helping the new Netflix show find its footing, it actually creates issues for the show’s reception.
Freeridge Being An On The Block Spinoff Makes You Compare Its Characters
Netflix’s Freeridge is its own show with new characters and a new plot separate from its predecessor, but its genesis as an On My Block spinoff begs comparisons between the two shows. There’s a desire for Freeridge to be just like On My Block (prompted by the Netflix show being billed with “On My Block” in the title), with the same kinds of characters, relationships, and dynamics, which took multiple seasons to grow. However, these comparisons both miss what makes Freeridge its own show and what made On My Block so great in the first place.
Part of what made On My Block’s characters so good was how they developed over the course of the series. Getting to see those characters evolve over time is what made their arcs feel so satisfying, and comparing On My Block’s characters, whose stories unfolded over four seasons, to the new Freeridge characters is unfair. As it only has 1 season so far, Freeridge's new main characters have no way for their arcs to be satisfying yet. Unfortunately, though, since "On My Block" is in the Netflix spinoff’s title, audiences will expect them to be developed from the start, giving Freeridge an uphill battle with some viewers.
Freeridge's Shorter Run Puts It At A Disadvantage
Another reason the On My Block spinoff Freeridge is at a disadvantage is its initial run. Freeridge’s initial run consists of eight episodes, making its story feel faster and less developed when compared to On My Block’s four seasons. On My Block had longer to evolve, which makes On My Block feel “deeper” than Freeridge. However, it’s unfair to expect Freeridge, which has only had one season so far, to be just as fleshed out as On My Block right away. Some might write off Freeridge as not living up to its predecessor, but the Netflix show has lots of potential, and it’s just getting started.