Feria: The Darkest Light is a Spanish fantasy thriller that wants to be a horror series about grief and guilt, but it can’t decide whether to lean into the supernatural or the psychological. The result is a show that’s often promising but rarely fully realized. It earns a 6.6 out of 10.
Trailer, via Netflix.
The Premise
The series is set in 1990s Andalusia, where two teenage sisters, Eva and Sofía, discover their parents were involved in a cult ritual that ended in 23 deaths. Their father has disappeared, and their mother was trapped in the ‘Kingdom’ — the show’s term for hell — for trying to stop the doorway from opening. Sofía, desperate to see her mother again, follows the cult and opens the portal herself, unleashing the devil. Eva, meanwhile, is having trouble finding her sister and suffers constant hallucinations.
What Works
The premise is strong. A cult ritual with a body count, a mother trapped in hell, and two sisters pulled apart by grief — that’s a solid foundation. The show also benefits from a strong cast, led by Marta Nieto as Elena and Carla Campra as Sofía, who anchor the emotional core of the story.
The setting, a small Andalusian village in the mid-1990s, adds texture. The period details ground the supernatural elements in a specific, lived-in world.
Where It Falls Short
The pacing drags. The first season runs eight episodes, and the middle stretch feels padded, with repeated flashbacks and filler scenes that don’t advance the plot. The show also struggles to balance its supernatural horror with its psychological horror. The devil, once unleashed, becomes a background threat rather than a central presence, and the show spends more time on Eva’s hallucinations than on the actual consequences of the ritual.
Key Cast
| Role | Actor |
|---|---|
| Eva | Marta Nieto |
| Sofía | Carla Campra |
| Guillén | Isak Férriz |
| Blanca | Ángela Cremonte |
| Sandra | Patricia López Arnaiz |
| Estrella | Sauce Ena |
| Pablo | Ernest Villegas |
The Verdict
Feria: The Darkest Light is a show with a great idea and a weak execution. The premise is compelling, but the pacing, the focus, and the direction all fall short of what the concept promises. It’s worth watching for the first episode, but the back half loses momentum fast.
Here’s how the pieces rank:
- The premise — strongest element of the show
- The cast — competent across the board
- The setting — period details add texture
- The middle stretch — where the show loses focus
- The payoff — weaker than the setup suggests
The show was canceled after the first season due to indifferent reception, and it’s easy to see why. It never quite delivers on its own promise.
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