‘Defying Destiny’ (2026) Netflix Series Review - Unnecessarily Lengthy and Boring

Achieving dreams is what human life is all about. But what happens when you are unable to achieve it? That is what “Defying Destiny” deals with. At its core is Maria, who has always dreamt of being a teacher. However, as her teenage pregnancy occurs, this becomes a distant dream. But Maria isn’t the one who gives up. However, Maria isn’t the one who gives up easily. Even as she decides to carry on the pregnancy and live in the poverty-stricken environment, she knows she won’t let go of what she has decided. And thus begins the relentless journey of achieving success in life. Maria fights it all, including the social stigma that comes with becoming a teen mother. She is looked down upon, and society offers her very little support. This is where the makers want us to see and learn from Maria-never to give up, even when life gives you lemons. The character of Maria is established right from the first episode itself. She is portrayed as headstrong and determined. She doesn’t give up and continues to fight her way alongside giving birth and raising her child.

So while the plot may seem to be very inspiring, it isn’t. In fact, I would call it a highly average plot made in the name of women's empowerment. At one point, I even felt that the makers were glorifying teen pregnancies, something which shouldn’t have been the case. Many other movies are made on similar lines, such as the famous “Pursuit of Happyness”. And these movies also talk about making it big in life. But “Defying Destiny” shows that there is a lack of effort on the side of the makers. The execution is highly faulty, and nothing comes out of it. We are supposed to applaud Maria, but for what? And the makers are clever, they have managed to give her all the difficulties in life as possible- a would-be teen mom fighting for her dream while spending life in poverty and whatnot. Everything that can go wrong in her life goes wrong, and well, we are just supposed to watch it. Yes, I agree some of you might like such a theme for obvious reasons. However, there are loopholes as discussed above, which prevented me from fully liking the show.

The cast is a saving grace, though. Their acting is on par, and that is why I could watch the show. Marggy Selene Valdiris, Karent Hinestroza, etc, do a great job in bringing us the story of Maria.

Another thing that annoyed me a lot was the length of the show. How on earth do you expect your audience to watch a total of 64 episodes with a plot like that? 64 episodes are a hell of a lot to watch, especially when there are no twists and turns here. Everything is predictable. Do you think I need to tell you the ending? Yes, wherever your mind is heading is what the ending is. So what are you going to watch 64 episodes for? Nothing. So, all in all, let us watch something fewer in number and better in quantity.

Final Score- [3/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times