Merlí () is a Catalan-language Spanish television series produced by TV3. The series is about the eponymous protagonist, a philosophy teacher who encourages students to think freely.
The series, created and written by Héctor Lozano and directed by Eduard Cortés, premiered on 14 September 2015 in prime time and reached a share of 17.7% with 566,000 viewers. The second season of the series premiered on TV3 on 19 September 2016 and ended on 12 December 2016, and the series' third and final season began airing on 18 September 2017 and ended on 15 January 2018.
Each episode is named after a different philosopher or school of thought. Influenced by films like Dead Poets Society, Merlí attempts to bring philosophy to the public. Each episode includes the approaches of a great thinker or school, such as the Peripatetics, Nietzsche or Schopenhauer, linking their teachings with fictional events and characters. The theme song is a version of "Flight of the Bumblebee".
The first season was dubbed into Castilian Spanish by the company Atresmedia and broadcast on the television channel La Sexta from April to June 2016. In November 2016, the American company Netflix bought the rights for the distribution of the series. The three seasons of the series are available on Netflix in Spain, the United States, and Latin America (although Netflix lost the license in December 2020).
A spinoff entitled Merlí: Sapere Aude premiered on Movistar+ on 5 December 2019.
Plot Season 1 (2015) The main character of the series is Merlí Bergeron, an unemployed philosophy teacher who after being evicted from his apartment is forced to live with his mother. He also will have to take care of his son Bruno, who until then was living with his mother, Merlí's ex-wife. After Bruno arrives, Merlí is hired in Àngel Guimerà High School. There, with his unpredictable and unorthodox methods, Merlí will make the students think and express their opinions, and also will help them with their problems, even in a censurable way. He will not only explain about Socrates, Schopenhauer, Hume or Nietzsche, but also will apply their ideas and teachings to solve the problems he finds.
His students, whom he dubs "peripatetics", are a very diverse group that must face all kinds of situations: Pol, a repeater that soon gets along with Merlí; Berta, a student who does not like Merlí at first; Marc, a friendly, nice guy; Ivan, a boy who suffers from agoraphobia and does not dare to leave home; Tània, an extroverted girl and Bruno's best friend; Gerard, a boy who is prone to fall in love and will ask Merlí for advice; Joan, a studious, shy boy with a very strict family; Mònica, a new, very mature student; Oliver, another new boy; and finally, Bruno, Merlí's son and his most difficult student.
Season 2 (2016) The second year of Batxillerat begins at Àngel Guimerà High School. The students welcome Merlí as he enters the school full of energy. The "peripatetics" have matured a bit, but in essence they are still the same happy, insecure teenagers we met in the first season. There is also a new student, Oksana, who will create new relationships inside the group.
In the teachers' room, however, Merlí is not so warmly welcomed. Although Eugeni is waiting for him and wishing to quarrel, both find a common adversary, Coralina, the new history teacher and head teacher. This strict, disciplinarian, 60-year-old professor is determined to impose her standards and will clash with the entire staff. Meanwhile, Merlí teaches in ways even more unorthodox than during the first season. He even takes the class outside of school. Any setting, even the mall, can help him explain the Cynic philosophers, the Stoics, Descartes, Hobbes or the Presocratics. New philosophers are featured this season, such as Hipparchia of Maroneia.
Season 3 (2017–2018) After the Christmas holidays, the students return to class. The second year of Batxillerat (last year of high school before university) continues for Merlí and the "peripatetics". Everyone is aware high school is ending and the Selectivitat exam (necessary to enter university) and university are approaching.
In the classroom, some of the plots from the previous season continue: Pol and Tània will have to define their relationship, Joan and Gerard have become close friends, Marc must decide whether his father can return home, and Óscar, Pol's elder brother, will become involved in Oksana's motherhood.
In the teacher's room, there will be changes. Eugeni is the new director, and new teachers arrive. Gabi is the new Spanish literature teacher, but Merlí is more interested in Silvana, the new history teacher, who is very well received by the staff. Merlí is thrilled by the arrival of the new teacher, who is as creative as he is, but after he sees that his students think highly of her, he becomes jealous. Nevertheless, Merlí will continue to teach philosophy with his peculiar style, gaining the esteem of the "peripatetics". The philosophers featured in this season include Hannah Arendt, Kierkegaard, Albert Camus, Karl Marx and Augustine of Hippo.
Characters The characters in the series can be divided into three groups: students, teachers and family.
Teachers Francesc Orella as Merlí Bergeron. 55 years old, Merlí is a philosophy professor with his own set of ethics and a promiscuous sex life. After being thrown out of his apartment and forced to live with his mother, he finds employment working as a teacher in the Àngel Guimerà Institute, where his son Bruno studies. He is shown to have a dark sense of humor and a taste for irony, which the other teachers tend to find irritating, but the students adore him. They find him original, fun, and stimulating. Merlí has a son, Bruno, who is 16 years old. When Bruno's mother goes to live in Rome pursuing her career and love life, she leaves Bruno to live with his father, and the two find themselves having to reconcile despite their arguments and differences. Merlí's tendency to speak his mind and to do things his own way causes many around him, including his son, to be uncomfortable. Pere Ponce as Eugeni Bosc. Eugeni is the Catalan Literature and Language professor and is the chief of studies. He is around Merlí's age, and he considers himself a remarkable teacher – until Merlí comes along and leaves Eugeni in his shadow. Eugeni is Merlí's antithesis: He is a traditional teacher who does his job in a conventional way – the complete opposite of Merlí. Eugeni's students do not get along well with him, dubbing him “Hitler”, due to his strict nature and harsh relationship with his students. Eugeni can't stand Merlí and is jealous of his charisma and popularity as well as of his ability to get away with anything. In the second season, Eugeni is replaced by Coralina as chief of studies, and his and Merlí's mutual dislike for her leads to a sort of alliance between the two former enemies. Pau Durà as Toni. (Seasons 1-2) Toni is the director of the Àngel Guimerà Institute. He is a widower, is responsible, and likes his job. Toni aims for the institute to work smoothly and to have as few conflicts as possible between the students, teachers, and parents. The teachers’ complaints about Merlí, his methods, and his personality make it difficult for Toni to keep peace in the institute. Toni is also a math teacher and is generally well-liked by the students. He makes an effort to appreciate every teacher and to respect their differences. as Santi. (Season 1) Santi is the professor of Spanish Literature and Language. He is about 50 years old and is portrayed as a likable and kind teacher who appreciates his job and is welcoming to everyone. It is in the institute that he met his wife, Glòria, an art teacher. He likes Merlí a lot and finds him interesting and original. Santi is overweight, and he is verbally bullied by some of the students, especially Bruno. However, Santi always wears his weight with pride. At the end of the first season, he dies from a heart attack, leaving Bruno filled with regret and guilt. Assun Planas as Glòria. Glòria is Santi's wife and is the professor of Technical and Plastic Art. She likes her job and knows how to gain the students’ respect. Although hesitant at first about Merlí, she warms up to him. A talented artist, she helps Merlí by giving him a drawing of Berta for one of his schemes. as Mireia. Mireia is the Latin teacher. She has two sons, and she worries about them a lot during work, because their father does not spend much effort ensuring their well-being. She's unsatisfied with her marriage and finds herself attracted to Eugeni. as Laia. (Season 1) Laia is the English teacher. She is 27 years old and is kind and passionate about animals, especially dogs. She's very attractive and is dating the Physical Education (PE) teacher, Albert. She is one of the first members of the staff to defend Merlí. In the second season, she leaves the institute and is replaced by Elisenda. Rubén de Eguía as Albert. (Season 1) Albert is the PE teacher. He is 27 years old and is kind to everyone. He does not appear in the second season. as Coralina. (Season 2) She is about 60 years old, is very conservative, and has few friends. In the second season she joins the institute as chief of studies, replacing Eugeni, and is the professor of Spanish History. Coralina has her own way of doing things, and she shows little understanding of those who think differently than she does. One of these people is Merlí, and from the first season, the two of them are at odds. She is very strict and dedicated to her work and values. as Manuel Millán. (Season 2) Known by all simply as Millán, he is the new teacher of Spanish literature and language after Santi. He is 62 years old and is a good teacher. He gains his students’ respect when he first meets them. He becomes Gloria's friend. Sandra Monclús as Elisenda. (Seasons 2–3) Elisenda is the new English teacher after Laia. About 40 years old, it seems that she does not like her job, and she disappears from the Institute as soon as she can. She is an avid supporter of the Catalan independence movement. as Quima. (Seasons 2–3) Quima is a transgender woman who acts as the substitute English teacher when Elisenda takes sick leave. Upon her arrival, she is immediately befriended by Merlí. She is self-assured and gains the respect of the students quickly, much to Coralina's dismay. Carlota Olcina as Silvana. (Season 3) Silvana is the new history teacher in the third season, replacing Coralina. She was already a teacher at the Àngel Guimerà some years before, and some of the "peripatetics" know her from her time as a social science teacher during lower secondary education. Everyone is delighted at her return. Eugeni thinks highly of her, and Merlí is thrilled by her when she meets her, because he thinks they are alike. Silvana is as creative as Merlí, entertaining and close to the students, and is also ambitious by nature. Pau Vinyals as Gabriel 'Gabi' Morales. (Season 3) Gabi is the Literature teacher, first appearing in the third season. His youthful appearance and energy lead to him being mistaken for a student when he first arrives. Though neurotic and a borderline hypochondriac, Gabi seeks to get the most out of life and actively searches for new and exciting experiences. He is attracted to Elisenda and pretends to support the independence movement in an effort to win her affections.
Students