Teen dramas are commonly categorized as guilty pleasures, as they usually have a lot of razzle dazzle with nothing major bubbling beneath the surface. Netflix’s new drama “Elite” – which began streaming Oct. 5 – defies these stereotypes associated with teen soaps with impactful storylines and a compelling mystery.

The show begins with three lower-class students – Samuel, Christian and Nadia – starting school at Las Encinas, an exclusive private school for the elite. While these three characters could not afford the school on their own, they are all given scholarships to Las Encinas following the destruction of their old school.

At first, “Elite” seems to focus on the dramatic social dynamics that erupt when the poor mix with the wealthy. However, the show adds another layer when a murder mystery is introduced by flashing forward to the future.

The flash-forwards depict police interrogations following the murder. That said, the victim is not revealed until the end of the first episode, and it is certainly a shocker. From that point on, the mystery becomes who did the crime and how on Earth it happened.

In addition to suspense, the road to discovering the killer is filled with important storylines told with a maturity surpassing most of the show’s teen drama competition. Conversations about being HIV positive or having Islamophobia are discussed throughout the season and bring intense drama without undermining the importance of these issues.

Even when “Elite” is telling stories more common to its genre, it still does it in such a way that seems superior to similar shows like “Riverdale” and “Gossip Girl.” Storylines concerning homosexuality, love triangles, polyamorous relationships, drugs, the wealth gap and academic ambitions are all taken to new heights in part to both the web “Elite” weaves as well as the chemistry of its cast.

The one thing that those interested in viewing the show should know – even though it is a small price to pay for such a brilliant narrative – is that “Elite” is in Spanish, so you will have to either watch with subtitles or the English dub if you don’t speak the language. Personally, I binged using the dub and enjoyed the show just fine.

Once I started “Elite,” I was quickly hooked and did not stop watching until I was finished with all eight episodes. The brief number of episodes makes for a fast and exciting binge, and the final episode will have you craving more.

Luckily, Netflix has already ordered a second season, meaning eager viewers will be returning to Las Encinas very soon. I encourage everyone to give “Elite” a try because it is everything you love about guilty pleasure teen dramas – just without the guilt.