Why "Tremembé" Stayed With Me—Even When It Fell Short

 

Tremembé may not be a standout masterpiece, but it is undeniably intriguing. 

Set in Brazil’s most famous prison for high-profile criminals, the series explores what happens after the media spectacle dies down. 

By shifting the focus from the crime itself to life behind bars, the show taps into a kind of curiosity that’s hard to ignore—especially when the criminals involved are already deeply embedded in the public imagination.

Two Sides of the Same Crime

One of the series’ strongest choices is its constant movement between the women’s and men’s wings of the prison. This structure becomes especially effective when crimes were committed by groups involving both men and women. 

Watching how responsibility, guilt, and power dynamics play out differently on each side adds layers to the narrative. In that sense, Tremembé feels closer to slow-burn prison dramas than to sensational true-crime shows—it observes rather than accuses.

Performances That Humanize the “Monsters”

The acting across the board is good. The performances are convincing enough to do something uncomfortable but necessary: humanize people commonly reduced to monsters. 

This approach recalls other character-driven crime dramas in which empathy doesn’t mean forgiveness but understanding. The actors may not deliver career-defining performances here, but they give the characters enough credibility to make their stories land.

Storylines That Linger

Some arcs are far more impactful than others. The storyline involving the doctor-rapist is grim, but his eventual fate is darkly satisfying—almost fun in a twisted way. 

Suzanne’s (Marina Ruy Barbosa) arc, however, is pure frustration. She is manipulative and calculating, consistently getting what she wants, leaving the viewer with a lingering sense of anger. The fact that she is already free in real life makes her story genuinely terrifying. 

Meanwhile, the Jatobá (Bianca Comparato) case stands out as one of the most chilling narratives in the series, unsettling without relying on shock value.

An Uneasy Ending

By the end, Tremembé remains interesting despite its unevenness. The season closes on a cliffhanger that clearly points toward a second season, suggesting there is still more to explore within these walls.

While it may not be unforgettable television, it succeeds in something harder: making the viewer sit with discomfort, curiosity, and moral ambiguity long after the episode ends.