The latest Netflix show to take social media by storm is the teen comedy ‘On My Block.’ The show follows the lives of five students living in an inner-city neighborhood as they enter high school. ‘On My Block’ has been praised by critics for its diverse cast, intriguing plotlines, and realistic character dynamics. It earns a 5/5.

The best part of this show is the storylines. It manages to take the lives of high school students and make them interesting. The main plotline is arguably surrounding Cesar, a member of the friend group, who gets roped into a gang by his older brother. His friends spend a vast majority of their time trying to figure out a way to get him out of the gang life, but the show also explores issues such as single-parent households, treasure hunts, and, of course, crushes. Each episode manages to weave different characters’ conflicts together so that there’s never anything boring about the show.

‘On My Block’ is also an excellent example of why it’s important to give minorities a larger platform. Not only does the show display different cultures and why they can be beautiful, but it also challenges the entertainment industry on shallow depictions of people of color. Each character is vibrantly portrayed, and not whittled down to a single stereotype. While it makes the show more interesting as a whole, it’s also a very important step forward towards equal representation in today’s media.

‘On My Block’ is a great show to watch no matter what your background is. From start to finish, it will leave viewers hooked as it shows the real and oftentimes gritty lives of teenagers growing up in a rough neighborhood, but still managing to find friendship and love in the midst of their hardship. The first season in its entirety is available to view on Netflix and will be renewed for a second season at a later date.