Breathless (2024) – Season 1 Episode 1 Recap & Review

Episode 1

Episode 1 of Breathless aka Respira begins with the Joaquin Sorolla Public Hospital in Valencia protesting for better healthcare. They are set to go on strike at midnight and a 1st-year resident, Biel learns that his cancer patient has been taken to the OR at 11 PM.

The lead surgeons, Pilar Amaro and Nestor Moa are arguing over what to do as the cancer has spread. Once the clock hits 12 AM, Nestor starts wrapping up much to Biel’s shock. However, Pilar stops him and demands they put the patient’s life first.

It cuts to 2 months ago. At the market, Biel runs into Moa who checks in on Rosa, a fish vendor. The 1st-year residents tease Biel as they think that he has a crush on Moa. Their reprieve is interrupted by a traffic accident caused by Valencian President, Patricia Segura. All the attendants are busy and the residents have to handle the patients on their own.

One of the residents is pregnant and a passing attendant looks down on her. Rodri is an influencer and his sister, Dr. Jesica covers for him as a harrowed mother begs Rodri to check her daughter during his break. The girl cannot breathe but when Rodri questions her symptoms, the mother is offended as she believes he is accusing her of being a bad parent. She storms off, confusing Rodri.

Meanwhile, Biel is shocked to learn that the culprit of the accident is Patricia as they are family friends. She is charming, blunt and bold but all of that goes out of the window as he finds a tumour. Another 1st-year resident, Quique who is stoned out of his mind shows up with Oscar Amaro who has overdosed. Nurse Blanca and Dr. Rocio are surprised and save Oscar just in time as he goes into cardiac arrest. 

Meanwhile, Rosa finally gets her appointment but Moa is disheartened to learn that she is terminal. He rants to the staff that if she had been checked in time, her illness could have been prevented. He wants to go on strike for a better public healthcare system but Pilar refuses. She points out that patients will die if they go on strike but she is interrupted when she learns that her son, Oscar has OD-ed. She is furious and vows to find the person responsible while Quique looks scared.

At the end of the shift, the 1st-year students regroup and they learn about Oscar ODing at an orgy. They wonder if he has contracted any STDs which worries Quique even more. That night, they party at a karaoke bar and we learn that Jesica is having an affair with Biel despite having a boyfriend. He tells her to go easy on Rodri who is constantly looking for her approval.

Meanwhile, Quique secretly runs some tests on Oscar and is shocked to learn that he has all kinds of STDs including hepatitis. However, it doesn’t explain the cause of Oscar’s coma and Quique decides to run a CAT scan. 

The next day, Moa and Biel inform Patricia that she needs aggressive chemo but things aren’t looking too good for her. She is upset and wants to go to a private hospital despite Biel insisting that Moa is the best in the country. She leaves only to be swarmed by reporters in the hospital lobby.

As they ask her about the DUI, she redirects it to her tumour and claims the public healthcare system is top-notch and that she plans to get treated at the public hospital. This angers Moa who jumps in and exposes the hospital’s lack of resources. The hospital manager, Lluis Blasco is furious and reveals that the board will fire Moa unless he is able to convince Patricia to return.

Easier said than done as she is upset that he threw her under the bus while she was vulnerable. Biel vouches for Moa and that her health will be their #1 priority but Patricia refuses to return. 

Meanwhile, the girl from the other day is rushed in by her brother as she has fainted. Their mother is busy working and so cannot authorize surgery. The brother decides to forge her signature much to Rodri’s shock and insists that she would have wanted the best for her daughter. Rodri gives in and has Jesica operating on the girl.

At the same time, Oscar starts haemorrhaging during the scan and has to be rushed to the OR. Pilar insists that Jesica operate on him even though she is busy with the little girl. Rodri promises to take over and Jesica heads to Oscar’s OR room.

While everything is smooth sailing for Oscar, the little girl suddenly starts bleeding and goes into cardiac arrest. Rodri begs for Jesica to return but Pilar refuses. By the time they look for another attendant, the girl dies at the end of Breathless Episode 1.

The Episode Review

With Elite’s creator, Carlos Montero Castiñeira setting up his own Spanish Grey’s Anatomy, we already know that Breathless will be a mix of melodrama, plot twists, selfish actions, steamy affairs and a bunch of medical jargon. To top it off, the cast is equally starry with a lot of familiar faces that have peppered Spanish Netflix shows like Najwa Nimri of Money Heist fame, Cable Girls’ Blanca Suarez and Borja Luna, Elite’s Manu Rios, movie star Aitana Sánchez-Gijón and more.

Well, said to be Netflix’s first original medical drama, the stakes are pretty high and Breathless Episode 1 doesn’t disappoint so far. Despite being “selfless” doctors, the characters are all selfish, doing whatever it takes for their own gain. Moa is the union representative who seemingly cares for patients but is ready to let them die for his ideals as seen with Patricia in that flashforward. 

Pilar claims to be on the other end of the spectrum and will do whatever it takes to save a patient until it comes to her own son who is stable, even if it means letting a little girl die. And in between their clashing dynamic, the 1st-year residents struggle to stay afloat, save patients and also live their own lives. Sounds like a recipe for disaster and we are totally hooked.