Picture Credit: Netflix
Three sisters, one body, and many issues to solve on vacation: such is the to-the-point condensed premise of That Night, adapted from a book by British author Gillian McAllister. But is this new Spanish-language miniseries landing the thrills and the emotions in its 6-episode package?
That Night (Esa Noche in Spanish) is a good example of the ability of Netflix to make surprising choices when adapting a project through its global reach. In this case, the original British novel by Gillian McAllister set most of the action in Italy; writer Jason George, who was already aboard international shows like Belgium’s Into The Night, took the liberty of adapting it into a Spanish original and brought in Spanish screenwriter Lara Sendim to flesh out the series. Together, they transformed the siblings into three sisters: Netflix mainstay Claudia Salas (also the lead in this year’s Salvador), Clara Galle (Ni Una Mas, Olympo), and Paula Usero. Alicia Falcó, fresh off the short-lived Billionaires Bunker, also stars. The setting is also now changed to the terrific sun-soaked landscapes of the Dominican Republic and Pamplona.
As the story goes, Elena (Clara Galle), the youngest daughter of the Arbizu family, also a young mother, and Paula (Claudia Salas) are visiting Cris (Paula Usero), who decided on impulse to open an animal shelter in Punta Cana during a previous vacation. During the trip, Paula, who is accompanied by her wife Luisa, is also expecting news on her pregnancy; everything will be turned upside down when Elena calls her sisters to the rescue near the beach. There, they discover a dead man, who has possibly been run over by Elena, and must quickly decide what to do. Paula quickly sets up a plan that makes the three sisters accomplices, but as none of them (spoiler?) are astute criminal masterminds, things will quickly unravel. As it turns out, much more has happened that night and in the few days leading up to it, and the show will revisit the events from the point of view of 6 characters, each with their own episode.
That Night is presented as a thriller adapted from a page-turner, but the mystery elements and the cover story planned by the siblings are not the show’s main attraction. By the first half of the miniseries, you will have made out the basic plot of what really happened that night, and the reasons why each sibling had something to hide. Plus, the very first scene of the show reveals the sisters’ arrest for murder. Since their fate is known from minute one, the question driving the series isn’t “will they get away with it?” but rather “why?”—specifically, what drove them to hatch such an elaborate web of lies to protect themselves.
Paula (Claudia Salas), one of the siblings who actually gets a potent character arc during the miniseries. (Cr : Pablo Ricciardulli/Netflix)
This is where That Night shines: it mostly avoids the ridiculous, far-fetched twists expected of the genre (and more than a few Netflix entries) and the consequences to show the unraveling of a tight but fragile sisterhood. The use of voiceover and internal dialogue is also limited, and the screenwriters eventually delve into a finely tuned psychological portrait of each sister.
Two of the siblings are colleagues at their father Javier’s vet clinic in Pamplona, and the show can also develop more of their dynamic before that fateful vacation. The actual traumatic family history is teased out better than the twists on the events in Punta Cana, and it does involve a more emotional pay-off. As it progresses, especially in its finale, which surprises through a narrative device we will not spoil here, That Night actually examines generational guilt, characters who perpetually devise plans to escape their responsibilities, and eventually personal pain. The grounded stakes of That Night do not pass over that opportunity, and Paula’s impulses, which usually get the best of her, are treated with sensibility. The show also offers a heartfelt examination of her dissolving relationship with Luisa, and though the 6 episodes have a frenetic pace, the series’ latter half hooks the viewer with its family drama. As the three leads develop strong chemistry, That Night takes full advantage of its short runtime to deliver a more subtle take on the book-to-screen adaptation than anticipated.
Watch That Night if you liked
- El Silencio
- Mentiras
- Stay Close
Verdict on That Night
A very finely paced, grounded dramatic miniseries that escapes its easy thriller premise. It shines through its psychological drama and a relevant examination of grief, despair, and guilt, laying a foundation for a quietly moving finale.
That Night streams on Netflix globally from March 13th, 2026.
