High Seas Carolina & Casandra Drama Review

『Fragments of Emotion Blooming Amid Turbulence』

🎥 Drama Overview

🎬 Title: High Seas (Original title: Alta Mar, 2019–2020)
🌍 Country: 🇪🇸 Spain
🎞️ Genre: Mystery / Drama / Suspense
🗓️ Broadcast Info: Netflix Original (Season 3, total 22 episodes)
🎬 Created by: Ramón Campos, Gema R. Neira et al.
📺 Platform: Netflix

👩‍💼 Cast: Alejandra Onieva – as Carolina Villanueva
Claudia Traisac – as Casandra / Carmen

🧩 Deep Story Exploration (Spoilers)

🚢 The Temptation of a Medium and a Married Woman’s Identity Crisis

In Alta Mar, the relationship between Carolina and Casandra forms one of the key subplots of Season 2, adding a layer of queer romantic tension to the show’s mystery-thriller narrative. Their connection is not a simple romantic encounter but a complex interplay between a married woman’s self-doubt and sexual identity exploration and a vengeful con artist’s calculated seduction, heightening the drama’s emotional intensity.

🔮 Vulnerability and the Device of “Spiritualism”

The bond between Carolina and Casandra begins from a place of Carolina’s deep psychological vulnerability.

• Casandra’s Appearance and Intent: Casandra boards the ship claiming to be a medium, yet her true identity is soon revealed — she is the sister of Rosa Marín, the woman presumed to have been murdered by Carolina’s husband, Fernando. Her real motive is revenge, and approaching Carolina was a deliberate act aimed at destroying her marriage and mental stability.

• Carolina’s Vulnerability: Newly married but tormented by rumors that her husband, Fernando, had an affair — and possibly even killed — Rosa Marín, Carolina lives in a state of constant psychological distress. Consumed by distrust toward her husband and fear of the ghost said to haunt her, she clings to Casandra as the only person who believes her.

💋 Seduction and Confusion

The most controversial aspect of this relationship lies in Casandra’s deliberate romantic seduction of Carolina.

• Emotional Manipulation: Casandra manipulates Carolina by delivering messages from the “ghost” and mentally steering her to doubt everyone around her. Through this, she expresses emotional intimacy and romantic interest, drawing Carolina deeper into her web of deceit.

• Unexpected Attraction (The Kiss): Though Casandra’s motive was revenge, a genuine romantic spark seems to ignite between the two. Their kiss becomes the pivotal moment that throws Carolina — a married heterosexual woman — into profound confusion about her identity. Torn between an unhappy marriage and a new sexual attraction, she faces deep inner conflict.

• The “Dirty Secret” Trope: This subplot has faced criticism for treating the queer dynamic as a “dirty secret” — a device used to render the main female character vulnerable or morally compromised, rather than a genuine exploration of queer identity.

🚨 Truth’s Triumph and the Dissolution of Romance

By the end of Season 2, Casandra’s scheme is exposed, and their romantic connection is firmly rejected.

• The Revelation: When Casandra’s true identity and revenge plan are uncovered, it becomes clear that all her affection and kindness toward Carolina were part of a manipulative ruse. Carolina’s identity confusion and emotional awakening are thus revealed to have been merely tools in Casandra’s vendetta — a painful truth that underscores the tragedy of their bond.

• Return to Heteronormativity: Carolina ultimately returns to her husband, Fernando, leaving her encounter with Casandra as an aftermath of chaos. The show does not deeply examine Carolina’s sexual identity but rather uses it as a temporary source of tension, before restoring her to the heterosexual norm — a clear example of “gay-baiting” in genre television.

• Lingering Questions: Although Carolina reconciles with her husband, the brief yet intense encounter with Casandra undoubtedly leaves her with unanswered questions about her sexual and emotional desires. This lingering ambiguity invites viewers to imagine the unresolved complexity of what could have been.

✨ A Sacrifice to the Mystery

The Carolina–Casandra relationship sought to blend thriller intensity with emotional depth of queer romance, but ultimately, the latter became a sacrificial element to the former. Carolina’s potential journey toward self-discovery through Casandra’s seduction — which could have evolved into genuine love — is confined within the limits of a revenge plot. As a result, both women are left with incomplete or manipulated emotions. This narrative stands as a clear example of how authentic representation is crucial when incorporating queer subplots into genre dramas.

🎯 Personal Rating

💕 Love Scene Intensity: ♥♥
⭐ Rating: ★★★★