Intimacy (2022) follows four women grappling with targeted sexual harassment and explicit video. The affected includes a promising politician running for the mayoral candidacy of a Spanish city. The series is available for streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
Malen (Itziar Ituno) has been unanimously approved to run for the mayoral candidacy of Spain’s Bilbao region. The opinion polls show the immense popularity she commands in the region.
Her campaign gets struck by the leakage of a secretly recorded intimate video, exposing the farce of her marriage. The party registers dissent to her mayoral candidacy.
High school teacher, Begoña, receives the tragic news of her sister Ane’s suicide. She decides to investigate the case herself to finally grieve in peace.
Inspector Alicia interrogates Ane’s factory co-workers who circulated her intimate pictures among themselves. She discovers the connection with Malen’s case.
Retaliating to the party’s pressure, Malen decides to go for a press conference against the party leadership to fight back against her victimization.
The story cuts back to the short-lived relationship between Malen and Cesar. Cesar tries to fake his married history to hook up with her. Upon confrontation, Cesar reveals that he was offered money but never anticipated the video recording leak.
Party leader Miren asks Malen to refrain from revealing sensitive information to the media in exchange for guaranteed mayoral candidacy. But suspects foul play on Malen’s part.
Begoña tries to reach out to one of Ane’s boyfriends to learn more about her past. Left shocked by the depressing truth of Ane’s brutal past, she intensifies the search. Meanwhile, Cesar’s death news shocks Malen.
The troubled relationship of Malen with her daughter (Leire) and husband starts calming down. But Leire worries about her boyfriend Xabi’s revenge after she insulted him for abandoning her.
Begoña visits Ane’s factory and creates a scene despising everyone for harassing Ane to death. Malen drives to the scene with the media to base her campaign around the victims of sexual harassment.
Ane’s psychologist reveals that she was suffering from chronic depression and the explicit video leak aggravated her condition. Begoña meets an unexpected friend who helps her with the independent investigation. Alicia uncovers deep-seated political truths as Malen receives new threats.
Mentally exhausted Leire’s confrontation with Xabi gets violent. Malen discovers the hidden truth of Leire’s problematic behaviour. She decides to pursue Ane’s case full-time.
Meanwhile, Alicia decides to track down Ane’s ex-boyfriend. Malen seeks dirt on Gotka who emerges as a potential contender for the Mayoral position.
Malen finally decides to resign while Alicia presses charges on the master orchestrator of the leaked explicit footage. Malen receives a call from the leadership for a re-run for the upcoming elections.
If you have any doubts about the ending, here is a detailed breakdown.
Intimacy (2022) ending explained in detail (Episode 8: A Decision):
Family reunion
Leire’s violent incident with Xabi allows Malen and her separated husband to seek empathy over remorse. They are finally together after living in a farcical marriage for the last five years.
Even the cold-hearted professor grandpa has made amends to the broken relationship as he defends the assault case for Leire.
Who leaked the tapes?
When the world of married rising politician Malen crashes with a single click in the first episode, Cesar is the man whose face is obscured in the video and was the first suspect.
And, while the cash-strapped son of Bilbao’s corporate boss assisted in the honey trap setup, he simply intended to use the tape for blackmail.
Cesar didn’t start his extramarital affair to make money, we learn in the finale. It wasn’t until another powerful businessman noticed the two lovers getting cosy at a restaurant that a plan to assassinate them was hatched.
What’s next for Malen’s political adventure?
Malen experiences a political rollercoaster as the tide of public opinion begins to turn. She’s clinging to her position by a thread at the start. When her sexist male coworkers begin to praise her for confronting the scandal head-on, she appropriately tells them where to go.
Malen, on the other hand, has second thoughts about returning to her previous job as a lawyer. On her way out of the municipal hall, she notices the groundswell of support.
When a victim of sexual harassment she earlier tried to discredit tells her to stick to her advice, she feels helpless and humiliated. After that, her political party virtually begs her to run for mayor after their other candidates had dropped out.
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