Netflix’s new reality series “Calabasas Confidential” places its cast in the Los Angeles suburb long associated with celebrity culture and the Kardashian family, hoping to recreate the formula that made earlier L.A.-based unscripted shows successful. Set in Calabasas, the series follows a group of young adults who have returned home after college, reopening old romances, friendships and resentments in a setting filled with luxury homes, coffee shops and social media-driven drama.
The show centers on an ensemble of 14 cast members, but the review suggests that the large cast works against the series, making it difficult for any one personality to emerge as a clear focal point. The premise is built around familiar reality-TV ingredients: old grudges, flirtations, family connections and status competition. Yet the relationships often feel staged rather than organic, with interactions that appear forced and lacking the natural chemistry needed to make the conflicts compelling.
Among the cast, Jemma stands out as the most emotionally engaging figure. Unlike some of her castmates, she is not introduced as the child of a famous parent or an established influencer. Her storyline involving her ex-boyfriend Dylan provides the season’s strongest dramatic thread. Dylan, nicknamed “Douchebag Dylan,” is portrayed as a self-involved and unreliable figure, and the tension rises when he begins dating one of Jemma’s close friends. That betrayal gives the series a more authentic emotional center than the broader ensemble material.
Other cast members are introduced through their celebrity connections and aspirational lifestyles. Preston, the son of basketball star Scottie Pippen, is shown baking and driving a Cybertruck. Hercy, connected to rapper Master P and Romeo, hopes to pursue NCAA basketball. YouTube personality Suede, at 25, is positioned as the older voice in the group, though even her presence reinforces the show’s emphasis on status and image. The review notes that many other cast members blur together, with similar looks, similar outfits and thinly developed personalities.
The series also tries to place itself within the lineage of Los Angeles reality television, alongside “The Kardashians,” “Selling Sunset” and “The Hills.” But unlike those earlier shows, it lacks the sense of familiarity and established context that helped those programs resonate. The result is a show that asks viewers to care about feuds and loyalties among people they do not know, making the emotional stakes feel limited.
While “Calabasas Confidential” attempts to capture the superficial glamour and interpersonal drama associated with Calabasas, the review suggests it often feels like watching an unfamiliar high school reunion from the outside. The frequent references to social media, influencers and curated lifestyles add to the contemporary tone, but do little to deepen the narrative. All eight episodes of the series are available to stream on Netflix.
