Finding Her Edge Had The Chemistry, But Chose The Wrong Endgame

There’s just something about blades and ice that makes for a sizzling romance. Based on the book by Jennifer Iacopelli, Netflix’s new ice skating drama Finding Her Edge taps into that high-stakes energy. The series follows the Russo sisters, who are under the immense pressure of their family’s skating legacy. Despite their famous name, they’re struggling financially, which brings middle sister Adriana back to the ice for competition. There she finds herself torn between her first love and the bad boy of ice dancing.

Madelyn Keys anchors the series as Adriana with a natural charisma that really draws you in. She reminds me of a young Jennifer Lawrence or Emily Browning. Her older sister Elise, played by Alexandra Beaton, is the family’s frontrunner to go to the Olympics until she gets injured. Controlling, boss, and sometimes just downright mean, she spirals as she becomes unsure of her path for the first time. Their youngest sister Mimi (Alice Malakov) questions if she wants to follow in the family legacy at all or just live a regular life. Despite their ups and downs, the sisters’ complicated dynamic was the emotional heartbeat of the show.

When it comes to Adriana’s love interests, I was rooting for Brayden Elliot (Cale Ambrozic) from the jump. They have a fiery chemistry on screen and he really opens up and changes to be with her. Did he remind anyone else of a young Devon Sawa? Meanwhile, the dynamic between Adriana and her first love Freddie O’Connell (Olly Atkins) is more tell than show. While we know about their past, the chemistry isn’t quite there. Maybe showing another episode of their younger selves skating together could’ve helped. Ultimately, he felt like a glorified background actor, which made their final pairing feel abrupt and unearned.

There are also supporting skaters on the Russo team who are given cringey dialogue and don’t add much to the story. The show would’ve benefitted from either cutting them or weaving them more meaningfully into the story. While I wouldn’t call the finale satisfying, especially for viewers rooting for Braydriana, it does end in a way that completes the story while leaving room for an even messier and more competitive second season. And honestly? I hope we get it.

All in all, Finding Her Edge is at its best when it leans into Adriana and Brayden’s connection, the Russo sisterhood, and the magic on the ice. There are surprising stand out performances from Madelyn Keys, Alexandra Beaton, and Cale Ambroziac that have me eager to see what they tackle next. There’s no denying that Finding Her Edge has potential. Now we just have to see if Netflix is bold enough to stray away from the source material to give romance fans what they really want.

Finding Her Edge is streaming on Netflix.