After almost a year of waiting, Cada Minuto Cuenta (Every Minute Counts), the hit Prime Video series that captivated viewers around the world, returns with its second and final season. Fortunately, the emotional drama retains its formidable ability to lift spirits, even as it tackles one of the most painful chapters in Mexican history.

Directed by Jorge Michel Grau (Somos Lo Que Hay), Fernando Urdapilleta (Estrellas Solitarias), and the late Moisés Urquidi (Pacto de Sangre), Cada Minuto Cuenta is powerfully recreates the devastating 8.1 earthquake that struck Mexico City in 1985 (then known as the Federal District), which is still considered one of the most significant seismic events in Latin America. True to its title, the drama shows how, after the initial impact, every minute is crucial for victims struggling to survive.

The first season, praised for its intensity and candid look at tragedy, focuses on the empowerment of civil society and celebrates the resilience and solidarity of survivors. It’s a series about ordinary people who end up becoming heroes when their city is struck by tragedy and those in power fail to fulfill their responsibilities. “Cada Minuto Cuenta is a time machine that tries to hold up a mirror to us and ask us: who were you in the earthquake, how did it change you, how did you see it, how did you suffer it, and what happened afterwards,” Grau told Gatopardo.

Now, this new batch of episodes begins 24 hours after the first quake, right where the cliffhanger left us, and focuses mainly on the aftershock. The ten episodes that make up the second and final season leave us with profound reflections on the catastrophe and its impact on Mexican society.

What’s New in the Final Season?

Early in the season, seismologist María Campa (Conchi León) warns government officials about the imminent threat of an aftershock that could further exacerbate the devastation. “Right now, no one is safe… remaining silent would be a crime,” she says and urges them to act immediately. However, the authorities dismiss the possibility of more catastrophe, and the public soon pays the consequences.

In the new episodes, the government keeps rescue efforts at a standstill, and the main characters face even more complex challenges. The self-sacrificing Dr. Ángel Zambrano (Osvaldo Benavides), buried under the rubble, begins to succumb to thoughts of despair. Chave (Miriam Balderas) and the nurses under her charge continue to work at the General Hospital, trying to save as many lives as possible. Pepín (Luis Fernando Peña) and a group of determined students work tirelessly in the destroyed CONALEP facilities. Meanwhile, reporter Camila (Maya Zapata) persists in her quest to obtain foreign aid, and the greedy Ignacio Zambrano (Antonio de la Vega) finds himself caught between his professional duties and his personal morals. But that’s not all: there are also new storylines linked to the corrupt Colonel Hernández (Gerardo Trejoluna) and the brave Alicia (Lucía Olalde), a deaf woman desperately searching for her nephew.

While all this is happening, Mexico City is rocked by a new 7.6 magnitude earthquake, causing even more damage and casualties. Thanks to the camera work and fast pace, the new season of Cada Minuto Cuenta evokes a disturbing sense of chaos, allowing viewers to vicariously feel the protagonists’ struggle as the cast’s charisma reverberates off screen.

In the final stretch, Prime Video’s offering shows how, after the 1985 earthquake, government authorities significantly changed how they manage natural disasters. Or, as executive producer Mónica Vargas, told Produ, “We were very interested in this season in recounting the actions taken by civil society and the changes that took place at the organizational level in Mexico. After the earthquake, a different infrastructure emerged… the way disasters are communicated, borders are opened, and help is requested changed. 1985 brought very important achievements in this area, which are shown in the series.”

Of course, throughout its two seasons, Cada Minuto Cuenta offers an impressively detailed picture of the 1985 earthquake and its aftershock, which, according to official figures from gob.mx, caused more than 5,000 deaths, 30,000 injuries, and 150,000 victims. The team of screenwriters led by Alfredo Félix-Díaz and Victoria Orvañanos smartly delves into the human side of the tragedy, exploring the extraordinary resilience of ordinary citizens and the lessons and changes that emerged from their experiences.

So, Should I Watch It?

To be honest, I’ve been counting down the days until the final season of Cada Minuto Cuenta, and it’s definitely been worth the wait. Although it’s hard to imagine this installment having the same impact as its predecessor, this batch of episodes is definitely worth the watch.

Produced by Amazon Studios and Traziende Films, season two of Cada Minuto Cuenta satisfactorily wraps up the characters’ story arcs, and in the process pays heartfelt tribute to the victims, survivors, and volunteers who lived through one of the most challenging, transformative, and supportive episodes in Mexican history.

Entertaining, culturally significant, and featuring powerful virtual screen technology (the same used in sagas such as The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars), Cada Minuto Cuenta keeps viewers engaged throughout and leaves a lasting impact on the human cost of natural disasters.