Netflix’s Spinning Out kills two birds with one stone by emphasising the ruthless yet meticulous world of figure skating and the hardships involved in living with a mental illness. And in this series, both the protagonist, Katarina Baker and her mother, Carol, suffer from bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include mania (emotional highs), hypomania (less severe than mania) and depression.
While the ice skating drama’s name is a reference to spins, it acquires yet another definition: a metonym for the loss of control experienced by bipolar individuals when they’re going through a manic episode. The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown, but several factors may be involved, such as biological differences (Kat’s traumatic brain injury) and genetics as showcased in the series.
That being said, everything’s not sequins and pearls in this series as it takes atypical risks in tackling a verboten topic that truly deserves a telling and perhaps, this is exactly why I absolutely admire and recommend the series. This enthralling series will leave you at the edge of your seat by its incredibly pragmatic portrayal of bipolar disorder.
It not only unmasks the fear of stigma diagnosed individuals experience as they try to navigate their disorder covertly but also the poignant consequences of living alongside a parent diagnosed with bipolar disorder through the plotline of Serena Baker (Kat’s sister) who struggles to have a normal adolescence.
Although, there’s no denying that we still have a long way to traverse in terms of breaking the stigma associated with mental health and its representation on television and all streaming platforms, Spinning Out has surely made a difference and bestowed upon a new ray of light by allowing the bipolar disorder to be named, claimed and humanised.
And this my friends, is nothing short of a serious step forward.