Last week, Netflix dropped Season 2 of Turn of the Tides. While the global audience knows it by that title, Portuguese speakers know it as Rabo de Peixe—literally translating to “Fish Tail.” This title isn’t random; it’s the name of the actual town in the Azores where this intense story is set, a town just 14 kilometers from where I now live.
From Distant Viewing to Local Reality
I first watched Season 1 in May 2023, just three months before my initial visit to the Azores. At the time, I was researching the island chain, but it felt like watching any compelling drama set in a place I hadn’t yet seen.
Now, having lived here for over 18 months, the series hits differently. It’s brought up complex local feelings. Many Azoreans expressed frustration, arguing the show portrayed the islands negatively, focusing solely on crime and drugs.
The tension isn’t just fiction, though. The show is loosely based on a real, staggering incident from 2001: half a ton of pure cocaine accidentally washed ashore in Rabo de Peixe. Netflix later explored this history in the documentary, Turn of the Tide: The Surreal Story of Rabo de Peixe. The fictional series uses that real event as a springboard for its dramatic narrative of young adults making dangerous choices involving drugs and violence.
The Azores Hits the Global Stage
The success of the show is undeniable. Season 1 landed in Netflix’s Global Top 10 for non-English series, earning the green light for Seasons 2 and 3, which were filmed back-to-back. This marks the Azores’ biggest appearance on an international screen, hopefully paving the way for more projects to showcase this amazing archipelago.
My excitement grew as I started recognizing my surroundings in the drama. Last year, I spotted the production filming in Ponta Delgada. Even better, a local tourist center was advertising tours that guide visitors through the series’ filming locations!
I was thrilled to learn that scenes were shot near my own town of Ribeirinha, specifically at the cliffs of Cintrao and Santa Iria, as well as at Santa Barbara Beach in Ribeira Grande and in the neighboring town of Porto Formoso. Recognizing these spots while watching—places I’ve biked or hiked past—made the series incredibly immersive.
The Meaning of Moai
Beyond the crime, Turn of the Tides explores a specific cultural concept: the Moai. In the show, the main characters—Eduardo, Sílvia, Carlinhos, and Rafael—are part of this group. A Moai is traditionally a lifelong social support network, often formed in childhood, where friends meet regularly to offer each other social, financial, and emotional backing. While the Moai is known to significantly contribute to longevity in reality, the series shows a dark twist: what happens when this vital support group is dedicated to illegal activities?
What part of the Azores are you most interested in seeing featured in future international films or shows?
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Anthony “Tiger” Liu is an American expat and the operator of Golden Mermaid Villa and Longevity Habit retreat, where he shares a passion for the vibrant culture and nourishing lifestyle of São Miguel.
