Coming-of-age stories have got to be some of the best on the block. On My Block premiered in March exactly four years ago, ran four seasons and starred four leads, Monsé (Sierra Capri), Cesar (Diego Tinoco), Ruby (Jason Genao), and Jamal (Brett Gray)—plus Jasmine (Jessica Marie Garcia)—in their formative years. The teen dramedy’s unique tone and relationships between the quartet, as well as those with their family, set up an addictive premise that made it so incredibly bingeworthy.

Chapter one

On My Block has its own distinct cinematic style. From the opening continuous party shot before we ever meet the four friends to close-up reaction shots that help land the occasional punchline, the show feels stripped of the usual glossy teen comedy sheen for an aesthetic that’s more authentic, funny and dramatic in its sheer realism. Oh, the awkwardness of first love, hitting puberty, not living up to parental expectations…

But these South Central Los Angeles teens aren’t just facing the regular trials of adolescence. There’s an added layer of gang violence that feels normalized in their largely Latinx and Black neighborhood. Gunfire closes out the first party we see, and we’re quickly enlightened to its normalcy as the friends run and guess the bullet’s caliber like a game. Their reaction is all at once shocking, sad and yet strangely quietening; they’re not scared and neither is the audience now. It serves the character of the neighborhood, as well as the show’s tone.

The power of friendship

The four young leads are all people of color dealing with all too real issues in similar communities to their fictional Freeridge. How the show handles violence unique to their lives is part of On My Block’s charisma. And the show does handle a lot of tough issues: Characters are “jumped in” as gang initiation, deal with death, grief, drugs, cancer, suicide and pregnancy.

But at the heart of the show is the enduring friendship between Monsé, Cesar, Ruby, Jamal and Jasmine. The friendship may bend and crack, but it is the constant that sees them through so much. How these five show up for each other—often to deadpan, hilarious results—counterbalances the heavy themes.

The teen dramedy aptly took home Choice Breakout TV Show at the Teen Choice Awards its first year on the air, while Jessica Marie Garcia (who plays Jasmine) and Diego Tinoco (Cesar) were both nominated the following year.

Girl power

One of the pairs most fun to watch is the evolution of Monsé and Jasmine’s friendship. From literally running away from her in the pilot to accepting her into the fold in season three, all four warm up to her, but the two girls especially bond over shared inner strength.

“We’re not the girls who catch breaks. We’re the girls that just don’t break. We’re resilient and strong because we don’t let experiences define us. We define our experiences.” Jasmine consoles Monsé in the girls’ room while at prom in “The Final Chapter.”

Monsé's friendship with Olivia (Ronni Hawk) is similar in that these girls are often stronger than the boys in their lives, being honest—especially with themselves—and making decisions that are flat-out the hardest ones. They allow the girls to stay true to themselves above all else. Monsé and Jasmine most especially prove to be excellent role models to their intended audience in this way.

In Retrospect

“One last time around the block” stated the show’s final season tagline. Monsé, Ruby, Jamal, Cesar and Jasmine all said goodbye nearly the same way they arrived on the scene: at a party. Only this time, they were part of it, looking fondly at the new crew popping their heads over the fence. It was a fitting full circle. It’s always a lovely thing when a show gets to say goodbye on its own terms.

Thankfully, it looks like that new crew isn’t just a lovely idea, but a tangible show coming soon from On My Block’s creators Eddie Gonzalez, Jeremy Haft, and Lauren Lungerich. Freeridge will be about a group of friends who may or may not have unleashed a deadly curse. Gonzalez, Haft, and Lungerich put together a diverse writers’ room for On My Block, resulting in a charming teen comedy with the focus squarely on underrepresented communities that was witty, heartwarming and heartbreaking at times. One can only speculate that Monsé and Cesar who are “burned into each other’s DNA” will find their way back. But that’s just the hope of this teenage girl at heart.

You can watch On My Block on Netflix.