Netflix’s Most Divisive Crime Series Logged 156.5M Hours — and Its Jaw-Dropping Ending Explains Why

On April 11, 2025, Netflix released what soon became one of the streamer's most divisive crime series of the year, and it's a title you'd least expect. The Gardener, also known as El jardinero, is a Spanish series by creator Miguel Sáez Carral that debuted in Netflix's Top 10 in its first week. Off to an explosive start, the miniseries garnered 7.7 million views in just three days, making it another impressive launch for a new Spanish show after Berlin. That viewership has since blown up to 156.5 million hours, primarily driven by a viral, jaw-dropping finale that, although it left viewers divided, has also sparked intense demand for a second season.

Described as a romantic thriller, the crime series involves a local gardener who is void of emotions, making him the perfect assassin, but all that changes when he suddenly falls in love with a woman who is supposed to be his next target. Mikel Rueda and Rafa Montesinos served as directors, while series creator Carral co-wrote The Gardener's captivating story with Isa Sánchez, which was brought to life by a brilliant ensemble castled by a familiar Netflix icon.

'The Gardener's Twisted Storyline Makes for a Perfect Binge

We find Elmer at the center of The Gardener, a young man working at a garden center run by his mother, La China Jurado, who controls every part of his life. A car accident when he was a kid left him without the ability to feel emotions, making this just convenient for his mother because her gardening business is a front for a thriving underground murder-for-hire business. Unlike typical assassins, Elmer's specialty is his clean approach—using his botanical knowledge to eliminate targets and dispose of bodies without leaving a trace.

The stakes get much higher in The Gardener when Elmer is hired to kill Violeta, a preschool teacher, but he unexpectedly falls for her, thereby ruining his mother's plans and putting everything at risk. As Elmer's emotions return, his mother does everything she can to end Violeta's life. What starts as a look at a killer's daily life soon evolves into a dark emotional thriller, exploring the blurred lines between Elmer's brutal work as an assassin and his dangerous obsession with his first love.

Many have argued that The Gardener is much more melodramatic than the first few minutes of the first episode might suggest.Even critics weren't very supportive when the show premiered, and it currently holds a 50% Tomatometer rating, with some commentary pointing out its "hits and misses" and its inability to be "memorable in any way." Nevertheless, The Gardener attracted a lot of views in its first month, spending five weeks in Netflix's top 10 Non-English shows globally, and was watched by more than 19 million people, with 156.5 million hours viewed.

What Happens at the End of 'The Gardener'?

Although labeled a miniseries by Netflix, The Gardener fails to provide a neat resolution, leaving viewers divided globally, some of whom saw it as a frustrating non-ending with too many questions unanswered after six over-40-minute-long episodes. Without revealing too much, The Gardener finale, "Pruning Calendar," kicks off with a massive betrayal when Violeta finds out that Elmer, whom she's now romantically involved with, murdered her ex's mother, Sabela. Terrified, she packs her bags and flees, leaving Elmer a chilling message to never look for her again, only for China to hire Orson (a hitman and her friend) to finish off Violeta so she can have her son back. Violeta manages to survive after bashing the killer's head in and ends up making the one call she swore she wouldn't—to Elmer, to help get rid of Orson's body.

Elsewhere in The Gardener, after finally discovering concrete evidence linking Elmer and China to most of the city's missing-persons cases, the police arrive at the garden center with a search warrant. Keep in mind that the garden is where all Elmer's victims are buried. Unfortunately, the police find it completely empty, as China already knew what was coming. However, in the post-credit scenes, the bodies she apparently disposed of resurface on the beach, and Detective Carrera discovers them.

Meanwhile, before Elmer and Violeta became an item, the gardener-assassin was diagnosed with a brain tumor but refused to get it treated, thereby causing a rift between himself and China. His mother eventually has her way as she gets him unconscious later in the episode and takes him to the hospital, where he undergoes surgery to remove the tumor. When Elmer heals, he is once again unable to feel emotions but remembers his mother's unforgivable act. As for Violeta, she moves to another city but returns in the final scenes to pay for Elmer's murder-for-hire services.

Thanks to some standout acting, The Gardener is still worth watching in 2026. Leading the series as Elmer is Álvaro Rico, whom you may recall from Netflix's teen drama series Elite. His onscreen mother, China, is portrayed by Cecilia Suárez, the first Spanish-speaking actress to be nominated for an Emmy. Catalina Sopelana plays the supposedly doomed Violeta, and the cast is rounded out by Emma Suárez, Francis Lorenzo, María Vázquez, Ivan Massagué, and Javier Morgade.

The Gardener has more than earned its place in the Netflix hall of fame thanks to its impressive viewership feat. While some fans are still reeling from that divisive ending, there is no denying that the series has successfully fortified the Spanish crime thriller for a global audience. As of now, Netflix hasn't officially greenlit a second season, but it wouldn't hurt to revisit the series more than once.

All episodes of The Gardener stream on Netflix. Follow Collider for more TV and film updates.