Newly released six-episode Netflix thriller “Secrets We Keep” is as disturbing as it is brilliant.
Full of unexpected twists and turns, the series keeps you guessing until the very last episode, right up to the last frame, as to what happened to a Filipina nanny in an affluent Danish household.
So many themes are touched here: the unequal balance of power between an employee and their employer, the blurred lines between a nanny and the child she takes care of, and the extent to which a mother would go to protect her child.
Not only does it peel the ugliness hidden underneath beautiful, affluent, manicured and poised Danish mothers, it also exposes some uncomfortable truths about the difference between the rich and the poor.
Yes, we know there’s an imbalance there, but you’d think the main character would have done something to right the wrong.
Who-dunnit with so many twists and turns
“Secrets We Keep” plays with your expectations and emotions like a true psychological thriller should.
Just when you think you’ve figured it out, it unravels in another direction.
The pacing is slow burn but worth every minute, with haunting shots of the forest, disturbing dream sequences and eerie music.
Each episode drops breadcrumbs about the mystery surrounding Ruby, the Filipina nanny, who suddenly disappears—and as the story unfolds, it becomes painfully clear that truth isn’t always what it seems.
OFW Nanays: They’re not OK
Angel (Excel Busano) and Ruby (Donna Levkovski) are more than just domestic workers; they are integral parts of the families they serve.
Angel cares for Cecilie’s children, while Ruby works for billionaire neighbours Katarina (Danica Curcic) and Rasmus (Lars Ranthe).
Their roles blur the lines between employee and family member, highlighting the emotional labour and sacrifices made by many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Angel represents thousands of overseas Filipino workers—particularly mothers—who leave their own children behind to care for others’.
The show doesn’t shy away from the emotional toll this takes.
You see it in Angel’s late-night FaceTimes with her sister in the Philippines—who constantly asks her for money—with her son sometimes showing up on the call.
Meanwhile, Angel is pouring love and attention into her employer’s son.
The irony cuts deep. You feel the ache of every OFW mom watching this show.
The Kids Aren’t Alright
This show doesn’t just center on adults.
The children, specifically the Danish teenaged sons of the two affluent families, are mirrors to their environment—spoiled, bored, isolated, numbed by screens.
Peer pressure looms large, and it’s clear these kids are not okay.
They escape into virtual reality games and social media, desperate for stimulation, but in the process lose their moral compass.
One moment stands out when Cecilie’s son finally confesses what he knows—you can see the relief after he confides to his mom.
The children aren’t just side characters: they’re key witnesses to how disconnection and boredom can breed darkness.
Guilt, in All Its Forms
Angel carries guilt for leaving her son.
Her employer, Cecilie, carries guilt for essentially outsourcing motherhood.
Both women are torn between personal ambition and maternal duty.
Guilt becomes another character in this story—haunting, persistent, unshakable.
And because of that guilt, we see the results of what a mother would do to save her son, her family, her world.
“Saviour” Complexes
Subtle racism is weaved in, too—“yellow fever” jokes among the men, microaggressions, patronizing comments.
One particularly telling moment is when Cecilie fires Angel, thinking she’s helping her, while handing Angel a plane ticket home along with extra cash.
“This will be better for your son, for you to come home,” Cecilie says.
Angel’s response? “You have no idea what’s best for my son. You know nothing about my world.”
It’s a moment that slices through the white-saviour narrative.
There’s certainly a disconnect: what Cecilie sees as help, Angel sees as careless destruction of her world.
“You’re just lucky, really lucky,” Angel says to Cecilie.
Lucky to be a beautiful, tall, rich, white woman living in an affluent country.
“Secrets We Keep” is more than a mystery; it’s a powerful exploration of the complexities faced by domestic workers and the societal structures that often fail them.
It’s a must-watch for every Filipino.
Marites moments with "Secrets We Keep" actress Excel Busano
June 5, 2025 @ 11:20 pm
[…] Mabuhay Canada was able to reach Busano to learn more about her journey from Bohol, Philippines, to the Danish set of “Secrets We Keep.” […]