As the winter season approaches, you may find yourself in need of things to watch at home. Sometimes, it gets tiring to watch traditional television shows. Or maybe, you already binge-watched everything you liked (… me).
My friend, Maria, and I are addicted to watching telenovelas, mostly because we grew up with our families watching them all the time. Because of this, we’ve racked up a lot of hours watching a lot of different series. Here’s our review of some of the series we’ve watched, so you don’t have to!
Rebelde
Rebelde is a series that follows a group of elite kids in a boarding school. Some of them are very wealthy, and others are scholarship kids who come from a different background. “I kinda like it but kinda sus with Mia and Miguel’s relationship,” says Maria. There are a lot of scenes where Miguel, trying to avenge his father’s death which he blames on Mia’s father, attacks her? But also, they’re in love? I’m confused.
Teresa
This show is about a girl who pretends to be wealthy but actually comes from a very poor family. She is very ambitious, hustles her way to wealth but betrays a lot of people in the process. I personally do not like this show because the main character scares me a lot. She is very evil, and her character is so different to her role as Vico in Rebelde that it was hard for me to accept her. Maria does like Teresa, mostly because of the ending… which we won’t spoil for you.
Caso Cerrado
Maria says this is not even a telenovela, but we still put it on the list because it’s iconic. It’s a cross between Dr. Phil and Judge Judy, with everyday people going on the show talking about complicated court cases. Dra. Polo, the judge on the show, decides who’s in the right and recommends plans on how to fix these bizarre cases (usually having to do with dramatic relationship problems).
La Rosa de Guadalupe
By far the most iconic show on this list, any latinx parent trying to teach their kids the rules of life would use this as their handbook. “La Rosa” covers topics from alcoholism, drug abuse to bullying and sugar daddies. The show does come off as conservative at times, and instills the idea of catholic guilt; nonetheless, it’s entertaining to watch and it’s an OG novela. Discretion advised: watch with an objective eye!
Muñecas de la Mafia
This Colombian novela is on Netflix and Hulu, and is my personal favorite on this list. It’s about the world of drug trading in Colombia, and revolves around the lives of the wives and mistresses of the narcos. I like this story a lot because the female main characters are more multifaceted than just a pretty face. It also diverts from the traditional “damsel in distress” narrative.
Sin Tetas No Hay Paraiso
Another iconic telenovela, more so in South America than anywhere else, this is a very messed up storyline. This show has many spin offs, including a famous Spanish version called “Sin Senos No Hay Paraiso”. We are reviewing the original Sin Tetas version, which details the life of Catalina, a high school girl living in the slums of Colombia who enters the world of sex work by trying to sell her virginity to a high-brow narco, el Titi. The show is very heartbreaking, as Catalina is often taken advantage of in her naivety, and this makes it hard to watch especially being aware that this is a common situation for young girls to be in.
Jane the Virgin
I included this although it’s not an original Latin American telenovela because it’s become very popular here in the states. Overall, I like this show a lot- it features many queer storylines that are inserted seamlessly into the narrative. Also, the representation of romances that transgress age/race/gender is always a plus. I watch this show with my mom whenever we’re together and it’s always great! The only drawback would be the crying. Jane is always crying and it gets very frustrating after a while.