Gentefied: 10 reasons to binge this Netflix series

In two seasons, Gentefied has managed to capture the attention of millions. And, although Netflix has canceled the series, it sets a precedent for future productions that address issues related to the Latino community in the United States. Gentefied stars Karrie Martin, Carlos Santos and Joaquin Cosio, who bring the Morales family to life. They have to navigate the challenges of pursuing the «American dream» while defending their own essence and ideals. Discover 10 reasons to binge this series!

Latin representation

Erik, Ana and Chris Morales are the grandchildren of Casimiro Morales, a recently widowed man who fathered three children with his wife, Delfina, better known as ‘Mama Fina’. The series represents the character and internal struggles of each Hispanic character who, without losing their essence, face the challenge of adapting their culture to life in the U.S.

Guest stars

Latino representation is not only found in the series’ fictional characters, but also in the supporting actors and guest stars who come together to narrate, in just 30 minutes, the most current issues in the Latino community. One of the standouts is Marvin Lemus, the original creator of Gentefied, who directed the digital short that garnered wide acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017.

Introspection

Gentefied is a dramedy, and although its central theme focuses on the struggles of the Latino community, especially the Morales’, the writers found a perfect balance between humor and addressing important issues. One of the central problems is Casimiro Morales’ grandchildren’s struggle to prevent him from being deported. This invites the viewer to reflect on what is going through the minds of the families in this situation.

It’s a dramedy

A girl at home watching a series — Shutterstock

Binging Gentefied will make you laugh as much as it will make you cry and you’ll never be bored. The complexity of its characters and the problems each face is too deep to look at from just one perspective. Each one of Casimiro Morales’ grandchildren has multiple anecdotes, pains, memories and dreams, which they share with the people of their neighborhood, who face similar challenges with humor and optimism.

Gentrification

If there is an issue that Gentefied takes seriously, it is that of gentrification, a crisis that has been affecting the neighborhood where the action takes place for years. Guillermo Uribe, who first coined the term «gentefied», explains that while it is not possible to avoid the gentrification process, it is possible to attract people who will care about the culture that lives in the neighborhoods, as is the case with the series.

Daily struggles

Person watching a series on television — Shutterstock

The characters of Gentefied go through numerous problems, from the possibility of seeing the patriarch of their family deported to struggling with their own identity and manifesting it, while adapting to their environment. In the case of the Morales family, it is possible to see how each grandson struggles to discover his own identity and share it with the world, especially when it comes to benefiting his own community.

A realistic depiction of the immigrant experience

The story of Casimiro Morales is that of millions of people in the United States and the rest of the world, who have left their homes in search of new and better opportunities to access a better life. But everything has a price, and, in the case of ‘Pop’ Morales, he is at risk of losing his restaurant and being deported to a reality that, for him, is already distant and, perhaps, unknown.

America Ferrera

América Ferrera is an Hispanic actress who has advocated tirelessly for generating job opportunities for her community. That is why she is one of the producers who brought this project to fruition. In addition, Ferrera is a director, a job she has previously done on productions such as Superstore and for which she won the 2020 National Hispanic Media Coalition award.

Diverse Community

The diversity of Gentefied is not only in the Hispanic heritage of its protagonists, but also in the way in which they have embraced their own culture and the way in which they have manifested it. Additionally, one of its main characters, played by Karrie Martin Lachey, is a female activist who identifies as queer and fights to promote the rights of this community within the Hispanic culture.

Positive reviews

Generally speaking, Gentefied has received extremely positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has obtained a rating of 8/10, receiving the approval of more than 90% of the audience. Perhaps one of the observations that critics have made is that, on occasions, the topics tend to be presented too bluntly. Although for other outlets such as the New York Times, this is presented as an opportunity for everyone to get to understand the Latino community.

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