Selena: The Series - General Discussion

[BetterButter]

[GaT]

Hmm, this might be interesting.

[Ohwell]

Looks like Christian got some butt padding for the role.  I think one of the reasons Jennifer Lopez got the role is because her body shape was similar to Selena's.  Christian's?  Not so much. 

[roughing it]

I seem to remember reading that Jennifer Lopez wore butt padding when she played Selena.

I'm anxious to see this series.

[Ohwell]

Then she must have worn butt padding all during her career because her butt looks the same as when she did Selena.

Christian's just looks fake to me, especially since we can see her on The Walking Dead and her butt looks nothing like that.

[Robert Lynch]

I lived through that moment. Such a shame. She died too young.

Edited November 21, 2019 by Robert Lynch

[punkypower]

I have a while new outlook on the Quintanilla family, especially Abraham. I always thought Abraham was just EXTREMELY old-school, but ultimately protective if Selena. After falling down the rabbit hole, I see him as greedy and more concerned with money.

This article came out yesterday, re: Chris not being contacted about the series. From there, I learned TWO MONTHS after Selena's death, the Quintanillas drew up paperwork, protecting everything around Selena's likeness, name, etc. The deal gave Chris 25%. The family then actually took Chris to court when he tried making a series from his book "To Selena, With Love." He also felt unwanted by the Quintanillas at the Walk of Fame ceremony. 

 I have to believe this is not what Selena would have wanted.

https://www.billboard.com/amp/articles/columns/latin/9353301/chris-perez-netflix-selena-series-reaction

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/selena-quintanillas-husband-chris-perez-after-her-death-her-family-didnt-make-it-easy.html/

 

Edited April 8, 2020 by punkypower
Grammar is important.

[BetterButter]

 

[Robert Lynch]

Anybody watched it yet?

[EdnasEdibles]

I haven’t watched the full season but I’ve been chugging along. It’s not bad but Selena is so one dimensional. Worse than in the movie. She smiles! She sings! She loves clothes! She smiles some more! She dances! But how does she feel that she has to carry the family financially? How does she feel about her controlling douchebag dad? How does she feel about not being able to go to high school? 
 

I feel like even her siblings have more nuance? Her sister has a range of emotions. Her brother is stressed beyond belief but Selena and her mom are props.

I think because she died so young her family has turned her into a Saint. And saints aren’t that interesting.

But damn her dad is a dick. I really can’t stand him. And it would have been very interesting to see how that relationship progressed to see if she had lived. She would have had children eventually and matured and I can’t imagine she’d want to be working non-stop for her dad.  I could see it turning into a Macaulay Culkin thing or even a Jessica Simpson thing where her family was a huge reason the marriage didn’t work and needing to break away to stay sane.

[Racj82]

I enjoyed it 

I have no real frame of reference for Selena outside of the movie so I bring no baggage in terms what I want to see or need from this. 

I've seen several complaints about Selena not being in the show enough or not showing enough about her but I don't think there is that much to her. Most people who give the complaints don't have anything to add in terms of what they left out.

Things like her feelings on being the bread winner aren't missed to me because I don't think she felt the pressure. Her brother and sister did. I also don't think there was as much resistance from her because as the baby of the family, she just fell into it all. She loved being a performer and was so focused on that. 

Abraham is indeed a dick but I appreciate them not making him a one note villain. He isn't but when he wants to show his ass, he really shows. I thank God I didn't grow up with dads like him and Joe Jackson. 

Also, while I understand a dad being overprotective of their daughters I can't deal with the type that practically try to shield their daughters from all men and regulate their dating habits. 

Edited December 6, 2020 by Racj82

[Robert Lynch]

I still hate how she died! Taken from us by a woman with no business to run a fan club. I still wish they never met Yolanda Salvidar! I know it featured her briefly on the show in episode 9, but since they will have a season 2 with her marriage to Chris Perez and Yolanda entering her life, I have nothing but seething disgust when that woman came to the scene and tragically ended Selena's life.

[Racj82]

1 hour ago, Robert Lynch said:

I still hate how she died! Taken from us by a woman with no business to run a fan club. I still wish they never met Yolanda Salvidar! I know it featured her briefly on the show in episode 9, but since they will have a season 2 with her marriage to Chris Perez and Yolanda entering her life, I have nothing but seething disgust when that woman came to the scene and tragically ended Selena's life.

I know people that hate the actress who played Yolanda as well. That's all they saw when she popped up in other rolls.

I'm not saying this in a excited way but I'm curious at how they handle the murder because it didn't go down like it did in the movie from what I read. 

Forgot to add, it's uncanny hoy it seems like Christian is channeling not Selena but Jennifer Lopez at times. Especially with the way she giggles.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Racj82

[Robert Lynch]

And AB, Selena's older brother, is hardly a saint himself. He is on wife #5 already  as we speak.

 

[Robert Lynch]

Anyone watched this? Anybody?

[Meedis]

I'm four episodes in.   I didn't watch Jennifer Lopez's version so I don't have anything to compare it to.    It is cool that the show is about more than Selena.   Selena seems pretty one-note so far.    The most interesting character so far is the Dad.   It took me a minute to realize he was Carlos back the day on Desperate Housewives.   Anyway the Dad definitely gives off Joe Jackson vibes.   

The way each episode ends seems bizarre (at least to me).    The funniest one was when the brother lost the trailer on their truck/car due to hitting a bump on the road knocking off the hitch and you see the trailer riding alongside them.    Then it just ends and next episode the Dad buys a big old van.   I can just imagine what the neighbors thought when seeing that monstrosity parked on the street (not to mention the band practices).

I'm curious too if that couple that gave birth in the next hospital bed remembers offering up the name Selena to the Quintanillas.

[Robert Lynch]

I wondered if she would have cut off her family completely had she lived. It would have been interesting to know, but now....well....we will never know.

[chabelisaywow]

Chris Perez is the saint. He got sued by Abraham for writing about their relationship and ended up having to pay for Abraham's legal fees.  Selena was an adult when she died, She was married. Yet her father controlled everything. Even in death. 

[atomic]

I watched the first two episodes, but I just can't get into this. Thought there would be a lot more focus on Selena's emotions and experiences -- you know, being the titular character and all. Plus, while I'm used to teenage characters being played by older actors, watching a 30-year-old play a 15-year-old Selena is distracting on a whole other level for me.

[CaliforniaLove]

I'm a fan of the movie & was curious to see how they would stretch it into a series. I enjoyed it well enough, but I whereas J-Lo captured the essence of Selena, I felt like this gal captured the essence of J-Lo capturing the essence of Selena if that makes any sense. Also, Yolanda was portrayed as a weirdo in both versions. 

[EdnasEdibles]

On 12/15/2020 at 10:28 PM, chabelisaywow said:

Chris Perez is the saint. He got sued by Abraham for writing about their relationship and ended up having to pay for Abraham's legal fees.  Selena was an adult when she died, She was married. Yet her father controlled everything. Even in death. 

I’m reading his book now and it paints a more human picture of what Selena was like. At times she was pure joy and other times she was spoiled and immature. She broke down in tears from stress. And on and on. I wish this was a show. It’s a lot more interesting.

[MaggieG]

I finished this. You can definitely tell the family had a hand in this show because they made Selena way too perfect. "I just want to sing and make clothes and smile!" That was her only personality.

Ricky was my favorite side character. 

The conversation in episode 9 between her parents regarding her safety and the fan club felt like an anvil.

[BetterButter]

 

[Meedis]

Anyone watching Part II?    I'm four episodes in and I'm already giving side eye to the actress playing Yolanda Saldivar.   I like the anvils they're throwing in to show her shadiness including when she was a bridesmaid at Suzette's wedding.

[greekmom]

On 5/7/2021 at 4:11 PM, Meedis said:

Anyone watching Part II?    I'm four episodes in and I'm already giving side eye to the actress playing Yolanda Saldivar.   I like the anvils they're throwing in to show her shadiness including when she was a bridesmaid at Suzette's wedding.

Just finished it. Interesting that they did do a years later but nothing on the criminal's conviction. 

I wonder if her Selena room was made up for storyline or real.

Super shocked that the murder is up for parole in 2025.

[snickers]

Abraham is not gonna let her get out-if he’s still alive by 2025, I’m thinking he’s got to be in his 80s now right? 
 

I watched the first part in December and watched only 1 episode at a time. I thought it didn’t need to be 9 episodes and dragged though it was interesting seeing the bands early beginnings which the movie didn’t show. 
 

but the cliffhanger on the bus was just dumb-they should have ended part 1 with the elopement. 
 

part 2 I actually watched in 3-4 days, started off at only 1 episode at a time but I felt the story picked up enough that I chose to watch another right away. Not sure if it’s because part 2 got into more of the Selena story people know, or they just did a slightly better job. 
 

if anything I thought perhaps part 1 should have had less episodes and part 2 more episodes or done a part 3? 
 

I agree that Christian S was channeling JLo and my biggest gripe for part 2 was, there were sooo many performance scenes where her lips were not moving! And the band members hands and arms were just still.... it’s like, “can you at least PRETEND to actually be performing!!!!” 
 

it’s just sooooo lazy and terrible editing, direction, whatever u call it

 

maybe that’s why this series got killed by critics and audiences 

 

and I told the hubby “Abraham IS joe Jackson minus the physical abuse” 

 

glad to see you all agree 

[MaggieG]

I just finished. I don't know how I feel. I tried not to compare it too much to the movie but there were moments when I did. Like her Grammy speech. In the movie she did thank Chris. On the show it was a whole plot point that she forgot him. I guess I can youtube her actual speech. Also, was Yolanda really a bridesmaid in Suzy's wedding?

I read on Twitter that Chris wrote in his book that he specifically told Selena not to meet with Yolanda alone. When he woke up that morning, she was gone and he assumed she went to the studio to meet with AB because that was her original plan. In the show, Chris offered to go with her, she said no and he was like ok. 

I kept wondering throughout the show how they would portray the shooting. I was ok with the way they did it. It showed just enough. I would have liked some details at the end about what happened to everyone, mainly Ricky and Pete! A where are they now and maybe some footage of the actual Selena. I feel like it just ended. 

Jose's reaction got me when they put up the record and he just broke down with his head against the wall.

[CaliforniaLove]

I'm enjoying both Suzette & Yolanda's sometimes attempts to have a Texan accent. They're really challenging Kevin Coster's Robin Hood for greatest accent of all time. 

[Persnickety1]

Mini Persnickety and I just started watching season 1 on Friday.  She'd been wanting to see it for a while so I figured why not give it a go.

So far the only element that's grabbed my attention enough to keep me awake is the guy playing Pete.  That first close up of him made me sit up at attention.  I need to chase up a picture of the real Pete on the internet.  

So the actor playing Chris is the brother of the actor who played in that (dreadful) movie Alone?  The last name Posey confused me because it didn't look like the same guy.  Turns out he's the brother to Tyler Posey from Alone (off topic advice:  Skip the American version of Alone and watch the Korean version instead; much better movie and much better acting).  

We're going to watch a few more episodes of this whilst awaiting the 90DF HEA episode tonight.  We're on episode 6 (I think, all the episodes kind of blur together) and then will start season 2.  Hopefully season 2 picks up the pace a bit.

I agree with those posters who said it's more like CS is emulating J-Lo rather than making the character her own.  

Speaking of wonky editing, I have a real issue with Netflix for having the dialogue sections so low that I had to jack up the volume only to quickly grab for the remote when a singing scene came on and the audio jumped WAY up.  I was as exhausted from leaning forward to grab the remote to turn it down as I would have been from doing multiple crunches at the gym.  

All in all, I don't find it terrible...but it's not something I'd ever choose to re-watch.  I'm just glad whenever an actor from TWD finds life outside of AMC.  

Edited May 16, 2021 by Persnickety1

[Angeleyes]

I’m halfway through season 2. I’ve enjoyed watching the series so far, although I do realize it’s far from perfect. It seems like the actress is playing her as more ditzy this season compared to season 1. I know that Suzy is a producer on this show and head of the company that controls Selena’s image and music. I’ve been wondering since the first season how much input she’s had on how the story has been portrayed. 
 

Here’s an article about Suzette

https://parade.com/1178556/jessicasager/selena-sister-suzette-quintanilla-now/

Edited May 21, 2021 by Angeleyes

[Tara]

Just started, but I’m not getting Christian as Selena. Where’s J Lo when you need her?

but what a sad, sad wasteful ending to her life.