Season 1 Talk

[Irlandesa]

That sounds like Queen of the South.  I bet if you saw the ad again, you'd probably see the title somewhere in it.

[scrb]

Yeah it's confusing branding.

http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/queen-of-the-south-usa-network-previews-new-drama/

[Jade Foxx]

Quote

Camila is also perfectly "camp" as the villainess! 

She reminds me of a Latino Lady Gaga. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

17 hours ago, Jade Foxx said:

She reminds me of a Latino Lady Gaga. 

Nah, she wears too many clothes.

i guess if Camila was was dressed like a beekeeper with tea strainers for eyewear, then perhaps I could agree.

She's got a Goth / Dia de Los Muertos look about her for sure.

[Chaos Theory]

Brenda was badass,  Telling a drug dealer how to sell drugs,  Then again she probably has more experience.   I actually liked her storyline more then Teresa's thus episode.  

[tennisgurl]

Wow, Brenda has a lot more badass in her than I gave her credit for. Go Brenda! You might make it through this mess after all. 

I feel like Teresa freaking out about that guy getting murdered is going to get a call back later on, after she gets more hardened to the drug life. Maybe she leaves someone to die coldly, or she kills someone in the same way? Will Teresa run a kinder, gentler drug empire? Or will she end up turning into Camilla and spend her time wearing black and hanging out in rooms lit up in hellish red? 

[Yakimaman]

Trying hard to like this show, but damn, it's like watching paint dry. 

[NorthstarATL]

3 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Wow, Brenda has a lot more badass in her than I gave her credit for. Go Brenda! You might make it through this mess after all. 

I feel like Teresa freaking out about that guy getting murdered is going to get a call back later on, after she gets more hardened to the drug life. Maybe she leaves someone to die coldly, or she kills someone in the same way? Will Teresa run a kinder, gentler drug empire? Or will she end up turning into Camilla and spend her time wearing black and hanging out in rooms lit up in hellish red? 

Well, FutureTeresa wears all white, so she probably does go with "kinder, gentler" to the extent that that is possible. Brenda's apparently going to thrive anywhere, so good for her. I like the toughness the Teresa actress brings to the role, and that they didn't have her either work the room or the dress. Her stride and demeanor were the same as ever in the party scene, and you can see why she could complete the mission without having some guy hit on her. She probably scared them.

[TigerLily20]

I guess the only thing I was concerned about (I know it's a show and I can only imagine it actually happens in real life), but Brenda just leaves her kid in a motel room in a new country while she goes out with some stranger, that for some reason threw me more than the other stuff I have seen, but I guess she felt she had to do what needed to be done. 

[Chaos Theory]

When you are a single mother in a new country with no money you do what you gots to do.  I thought Brenda showed serious initiative approaching the "not a cop just a sucky drug dealer" and giving him pointers and then bringing him to a spot where she could sell his cocain. 

[NorthstarATL]

22 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

When you are a single mother in a new country with no money you do what you gots to do.  I thought Brenda showed serious initiative approaching the "not a cop just a sucky drug dealer" and giving him pointers and then bringing him to a spot where she could sell his cocain. 

This. I was getting a little annoyed that she was all bent out of shape about Teresa not being able to take care of them better when they arrived, when Teresa is doing the best she can, but, once she assessed her circumstances and realized Teresa wasn't going to save them she did what she knew how to do. She's going to be an  good ally for Teresa as things progress I'm guessing.

[love2lovebadtv]

On 6/24/2016 at 10:47 AM, Yakimaman said:

I knew nothing of the book or story but was looking forward to this based on the trailers being shown.  I thought the soundtrack was awful, the mixture of English and Spanish makes no sense at all (if you're Mexican, in Mexico - speak Spanish and leave the English to captions - we'll figure it out).  Are all cartel thugs overweight, greasy looking guys?  The shoot-em-up scenes were pure comic book.  Hope this "piloto" was a fluke and it's gets better next week.

Agreed, the language choice is  weird. I feel like we are supposed to imagine that they were speaking Spanish and the writers threw in actual Spanish to give it a certain feel (authenticity, maybe?). I wonder how subtitles would work with a regular TV show. I've never seen that done before. Is this something that shows are doing now? 

[thewhiteowl]

In debt and short on supply, Camila grows desperate; Brenda's burgeoning drug enterprise creates a rift between her and Tony.

[TigerLily20]

So will Brenda have a place once Teresa takes over?  I've never read the book so I guess that's what I'm wondering about now, trying to remember if I have seen her in any of the future promos (I just kind of remember one with Teresa in white walking with these people behind her), I don't see them much now that the show has started so will be interesting to see how this all pans out.

[TigerLily20]

47 minutes ago, Gabrielle Tracy said:

One thing I'd love to know is if Teresa's boyfriend (Guero?) is really dead.  He was just too good looking to die so quickly :(

That was one thing I was wondering also, like is he really dead or was it just some set up that would case a catalyst later on in the show?  The more that time is going on I feel like he's actually dead though....

[Dowel Jones]

I'm in there too, but I really haven't formed much opinions about any of the characters or the plot.  I'm watching it to see where it goes, and maybe a few Spanish lessons.

[Rapunzel]

I'm watching this as well, however I've also seen the original telenovela (it may still be streaming on Netflix if anyone is interested - I think it is around 60+ episodes). So far, the original is better, especially since it has considerably more episodes it can go into more detail on many of the characters and introduce other things into the plot.

This is definitely not an exact replication of the original, so I am curious to see where it goes and how the characters develop, especially as they have fewer episodes to work with. If it gets renewed, that will give them more time to play things out. They have taken an interesting direction so far, however.

I do like the actress that plays Teresa a bit better in this version, and I've always liked the actress that plays Brenda since I first saw her in Six Feet Under. The rest of the cast I'm not sure of yet, but there is still enough there to keep me watching every week.

[TigerLily20]

15 hours ago, Gabrielle Tracy said:

TigerLily, are we the only people who watch this awesome show???

I was wondering if this show was getting any following lol, the forums on it seem a little on the light side so I was fearful they may try to pull the plug on it (of course I understand there may be a lot more people watching it than commenting on it lol).  Part of me wishes I had known there was a book about it I would have read it before hand, maybe I will read it after the show is over to compare lol.

[Jade Foxx]

Did Teresa know that Camila might turn her over, hence her insistence of "walking" back?

And shout out to the drug dealer blasting Mary Jane Girls at his pad!

[Irlandesa]

I watch too!  The issue I'm have when it comes to discussing this show is how plot forward it is.  I still feel like I understand the characters and they are good characters but most of the time is spent on drug wars instead of exploring the depths of these people.  That doesn't leave me much to say. I don't think I'll have much to say until the end of the season which is why I wish this show were available in a bingeable format.  It is the big issue that faces adaptations of telenovelas and serialized dramas in general--there's a story to tell but no firm end date.  It poses new challenges when it comes to pacing out the story.

I do love that it stars three women--all of them survivors in their own way. 

[tennisgurl]

I am watching weekly, and I am really enjoying it, as well as the commentary here! I usually give it a few weekly shout outs on Twitter and Facebook, doing my part to get people watching! 

I wonder if Brenda will become Teresa's second in command of her future drug empire? They are both much made of strong stuff, I think they could make one hell of an empire. 

My one issue with the show so far is pacing, as I think that its moving kind of slowly. Maybe I should give the show its based on a watch?  

[thewhiteowl]

Quote

Camila sends Teresa out on a dangerous, but profitable midnight mission; Brenda puts her crew in the line of fire.

[LVmom]

I'm still watching. I am not at the edge of my seat as I was with the original. There just isn't that extreme sense that anything could happen La Reina had. I am enjoying it as a completely different show but it's not as if I can't wait to see what happens next. This is a slow burning program.

[Catznip]

I'm watching every week as well. Although I can't get past the idiotilcocies  this show makes or think the audience won't notices. Teressa leaves to make drug deliveries then she's summons back to the warehouse and jumps in a car the the other guy. What happened to the bag of drugs? Why would she leave it in  the car? That scene made no sense. 

[riverheightsnancy]

On 7/30/2016 at 1:32 AM, Rapunzel said:

I'm watching this as well, however I've also seen the original telenovela (it may still be streaming on Netflix if anyone is interested - I think it is around 60+ episodes). So far, the original is better, especially since it has considerably more episodes it can go into more detail on many of the characters and introduce other things into the plot.

This is definitely not an exact replication of the original, so I am curious to see where it goes and how the characters develop, especially as they have fewer episodes to work with. If it gets renewed, that will give them more time to play things out. They have taken an interesting direction so far, however.

I do like the actress that plays Teresa a bit better in this version, and I've always liked the actress that plays Brenda since I first saw her in Six Feet Under. The rest of the cast I'm not sure of yet, but there is still enough there to keep me watching every week.

I am watching too, just not commenting. I love the lead and Camilla as well.  The original is not in English right? I would like to watch, but subtitles require  constant eyes on the screen. 

[Rapunzel]

56 minutes ago, riverheightsnancy said:

I am watching too, just not commenting. I love the lead and Camilla as well.  The original is not in English right? I would like to watch, but subtitles require  constant eyes on the screen. 

You are correct - the original is in Spanish and called La Reina del Sur. I speak fluent Spanish, but have friends that don't and they have said it is worth dealing with the subtitles. As I mentioned, it is also considerably longer than this version is - unless this version runs for 6-7 seasons or so, assuming 10 to 12 episode seasons (the original was shown several times a week, I believe, and most shows out of Mexico and South an Central America run for at least that many episodes and run the same way - El Sexo Debil, El Senor de los Cielos, Rosario Tijeras, etc - all good and worth watching, but also all subtitled). 

The original also takes place in a different location than the American version, so "south" or "sur" means something different - at least so far. The new version also has some different characters, but even though the original is over 60 episodes, the story is solid and entertaining and you definitely want to keep going through the episodes to see what happens next. It isn't as predictable as many American TV shows - neither are the other shows I reference above. They refer La Reina del Sur fairly often as a Telenovela, but I think it really is a step above that - it isn't quite as campy and the acting is better than in a typical telenovela. In addition, many of the men are very good looking, so the eye candy alone made it worthwhile for some of my friends. :-)

Edited August 5, 2016 by Rapunzel

[riverheightsnancy]

21 minutes ago, Rapunzel said:

You are correct - the original is in Spanish and called La Reina del Sur. I speak fluent Spanish, but have friends that don't and they have said it is worth dealing with the subtitles. As I mentioned, it is also considerably longer than this version is - unless this version runs for 6-7 seasons or so, assuming 10 to 12 episode seasons (the original was shown several times a week, I believe, and most shows out of Mexico and South an Central America run for at least that many episodes and run the same way - El Sexo Debil, El Senor de los Cielos, Rosario Tijeras, etc - all good and worth watching, but also all subtitled). 

The original also takes place in a different location than the American version, so "south" or "sur" means something different - at least so far. The new version also has some different characters, but even though the original is over 60 episodes, the story is solid and entertaining and you definitely want to keep going through the episodes to see what happens next. It isn't as predictable as many American TV shows - neither are the other shows I reference above. They refer La Reina del Sur fairly often as a Telenovela, but I think it really is a step above that - it isn't quite as campy and the acting is better than in a typical telenovela. In addition, many of the men are very good looking, so the eye candy alone made it worthwhile for some of my friends. :-)

I like to listen to shows while I work, I have "seen" The Walking Dead multiple times by doing this. But, it sounds worth it. I have been looking for a long term show with multiple year story lines. I will have to check it out. 

[Rapunzel]

41 minutes ago, riverheightsnancy said:

I like to listen to shows while I work, I have "seen" The Walking Dead multiple times by doing this. But, it sounds worth it. I have been looking for a long term show with multiple year story lines. I will have to check it out. 

I work from home, and I'm the same. Even though the Spanish shows aren't an issue for me, I did have to sit down and concentrate on subtitles when I watched the original The Bridge, The Killing, and other Scandinavian shows, as I definitely don't speak any of those languages. It was worth it though - especially when comparing some of them to the American versions.

If you do decide to watch La Reina del Sur, I hope you enjoy it and that it hooks you in just as much as it did me and many of my friends. It may take a few episodes to really get into it, given that is such a long series, but it is worth it (and there is good eye candy in the first episode as well -

Spoiler

especially an actor named Rafael Amaya, who plays Guero :-)  ).

Also, I live in San Diego and a part of it was actually shot here, so that was interesting to me as well. The time they give to develop the characters and their relationships since they have so many episodes is the best part though. I think it is something so often overlooked in American TV shows, and here they do a good job with it so you can better understand their motivations for some of their actions.

I've also read the book, by the way, and it's a decent read, especially for a long flight or if you're on vacation, but I think the original series is still better.

Edited August 5, 2016 by Rapunzel

[tennisgurl]

I kind of want to give the original a try, because I really like this, and I hear that the original is even better. 

Camilla seems like she is having some real troubles. Will Theresa step up again? And will Brenda ever join up with Theresa in her future drug empire?

[Rapunzel]

4 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I kind of want to give the original a try, because I really like this, and I hear that the original is even better. 

Camilla seems like she is having some real troubles. Will Theresa step up again? And will Brenda ever join up with Theresa in her future drug empire?

The original is better, at least so far. The production values are a bit lower, of course, and it definitely isn't quite an exact copy, but I like the way the original was set up better. Also, as I mentioned in my previous post, with more episodes they have more time to fully develop the characters, the story, introduce more characters, etc.

I'll put a couple things in spoilers - nothing too major, but just some of the differences so far. It's still too early to tell where the new version is going, though. In any case, I'll let others decide if they want to know anything about the original series. 

Spoiler

I also prefer the setting in the original. It is set in Southern Spain - the part that is actually part of Africa (hence the "South" or "Sur" part of the title). Teresa is still from Mexico originally, but when she escapes Mexico it to Spain (via San Diego, though she is only in the US really long enough to get to the airport and get over to Europe). There are parts set in Morocco as well, and I believe all it was filmed on location so there is some really nice scenery (in addition to the good looking guys. :-)  There really isn't a "Camilla" character in the original (they really didn't mention of Epifanio with a wife, and can't remember if he even had one), but she could perhaps be seen as as a combination of a couple characters, though we'll see who else they introduce in the new version - there are definitely a few I am hoping they bring into it as they really added a lot to the story and her relationships with them were well done and some of the best in show, I thought.

I also heard that at one point, probably nearly at least 6 years ago now, they were going to make a movie based on the book (this was before the original series was made). They had it pretty well casted (I can't remember who was going to play Teresa, but I know a lot of people thought it was a bad choice). Anyway, rumor was they stopped production due to threats (I think the book is based on a true story), though I have no idea how accurate that they stopped due any threats. Maybe it was  purely financial or something.

Wish this season had a few more episodes as I think they have some more set up they could do, but hopefully it at least gets renewed as I think it's decent summer viewing.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Rapunzel

[thewhiteowl]

Quote

Desperate, Camila attempts a risky heist; Teresa goes undercover, and must make a choice that will forever change her.

[thewhiteowl]

Quote

Teresa races to save a witness; Camila assures her partners that she is back in business and done with Epifanio.

[love2lovebadtv]

Catching up in a couple of episodes on demand.  I thought this one was good.  I'm interested in the subplots here.  For example, Brenda's crew,  Camila trying to get her business back on track,  epifanio destroying Camila's business, James and his partner, the sick woman that Teresa is taking care of, Teresa getting papers. Lots of good stuff. 

I do have a few nits,  though. How is Teresa able to maintain contact with Brenda? Don't they check her phone? Doesn't she ever get followed? Also,  what are your thoughts on the Language choice? Do you think it would be better if the show was mostly in Spanish with subtitles? I've never heard James speak Spanish.  Does he? 

[love2lovebadtv]

On 7/30/2016 at 0:09 AM, Dowel Jones said:

I'm in there too, but I really haven't formed much opinions about any of the characters or the plot.  I'm watching it to see where it goes, and maybe a few Spanish lessons.

I watch it.  Getting caught up on a couple of episodes. I wish there was more chatter about it. 

[TigerLily20]

While I like this show I guess I just feel like the pace is really slow and this episode finally had a bit more happening and a bit more motivation from Teresa.  I mean we know in the end she is going to end up being the end all be all of the business but so far she hasn't really shown any indication that she is really all that interested in taking over, or even being in this situation.  She seems to just want to get out of it (which I understand) so I guess I'm just wondering when is this switch going to happen from, "get me out of here" to "I'm running this show".  I guess to me it seems like Brenda would be more willing to want to plan a coup and take over (which I understand right now would be unwise but she is at least still trying to get her stuff out there).  That being said this is coming from someone who knows nothing about how any of this stuff happens.  Long story short I just feel like finally Teresa is doing something instead of just following people around looking frustrated.

[Yakimaman]

I would like to see her get a change of clothes, maybe wash her face now and then, brush her teeth - not sleep in the same thing she wears every single day.  

[Arwen Evenstar]

I just love Camila...the actress does such a good job of playing such a dark character. I don't have an affinity for dark characters, per se, I'm speaking more to her acting chops and her brilliant portrayal. How she plays a mother and a ruthless drug queenpin with a Goth/Dia de Los Muertos vibe is fascinating. 

Teresa is scrappy, and a survivor, she wants out but she's trapped and has already had to do things she finds morally reprehensible to survive. She clearly still has a moral compass, because she doesn't want the maid and her family to be killed. Future  Queenpin Teresa is always dressed in white as if to symbolize some kind of purity in that field.

[Rapunzel]

If you’ve seen the original, this episode was pretty dull. The  US version of the original (La Reina del Sur) has deviated a fair amount from the original, and mostly not in good ways. The US version has a much higher budget, but is definitely lacking in story and character development. Quite a few of the characters here appear to be hybrids, but they, along with the plot differences, just make this kind of a watered down version of the original.

Granted, the original was 1 season of over 60 episodes (I think airing most nights of the week – not a once a week show), so that gave much more time for story/character/background development, which is really lacking here. Many of the characters in the US version almost seem cartoonish, which wasn’t the way the original was written. The only upside to the US remake that I’ve seen so far is that I like the actress playing Teresa a bit better. The actress in the original was not bad at all, I just prefer the one in the US version though the story has deviated considerably, even the location.

Given that it is early in the US version, perhaps things will change, though I don’t think there are many episodes left this season, and who knows if it will be renewed? if the low number of postings on this board are any indication, it likely may not be. In addition, some things they have strayed from the original would be far too hard to recover from, including missing several of the best characters. US seasons are short – especially for a summer series – so I’m not sure where they will go from here or if they will be able to get as many people hooked on this version as were on the original. Given that I binged watched the 60+ episodes of the original in about a week, it definitely held my attention. The US version has yet to grab me in quite the same way.

I will put the rest in Spoiler Tags for those who don’t wish to know anything about the original. Fair warning, these are fairly significant Spoilers and contain a good amount of detail about the original.

Spoiler

Because they do not have enough episodes to really develop the characters, they have kind of created hybrid characters, which isn’t nearly as effective, at least in my opinion. Camilla is an example here. There is no Camilla in the original (I don’t even recall them really even mentioning Epifanio’s wife at all) and Epifanio is actually the one that helps Teresa escape Mexico, though Teresa does turn over the journal to him in exchange. Epi still turns out to be a snake in the grass, however.

The “Camilla” character in the US version may affect how Teresa develops, or as they call her in the original, “La Mexicana” as the original has her flee Mexico for Spain, not Texas (she picks southern Spain – which is why she is called “La Reina del Sur” or “Queen of the South”. It’s possible she could still end up in Europe at some point, however.

In the original, Brenda is killed off in the beginning when they kill off El Guero and Brenda’s husband. They are killed for stealing profits from the Cartel. Killing Brenda allows Teresa to make and form bonds with other women (and a couple men) when she gets to Spain (of course that can still happen in Texas or wherever with Brenda alive, though Brenda trying to start her own Cartel is extremely risky and likely to get herself killed). The friendships Teresa makes in Spain are some of the best relationships in the show. I am not seeing anything close to that bond with Brenda so far. Teresa meets up with Epifanio’s contact in Spain and then starts off working at a pub/gambling/brothel, yet ends up not having to whore herself out to make money because she is good with numbers. She ends up running the till and doing the books for the Moroccan owner/pimp while making valuable connections with some of the clientele that frequent the brothel. While working there, she meets a man who smuggles hashish and he becomes her boyfriend. She has him teach her all about the business and boats (they have to cross the Strait of Gibraltar for the pick-ups and deliveries), and this is her start her on her way to becoming a fairly significant figure in the drug world, known as “La Mexicana”.

Eventually, the boyfriend dies and Teresa ends up in jail where she meets Patti. Patti comes from a well-known, very wealthy family and is a drug abuser (Patti is a lesbian and it is very heavily indicated that she and Teresa are lovers – at least for some period of time). Teresa is released, Patti has a job arranged for her on the outside. When Patti is released, she and Teresa buy a big mansion to live in and pick up Teresa’s drug running business.

Teresa eventually gets tied in with the Russians, who smuggle coke. The relationship between Teresa and the head man of the Russians, Oleg, is one of my favorites (I heard that if the movie ever came off – which was supposed to be before the original Latin American series – that they were considering Ben Kingsley for the role). Initially, she is scared to death of him and very well should be. As things progress, they have a kind of romance without ever having a romance at all. It’s more than just mutual respect, and you find yourself wishing they would get together, but unfortunately it doesn’t happen. Oleg, whilst being a drug smuggler, murderer and a million other deviant things, is still a gentleman in that regard (he is married with children and, though he clearly cares for Teresa and does an awful lot to help her, they never so much as kiss on the lips). The two have such a well-developed friendship/relationship without being sexual (Oleg really is a trusted friend and advisor for Teresa). I really hope that Oleg is introduced if the US version of this show goes on and that they keep the relationship the same.

Edited August 21, 2016 by Rapunzel

[Arwen Evenstar]

Thanks! Rapunzel. I appreciate your telling me about how you feel about this vs the original telenovela. I knew there was one done prior and its Wiki blurb shows the majority of it taking place in Spain. I might just binge watch it on Netflix if available. My Spanish isn't so great but my husband is a native speaker.

Alice Braga is Brazilian, and though she speaks Spanish fluently, I still remember her as the beautiful bikini clad love interest of Rocket in City of God who makes bad choices in boyfriends...and not a drug queenpin. I like her scrappy and spunky way of playing her part though.

[Rapunzel]

Thanks Arwen! If you want to know more about the original version, feel free to PM me. It is actually mostly in Castilian rather than Spanish (some Arabic thrown in as well), though Spanish and Castilian are not too different (you mainly just need to get used to a couple of vocabulary changes and the "c" being pronounced as "th" in many words. However, as Teresa is Mexican, she speaks the Spanish dialect most are more familiar with. Of course, it is also subtitled and they translate pretty accurately as I speak fluent Spanish and Castilian and lived in Spain for a while (and San Diego now about 45 minutes from the boarder). :-)

I'll have to check out Alice Braga in City of God - this show is the only role I've ever seen her in, so I'm curious to see her in something else. I think she fits the role better than the actress in the original version particularly because, while Alice is definitely beautiful, she doesn't look model-esq through the entire thing. The actress in the original never even seems to even have a bad hair day, despite everything she goes through (though this is fairly typical of telenovelas).

If you have some spare time, you may want to read the book as well. My understanding is that the book is based on a true story, and it helps fill in some of the blanks with more truth rather than a large amount of fiction. The comparison is interesting.

[Dowel Jones]

On 8/5/2016 at 9:37 AM, Rapunzel said:

The Bridge,

Interestingly enough, a British company remade this into a local murder mystery, called The Tunnel.  It's showing on my PBS station and follows the original plot fairly closely, using a French actress and and English actor for the two leads.  Much of her dialogue is in French with subtitles, but she is also fluent in English.

[Rapunzel]

On ‎8‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 9:00 AM, Dowel Jones said:

Interestingly enough, a British company remade this into a local murder mystery, called The Tunnel.  It's showing on my PBS station and follows the original plot fairly closely, using a French actress and and English actor for the two leads.  Much of her dialogue is in French with subtitles, but she is also fluent in English.

There are actually three versions of the Bridge - one is a Swedish/Danish production (the original, I believe) and has now gone for 3 series, the US version, which only lasted 2 series before cancellation, and the joint French/British Production called The Tunnel, which has now gone for 2 series. I happen to have both the Swedish/Danish and French/UK versions, so am very familiar with both. I speak several languages, so I watch a lot of foreign shows to help keep the languages I know currently and also to pick up on other cultures/languages from those that I'm not too familiar with - especially as my job involves a lot of foreign travel. Talking about a popular TV show can always be a good ice breaker :-)

Also, my husband and I like to watch foreign dramas as often many of them are better than what you find on US TV these days, which is too overloaded with crappy reality shows. The US does have some good shows as well too, of course, but they do love to remake European, Latin American and Australian/New Zealand programs quite a bit. Often, however, they don't quite live up the originals. Along with The Queen of the South (La Reina del Sur), compare the original Aussie version of The Slap with the US version, the original Danish version of the Killing vs. the US remake, etc. as other examples.

Edited August 27, 2016 by Rapunzel

[thewhiteowl]

Quote

Camila returns to Mexico in order to protect her life; James hunts down Teresa; Teresa takes Maria through the tunnel to Mexico.

[Rapunzel]

7 hours ago, Gabrielle Tracy said:

Could someone please translate "El Guero" for me?  I put it in Google Translate and it said that the translation was "El Guero"!  Thanks for nothing, Google Translate!

Generally speaking, it has to do with those from Mexico/Latin America that have lighter, even blonde hair, a more fair complexion, etc.. As El Guero happens to have lighter hair and a slightly more fair skin tone, that's what lead to the nickname. I think it's actually slightly more distinct with the actor in the original version, Rafael Amaya - look him up - he's good eye candy :-) , but they did a good job with the actor for this version as well, though we see a lot less of him given that the season is much shorter.

Edited August 26, 2016 by Rapunzel

[rur]

Gotta say, I liked the title of this episode -- it roughly* translates to "This thing of ours."

*roughly = many years since I took Spanish.

[slf]

I like the actress playing Camila and she does her best but man they don't give her great dialogue or even write Camila all that well. Epifanio saying that she knows the right thing to say, that she knows how to get inside people's head...you pretty much have to take his word for it. It took her way too long to figure things out, she's really passive where Teresa is concerned, and it was so obvious that James was lying to her about the maid but she just took it at face value (so to speak). The actress has presence but it's wasted on this writing.

Laughed at Brenda being all "you gotta do what you gotta do" when James threatened to shoot her employees. It's the first time I've enjoyed Brenda the entire season tbh.

Teresa is a good person and character, and I like Alice Braga, but the show really needs to step it up. I thought the premiere was too packed, that way too much happened, but now I'm thinking this show works best with a faster pace.

[bentley]

I have the opposite reaction. I'll check the time left when I'm watching the show and I can't believe that 40-45 minutes have already gone by.  I'm dismayed because I know the episode is about to end, and I just want it to keep going and going. They're also very good at ending each episode on a cliffhanger that makes you want to tune in to see what happens next. This has quickly become my favorite show!

I'm slowly warming up to James. I know it wouldn't be realistic to have a man who's worked his way up into a high position in a drug cartel be anything but a hardened killer, but I've been wanting him to show signs of humanity. He really turned me off with how blase' he was about having to betray his friend from Miami.  His soft spot for Theresa is winning me over, though. And I was relieved that he didn't immediately put bullets in the heads of Brenda's henchmen just for spite when Brenda called his bluff.

Can anybody figure out Camilla's angle in killing the Birdman? She just got what she wanted granted by her husband. Why is she picking a fight that is going to unleash hell upon all of them, just when she's getting her business back in order? 

I'll give anything if the show runners will never show me that Mexican convenience store bathroom again. *shudder*

[slf]

1 hour ago, bentley said:

Can anybody figure out Camilla's angle in killing the Birdman? She just got what she wanted granted by her husband. Why is she picking a fight that is going to unleash hell upon all of them, just when she's getting her business back in order? 

She doesn't want to be under her husband's thumb, needing things to be granted by him, and she wants to expand her business. And possibly also as an 'eff you' in general.

[TigerLily20]

Dang Brenda.....you gotta do what you gotta do....., love her spunk. 

[thewhiteowl]

Quote

Camila's operation goes underground after aligning with the Jimenez cartel; Teresa and Brenda try to start a new life.