GamesRadar+ VerdictBloody, sexy, and fashionable, Narcos co-creator Eric Newman has struck gold again with Griselda. Whilst it’s not perfect and lacks the grit of most cartel dramas, Vergara’s performance steals the show, making this miniseries a worthy, yet different addition to the genre.
GamesRadar+ Verdict
GamesRadar+ Verdict
Bloody, sexy, and fashionable, Narcos co-creator Eric Newman has struck gold again with Griselda. Whilst it’s not perfect and lacks the grit of most cartel dramas, Vergara’s performance steals the show, making this miniseries a worthy, yet different addition to the genre.
Bloody, sexy, and fashionable, Narcos co-creator Eric Newman has struck gold again with Griselda. Whilst it’s not perfect and lacks the grit of most cartel dramas, Vergara’s performance steals the show, making this miniseries a worthy, yet different addition to the genre.
Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
Much like their subject matter, Netflix’s string of cartel crime series are like an A-grade substance we just can’t get enough of. And that winning formula continues with their latest show, Griselda.
There are many shocks and surprises in the series, so my advice is to avoid googling about the real-life Griselda Blanco beforehand, and go into this one blind.
We’re in a Vergara-renaissance
(Image credit: Netflix)
Much of what we see in the series is actually true (according to reports), but in fact, the real ‘cocaine mami’ went even further than her on-screen persona, and is thought to be responsible for over 250 deaths, committing her first murder at 11 years old. With such a colorful character comes great difficulty in casting the perfect actor. Needless to say, I wouldn’t have put my money on Vergara taking the role, but boy was I proven wrong.
Known for her portrayal of the glamorous and melodramatic Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in the ABC sitcom Modern Family, Vergara has up until now mostly been recognized for her comedic and rather satirical acting. But prepare to change your mind about that, as she shines as Griselda. Much like Rami Malek inBohemian Rhapsody, Vergara is almost completely unrecognizable as Griselda thanks to prosthetics. However, her whole demeanor also makes one forget it is the comedy star underneath that make-up.
Vergara’s portrayal has us going as far to sometimes root for the heinous criminal. In the first few episodes, we witness Blanco face tremendous hardships, from domestic abuse to difficulties in motherhood, and even assault. But her resilience gets her through it. Despite a male director, the show has strong feminine energy, analyzing Griselda’s life as a woman in a predominantly male industry. When I heard one of her competitors utter the words, “You think I’ll give all the power to some mouthy smart bitch?”, I felt my blood boil – don’t get me started on the sanitary pad used to patch up a wound.
Does it live up to Netflix’s Narcos?
(Image credit: Netflix)
Viva la Miami!
(Image credit: Netflix)
If there are three things that this series gets absolutely right it’s the setting, soundtrack, and costume. Set in the ’70s and ’80s, the series has an abundance of nostalgia from the clothing to the decor, like it was pulled out of a Miami Vice episode, but with less pastel and more gold. With big hair, shoulder pads, and statement jewelry, the costuming for Griselda gives other Netflix crime dramas set around this era a run for their money.
All in all, Griselda works perfectly well as a mini-series, and although it doesn’t quite live up to the team’s previous projects, it offers a different, rather feminine, perspective to cartel life. With Vergara giving the performance of her career so far, what the series lacks in grit, it makes up for in emotion and drama. Another triumph for the Narcos crew!
Griselda arrives on Netflix on January 25, 2024. For more, check out our guides to thebest Netflix showsand thebest Netflix moviesavailable now.
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