Vida

I can't remember where I heard about this show but it was early 2018. I was interested because the themes and characters seemed a bit unique and different than most anything else on tv. I noted the date for the premier and caught up to the four episodes over the holiday. Wow! What a show! I'm not Mexican American but it feels very authentic. What was most impressive was that I immediately identified and connected with the characters. The writers have done a fantastic job conceptualizing each character and creating meaningful and realistic relationships between them. I cared about their stories and where they were headed after the only the first episode. It's the kind of excellent writing that transcends any particular ethnicity or culture.

It's Starz so there's a fair amount of sex, which works here; but that component is less a distraction and more a compliment to the overall show. The only disappointment was finding out how short this season is... only 6 episodes. I sincerely hope that Starz brings this back soon. Highly recommend!

Where to start?

Theoretically, I should have never started watching this program. And, I should have never "liked" this program. And certainly I should have never cared about any of the characters in this program. After all, I am NOT female. I am NOT Mexican-American. And I am NOT homosexual, etc.. I am NOT by any stretch considered the target audience for this light, yet gritty, tale about some of the harsh actualities of real life.

This 22 episode binger checked a lot of boxes for me. I found the main story arc compelling from the jump, as well as the secondary arcs, and this was a well cast group of actors who acted their asses off to bring these characters to life for the 3 seasons they had to work with. I mean, the actors were FREAKING GREAT! I honestly cared about these characters from the very beginning, and it intensified as the story progressed.

The first season laid a good foundation, and the story and characters were developed very well.

In the second season, a few more characters were introduced who had important roles and were acted well, but Roberta Colindrez's portrayal of the multifaceted "Nico" was simply brilliant. Her character alone lifted the whole show to a new height IMO, and the rest of the characters were rapidly developing as well.

Especially the main characters, who had to go from being selfish, self-centered *bleeps* to having to grow up faster than they would have liked and make some adult-sized decisions, while also learning how to respect their community around them.

I gave this a 9 because I simply DO NOT give 10's except in the rarest of rare occasions -- (like "Boardwalk Empire," "Breaking Bad" and only a few others) - but had this show gone on a bit longer then who knows? This had enough going on for it to last AT LEAST a couple more seasons IMO, if not more, and was doing nothing less than getting progressively better.

This old, straight, white guy is very sad "Vida" was never given a chance to play itself out, and shame on Starz for chopping "Vida" down at the knees when it was just fully hitting it's stride 8/

All in all this drama was a really, really good 12.5 hour spin :) I would be willing to take a chance on anything else Tanya Saracho were to get involved in, and her whole crew did a great job making this breathe life for the short period it had.

So I totally don't get the bad reviews at all. It's a drama that explores human nature, identity, and culture. Not a mindbending plot, but fresh perspectives that are timely and very much needed to demonstrate the range of American life today.

This show moves us well past Ugly Betty's America Ferrera and a second generation Latina making it in the world of NYC's fashion journalism scene. This also moves us past Modern Family's Sofia Vergara and the quintessential American blended family...

On the one hand, this show fully explores intersectionality. Every protagonist is a female, and a second and third generation Latina in Los Angeles. The show also engages with class, immigration woes, and gentrification by female protagonists in a way I haven't seen before. The show also explores sexuality from the female gaze. The characters shatter the stereotypes about what it means to be Latino/a in the US today.

On the one hand, this is totally an anti-Girls/post-SATC show. And at the same time, this is exactly the sort of thing that demonstrates the multitude of structural realities present in American life that Ta-Nehisi Coates critiques in "Between the World and Me".

Identity is complicated, and reconciling multiple cultural pasts and presents is an ongoing process! The women of Vida are bad ass and finding their own way.

At a time when few opportunities are available for Latino actors, I am so happy to see such a large cast of our folks. This helps so many to be seen, recognized, and to add additional credits to their careers. This could be a stepping stone for some and surely a way forward for many. I didn't know what to expect but watched because of the cast. I will continue watching. Congratulations for making this project a reality. We have too few victories on large and small screens. I applaud everyone connected with Vida. Let's be happy and encouraging. This comes from a Chicana in Lorain, Ohio.

I love this show. It's a great story, beautiful characters and fantastic music. I wish it was going onto a 4th season. I can't believe it's over. STARZ is doing a huge disservice to this country. More audiences inside and outside our community need this show, to educate.