Menem: The President Show

Well-paced show that entwines historical events and comedic situations in an entertaining and unexpected manner.

The most relevant highlight of the show are the amazing performances of the leading actor, Leonardo Sbaraglia, who portrays Menem to the point of disappearing behind the character, and Griselda Siciliani in the role of his wife Zulema, a breathtaking recreation of the woman behind it all.

The historical 90s reconstruction of buildings, clothing and hairstyle is pitch-perfect and adds up to the back-in-time experience.

Clearly a must-see, as well as an obvious first season for many more to come.

As bold as he was pragmatic, as colorful as he was cunning, Menem practically shaped today's Argentina - for better and for worse.

And like the man himself, his policies were a study in duality:

His privatizations were frauds - but (in some cases) vastly improved what had been 3rd-world service.

Hyperinflation in '89 turned to single-digit inflation by '93 - but mass unemployment and a crime wave soon followed.

And ultimately, the 'Menem miracle' proved unsustainable - dependent on fly-by-night investment and foreign debt as it was.

Menem governed like he lived his long life: quick on his feet, fast and loose - and with all the instincts, social skills and sheer gusto of a true Latin American 'politico'.

And though the series relied heavily on composite characters (like the photographer and Silverman) and creative use of history, it captured all that and more.

Like Amazon's 'Argentina 1985' and Netflix's 'Diciembre 2001', a must-watch for anyone unfamiliar with (but interested in) Argentina's high-drama politics.