If y'all don't start supporting your local taqueria and stop gentrification, we're going to fight. Netflix has this canny ability to show something in its opening page previews that really pulls on my chaotic senses to watch. Gentefied was an auto-play option that I do not regret a bit clicking on because it was a real treat. Gentefied is a story that I'm sure many people are all too familiar with. The show follows three Mexican-American cousins that are struggling to achieve their version of the American Dream. That same dream for others means something different to the cousins: gentrification. It threatens their family taqueria shop, their immigrant Spanish-speaking grandfather, and the possibility of their entire neighborhood being displaced. This show shows how each of the three cousins navigates what authenticity actually means and how to define what makes a community or a family. What makes this show stand out is its simplicity. The first season is literally just 10 episodes about a family coming together in hopes to support the family taqueria shop. Because of its straightforwardness, you're able to connect with the characters along with their struggles and minor victories. It had the perfect mix of everything you could want in a show made in this generation - comedy, love, heartbreak, political statements, and tacos. I think what makes this show special is the fact there are Spanish-only speaking characters as well as strong lesbian characters. It's so unapologetically Mexican and so gay that you can't help but be moved by everything unfolding in each episode. If it was anything less, then the message of community and family would get lost and miss its mark. While I'm not necessarily a fan of the word "authentic" for many reasons, I think this is about as authentic as you can get. Especially for what gentrification is like for Black and/or brown people, neighborhoods, and businesses. In my opinion, some of the struggles the characters are going through get resolved a little too quickly. It's definitely a TV show, not a documentary, which means they try to not make it too depressing. It definitely doesn't make the show any less good!
The fact Netflix made this end on a cliffhanger, and I have to wait for season 2 is muy grosera.
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