KorvinStarmast
2024-01-27, 10:04 AM
I took a look at Griselda (starring Sofia Vergara) and by the end of episode one I was hooked.
The emphasis (on a story grounded in real occurrences but of course fictionalized to make for an entertaining show) is the unusual case of a woman rising to lead a major drug distribution network in the cocaine trade. The real Griselda Blanco was very successful in her chosen profession in a trade dominated by men. (The Wikipedia article on her is interesting reading in its own right).
A sub thread of the show is the frustrations of a female police officer in the late 70s and early 80s in the Miami Dade police department, who is a part of the team trying to bring the so called Godmother to justice.
The impact of the Mariel boat lift (Cubans released by Castro's regime) also figures into the texture of the plot, as does the influence of the Ochoa family (Colombians) in the cocaine trade of that time.
As with Al Pacino's Scarface movie, the seamy underside of the Miami cocaine trade and gangster scene is examined, with ample tragedy to go around. A variety of supporting characters put in fine performances.
Worth a look, for sure.
The real Grisdelda's surviving son, named (I kid you not) Michael Corleone Blanco, is still alive and has filed a suit against the producers of the show. Interestingly, he starred in the VH1 reality series “Cartel Crew,” which followed family members of notorious cartel members in Miami. (Which I have not seen, nor am I likely to).
Substantial violence, profanity, some sexual content, and of course the realistic fact that a lot of people smoked cigarettes in the 1970's. The lead character's smoking habit is featured throughout. Also featured are some 70's and 80's era cars, which brought a bit of nostalgia to me.
The emphasis (on a story grounded in real occurrences but of course fictionalized to make for an entertaining show) is the unusual case of a woman rising to lead a major drug distribution network in the cocaine trade. The real Griselda Blanco was very successful in her chosen profession in a trade dominated by men. (The Wikipedia article on her is interesting reading in its own right).
A sub thread of the show is the frustrations of a female police officer in the late 70s and early 80s in the Miami Dade police department, who is a part of the team trying to bring the so called Godmother to justice.
The impact of the Mariel boat lift (Cubans released by Castro's regime) also figures into the texture of the plot, as does the influence of the Ochoa family (Colombians) in the cocaine trade of that time.
As with Al Pacino's Scarface movie, the seamy underside of the Miami cocaine trade and gangster scene is examined, with ample tragedy to go around. A variety of supporting characters put in fine performances.
Worth a look, for sure.
The real Grisdelda's surviving son, named (I kid you not) Michael Corleone Blanco, is still alive and has filed a suit against the producers of the show. Interestingly, he starred in the VH1 reality series “Cartel Crew,” which followed family members of notorious cartel members in Miami. (Which I have not seen, nor am I likely to).
Substantial violence, profanity, some sexual content, and of course the realistic fact that a lot of people smoked cigarettes in the 1970's. The lead character's smoking habit is featured throughout. Also featured are some 70's and 80's era cars, which brought a bit of nostalgia to me.