Genre:  Comedy, Family

Creators:  Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit

Showrunners: Leo Chu, Eric Garcia

Cast:  Scarlet Estevez, J. R. Villareal, Marianna Burelli, Juan Alfonso, Zelia Ankrum, Lorena Jorge

REVIEW

Oh, the growing pains of a teenage apprentice Latina superhero. When Violet (Scarlet Estevez) discovers a magic luchador mask has “chosen” her to wear it and become a superhero, it sets her off on a journey to become a crime fighter. However, being the typical rebellious teenager, Violet needs adult guidance

Luckily for her, the well-known local crime fighter, Black Scorpion, just happens to be her uncle, Cruz (J.R. Villareal) which she did not know. Black Scorpion becomes her mentor and takes Ultra Violet under his wing and teaches her the time-honored ethical ways of a superhero crime-fighter in a continuing effort to suppress the irrepressible, rambunctious teen’s tendency to think and act “outside the box” of a superhero’s sacred code of conduct.

In this first season, Ultra Violet’s rite of passage, into a budding Latina superhero is bolstered by the show’s clever light, fast-paced tongue-in-cheek comedic approach to the storyline and the positively charming and winning performance of Estevez as Ultra Violet.

The show is also enhanced by a good supporting cast, great special effects and the exceptional and imaginative cinematography of Rafael Leyva. Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion is a thoroughly enjoyable Disney production action-adventure comedy family TV series that will no doubt inspire young Latinas to discover and unleash the superhero within themselves.

Producers: Ian Watermeier, Nelson soler, Lisa Parsons, Leo Chu

Production Company: Chu Garcia

Distributor: Disney Channel

Available: Disney+

Rating:

TV Series:  Gordita Chronicles

Genre: Comedy, Family

Creator: Claudia Forestieri 

Showrunner:  Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz

Cast: Diana Maria Riva, Juan Javier Cardenas, Olivia Goncalves, Savannah Nicole Ruiz, Cosette Hauer, Noah Cottrell, Noah Rico

REVIEW

Is there a DR in the house? Happily, yes, four of them recently arrived from the DR (Dominican Republic) to Miami, Florida in search of the elusive American Dream and into our homes in this delightfully nostalgic semi-autobiographical good-natured family comedy by the creator, Claudia Forestieri.

The Castelli family is comprised of Adela, the mother, (Diana Maria Riva), the father, Victor (Juan Javier Cardenas), his older sister, Emilia (Savannah Nicole Ruiz), and la gordita, Cucu (Olivia Goncalves). Set in the 80s, the story is narrated by the adult Cucu recalling the family’s trials and tribulations of adjusting to their new life in the United States.

The Castelli’s immediately find out their illusions of America are in stark contrast to the reality of life back home in the DR to those in the good old USA. The Gordita Chronicles has some good fun with the Castelli’s coming to grips with such unknown things as taxes, coupons, Halloween, and Sadie Hawkins dances. Adela’s misadventure with coupons is an especially funny episode.

Victor who works in the marketing department of an airline is expected by his boss to be a great softball player because “all the great baseball players come from the Dominican Republic.” Well, that’s mostly true, but not about Victor who went to an expensive European boarding school and never learned how to play baseball.

Emilia tries to fit in at school by joining up with the popular girls known as the Bubble Gums.  The Bubble Gums make the Mean Girls look like Girl Scouts.  Emilia is in the drama class and has a crush on Rigo (Noah Cottrell).

But the story principally revolves around Cucu who is trying to navigate her way through school and social life with best friends, Ashley (Cosette Hauer) and Yoshi (Noah Rico). Cucu meets every obstacle and challenge confronting her with characteristic plucky determination and an innate intelligence beyond her young years. 

Gordita Chronicles is a madcap, zany look at an immigrant family’s adjusting to life in the states through the eyes of Cucu and her battle with body image in a world where “gordita” is no longer a Latin American term of endearment. You can’t help rooting for Cucu and her family as they struggle with joyous funky spunk and good humor to realize that all too often elusive American Dream.

Producers: Brigette Muñoz-Leibowitz, Claudia Forestieri, Dan signer

Production Company: Cinestar Pictures, Unbelievable

Distributor: HBO Max

Available: HBOMax

Rating:

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