By Elia Esparza
It was announced that one of the most important series broadcasting, Vida, has earned a third season on the STARZ (Lionsgate company) cable network. Jeffrey Hirsch stated that Tanya Saracho‘s award-winning original series has been picked up to keep being a representation for diversity, for women, and in Latinas in particular.
“It is a rarity in television today to have a series earn the level of critical praise for two consecutive seasons and spark cultural conversation in the way that Vida has,” said Hirsch. “We are proud to continue to tell this story with Tanya [Saracho] and the incredible cast and crew she has assembled.”
Vida’s Latino audience has grown 56% compared to the same period in Season 1*, according to Kathryn Tyus-, Sr. VP of Original programming, the Starz executive in charge of Vida. Additionally, Starz Latino subs have grown 17% since the series premiered in May 2018, and the number of new customers who watched Vida season two on the app in the first seven days was almost double year over year. No surprise to Latinos in the industry who have been screaming for these type of authentic, vulnerable and raw drama series that accurately represent our various lifestyles, culture, traditions.
Tanya Saracho has always known this and everything she has ever written and/or produced has been well received by the Latino domestic and global viewership.
In the second season of Vida, Lyn (Melissa Barrera) and Emma (Mishel Prada) begin the monumental task of rebuilding their mother’s business while navigating financial constraints, competing developers, and the growing anti-gentrification movent. The sisters must contemplate the relationships in their lives, including their own, and are forced to dig deep to unearth what their mother’s legacy means to them.
Via Saracho’s creative and realistic vision, one of the things that make Vida special is that it is bringing underrepresented Latino American stories to the forefront. According to The Atlantic, “It’s special because it’s doing it so well, mining epic drama and the discrete experiences of its characters’ lives to create something that’s elaborate, distinct, and beautiful all at the same time.”
Mexican-born started her career as a successful Chicago playwright and it led her to Hollywood where aside for Vida, she has writer credits for How To Get Away With Murder, HBO’s Looking, Girls, and Devious Maids. Her next project in development is Brujas, a TV movie she is writing and Executive Producer.
She is repped by United Talent Agency (UTA), for both talent and literary agent.