I, like many fans of the late Selena Quintanilla Pérez have been waiting for the highly anticipated series about her life, career and tragic death. For at least 2 years now there had a lot of buzz and it finally came to Netflix on December 4th 2020. I like many fans had high hopes for the show. The test trailers looked promising. The casting seemed to have potential. I hope that like everything Selena's legacy touches it would be embraced and treated with love. The really ha not been what I expected.
I'm not understanding how badly people are reacting to the show and the lead actress. I get it, not everything ever made will be great. Everyone is entitled to an opinion they can either choose to like something or not. When it comes to this show, based on the comments I've read, people really despise Christina Serratos and her portrale of the Tejano Music icon.
The complaints range from the acting to the wigs, to the way she dances (or doesn't). I've also read complaints about the time line of the show and how it's incorrect. I think the biggest underlying issue is what the show is not. The show is not, Selena the 1997 biopic led by Jennifer Lopez. It was an instant classic. It was released about 2 years after Selena's death while she was still fresh in everyone's minds. It brought
back all the best parts of her career and even the worst part. It had a stellar cast and it was overall a solid film with a legendary soundtrack. A lot of us grew up watching it. Then for later generations it was their introduction to Selena, such as for my daughter.
When I started watching the series, I immediately found myself doing the same thing I imagine a lot of people did and that was comparing it to the film. I was looking for points of reference as compared to the film. Since I was watching it with my 16 year old daughter, who adores Selena, and also who was born 9 years after Selena's death, I was able see her perspective. She also brought up things from the movie that she felt they missed out in this story.
I think the hair was a struggle for everyone. Not only the choice of wigs, but the appliance. My daughter says, "you can see the lace (front)". Of course, me being a dad, I said "I didn't know Spanish girls wore lace fronts?". She laughed and said, "dad anyone can wear a lace front".
The biggest wig faux pas for me was for actor Julio Macias, who portrayed singer songwriter, Pete Astudillo. That wig was incredible. I understand that the real Pete Astudillo was know for his mullet, but there was another reason why we thought it was hilarious. Before Selena, Julio Macias had garnered some notoriety through another Netflix series, On My Block. On OMB Macias portrayed, Oscar "Spooky" Días. On that series Maciases character Spooky, was a notorious cholo gang leader, covered in tattoos and known for his shaved head. So to see him come back with a butt length mullet was so funny.
At the end of the day everyone is going have their own opinion and take. Here's mine.
This series is being released 23 years after Selena's death. This means that most of us only have the image of Selena the superstar in our minds. There is no new reference points and the at home and on the bus teen girl trying make it in the world is barely relatable to us hardened criminals. The series was executive produced by Suzzette Quintanilla, who is Selena's sister and drummer. I'm sure she brought a more intimate perspective to the story. Some of the boring details that we totally glossed over. I also think she gave more reality and authenticity to the other characters, which unfortunately no one cares about.
I think that overall it was a solid production. It was cast for its needs. All the major players were well portrayed. The sets made sense and flowed. The design, I felt stood out. Not just for Selena's costumes but all the clothes that span from the 50's, the 80' and 90's. The music directing was clear cut but aside from classic Selena y los Dinos, they have a lot of 80's pop music love. Stuff that Selena grew up listening to, which brought some relatability to the fans whom may have grown up with the same tunes.
For those truly disappointed fans, please understand a few things. Everything is left up to interpretaron. Nothing can be made through our lens. Your opinion of the show should not lessen your love for the memory of Selena. The other part we have take into account is for the most part this a Latino and Latina powered show, not just because of the cast but but heavily in the crew and production team. Read the the credits after an episode. You'll see so many Latino names listed in every single aspect of production, not just in front of and behind the camera. This series is also part of their hard work. They will add this to their resume. True, it wasn't "perfect" but remember when you're bashing the show, you're not just bashing the stars or the directors, you are bashing a building's worth of professionals who are proud of the work they do and are proud of this show.
