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Griselda (2024) out of the Narcos Netflix Series was one that I hold for latter and it really paid off now that there is not much to watch besides House of The Dragon, presenting the story of one of the most dangerous drug dealers in Colombia. The show that was launched in January 2024 is centered on the life of Griselda Blanco a woman who had to fight for power in the world that belonged to men in the 70s and 80s. Sofía Vergara in the lead role, the series describe the life of a rather serious character than what we are used to seeing from the actress known for her comedic roles. This is a six part miniseries follows Blanco from a woman trying to protect her children from an abusive husband to the powerful and calculating "Godmother" of the Miami cocaine business. Developed by Eric Newman and Andres Baiz the creators of the TV series Narcos. On this series they put together the American Dream for most Latin American who travel to the US with the cocaine world of the 1980s in the background. As most mini series with a huge story like it is the case of Griselda, it falls under the same errors or mistakes in the timeline as it felt just too short after it hit peak climax during the series. The series does have a very dark side of the drug business probably more than the other Narcos Spin Off considering this time around a women is calling all the barbaric shots like its nothing, while being immersed in the world of riches, crime, and danger, but also a mother. - IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15837600/ - Platform: Netflix

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The Rise of a Drug Queen

From Colombia to Building an Empire

The series starts with the character of Griselda Blanco who lands in Miami and this is the city that will become the hub of her criminal activities, from the start she is not an immigrant in the conventional sense, she is a woman on the run from a violent life in Colombia with her three sons, after she shot her ex husband during an very violent argument after she had to fuck his brother to put out a debt. The show does a good job of establishing her origin and we see her struggle and the things she learned while in the Colombian criminal world, because its all about it, the skills and contacts she develop while at the game of drug deal in Colombia. Miami in the 1970s is describe as a city waiting to change and Griselda seizes the moment, she is not satisfied with just stay alive, she wants to prosper and she realizes that the drug business is her way to success even after its the very same thing she got her to get out of Colombia. The business that Griselda is running also continues to expand and with it, her fame, the show does not hide the fact that she employs rather aggressive measures to rise through the ranks, been a very intelligent and brave women she will do whatever it takes to get things done her way. We watch her outsmart other men drug dealers, paying off the police, and murdering anyone who is a threat to her, everything to go higher in the lather of power, even when she knows she murder innocent people. What is quite fascinating is the way the series describe Griselda and her management style in the business, it is not as if she is mimicking the men around her, she is in fact adding her own style to the game, outsmart everyone in the room. She employs the use of her female beauty as a way of disarming and outsmarting her male opponents and at the same time she creates a circle of women who are loyal to her.

The Price of Power

All her glory and wins is not without its consequences, this aspect is well describe in the show since it demonstrates how Griselda’s rise to power altered her life. She has a conflict with her children as she gets more involved in the drug business, we watch her try to be a mother while being a drug lord and the decisions she has to make for her business come first. The series does not hesitate to be very detailed and descriptive of the bloodshed that is inherent of her ruthless. It is not a mere title given to Griselda as she is a deadly woman known as The Black Widow, we watch the hit orders, the torturing of the enemies, and the difficult choices she makes that result in the deaths of so many characters, it is not glamorous by any means, but it is the real life that she has decided to live in and it is harsh.

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The Woman Behind the Myth

Sofía Vergara's Transformation

Another thing that has generated a lot of controversy is the acting of Sofía Vergara as Griselda Blanco, Sofia is best known for her comedic roles especially in TV series Modern Family, Vergara is quite the opposite in this film. In the role, she is completely convincing, mimicking Griselda’s speech and gestures to make the character menacing. Vergara has also undergone some changes in her appearance particularly her physical using the prosthetics and makeup, she can be barely distinguished as Griselda. However, Vergara does not only rely on the appearance, she adds some shades to the character and makes Griselda not only a villain, it becomes very interesting she is portrayed as having weaknesses, anxiety, and even self doubt, and that is why at times you could tell how she struggle to get to the power, many times it was taken from here right at the last minute..

The World of Miami's Drug Trade

A City in Addiction

The series does a great job of portraying the setting of 1970s and 1980s Miami. The costume and set design takes one back to the roaring twenties and the era of the flapper. But the behind the lights and fancy cars, we notice that the city is battling with a drug problem. There are no instances of the show hiding the negative consequences of cocaine use to people and societies. We watch as money from drug trafficking alters Miami, the buildings, and the clubs. Thus, the series depicts both the economic prosperity resulting from the cocaine trade and the negative consequences of the drug business, including violence and corruption. It is a subtle portrayal of a rather complex period of the city’s history.

The Bigger Picture

Despite the fact that the show is centered around Griselda, the show also addresses certain issues, some of this are the usual like how the drug business influences politics, police, and the relations between countries. The series does provide the viewer with a look at the bigger picture, including the Colombian cartels and the American war on drugs. The show also looks into matters concerning gender and authority, the perfect example is Griselda’s career advancement in the male oriented industry is a clear example of her intelligence, at the same time the challenges that women have to face in the patriarchal world, not in the classic sense people tend to understand it now days but during the 80s we can say it was the way in the drug lord world, we could probably say there were almost no women who control a cartel like Griselda did during that time, it does not make her actions look good but it does raise food for thought on power, ambition and the American dream.

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The Making of the Series

Attention to Details

I can also note that the attention to detail in the series is rather high, this is evident from the cars and fashion used in the show to the creation of Miami’s key scenes and landmarks of the time. The cinematography is also impressive with the bright colors and the artistic framing of the scenes depict the seduction and the risks of Griselda’s life. The flow of the show is good for the most part since towards the end it felt very rush. The mini series consists of only six episodes, the plot does not feel forced and every episode is linked to the previous one and the suspense increases as Griselda’s business expands and the people who want to harm her become more numerous.

Fact vs. Fiction

Even though the series is based on real events, it is essential to note that it is a work of fiction, the moment history is change to make it attractive to certain audience we cant say its a true story, as any other adaptation there are certain things that might be too boring or just not attractive to the target audience. The show has taken some creative liberties with the timeline and some of the events that occurred, but the main aspects of Griselda’s life and the key events of her life, her rise and fall, can be considered rather truthful according to the historical records. The authors in interviews stated that they conducted a lot of work on the preparation for the series, including conversations with individuals who were familiar with the real Griselda Blanco. This mix of real life and artistic interpretation creates a mini series that is recognizably based on the actual events but is also an entertaining, I personally got hooked after the first episode.

It is a total roller coaster of a series that gives us a peak into the life of Griselda Blanco and makes you cringe with interest, as most drug lord stories it does felt short towards the end. It is a series that doesn’t give black and white solutions or pass judgments, but portrays a woman who was a part of her generation and influenced it in equal measure, I consider her character even more savage and wild than any of the other Narcos Series. The acting is very good, I got no complains, particularly Sofía Vergara who gives a fantastic performance as Griselda, specially towards the ends when drug addiction starts to really hammer down Griselda through certain events. There are some scenes that are disturbing to many people, its more a provocative series since there are no raw or explicit scenes that I can remember, it just push some buttons to make you imagination fly away with how savage this women was. This is not the story of one woman’s journey through the ranks of drug trafficking, it is a story of power, greed and corruption of the American dream. At the end of the mini series the truth is that we are left with a number of questions regarding the price of victory for Griselda, at least it should have a second season but that is not going to happen. It is not the best Narcos series in my opinion but I do give it a 7/10 overall, most episodes will keep you wanting more and keep watching.

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