Griselda review: Binge-worthy crime drama fails to stand out

Griselda follows the journey of Griselda Blanco, who sets out to build a drug empire of her own. The series is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

After a fight with her husband, Alberto, Griselda Blanco leaves with her three kids for Miami to her friend, Carmen.

Griselda claims that she plans to start afresh. Carmen supports Griselda and hires her for her travel agency.

What Carmen doesn’t know is that Griselda has come with a kilo of cocaine and plans to build a drug empire of her own.

The show follows the rise and fall of Griselda as she becomes the Godmother of Miami’s drug business while also trying to provide for her sons.

Performances

Sofía Vergara shines as she portrays the bold and energetic personality of Griselda Blanco. The series allows her to explore a number of emotions, and Vergara doesn’t disappoint as she showcases her range.

She swiftly switches from being a mother making a living for her sons to a bold leader to someone who has become paranoid.

Griselda is primarily a Sofía Vergara show because the supporting cast fails to leave the impact that Vergara does.

Some of the characters lacked the lasting appeal necessary to remain memorable once the show ended, which is why the supporting cast members failed to shine despite giving good performances.

Positives

Griselda brings an engaging narrative that stays entertaining, hitting viewers with various emotions despite the intense subject matter.

Apart from exploring Griselda as the drug lord she is, the series also explores her as a human who is looking out for her children, which works in the show’s favor.

The Godmother and the mother of her three sons are two sides that keep viewers thinking about the struggle of Griselda.

Griselda not only explores misogyny and sexism in the drug business with its lead character but also in the regular work environment through the character of Detective June Hawkins.

The series is also good with surprises. Every episode ends with a bang—a twist so unpredictable and unexpected that it keeps teasing that the viewers will miss something wild if they don’t stay tuned in.

Negatives

Griselda fails to stand out from other typical crime dramas that involve cartels and drug businesses, or any biopic that deals with any sort of crime.

It is a very Netflix show, considering how light and bingeable it feels. This typical Netflix formula is again the very reason Griselda may not go down as a memorable show.

Verdict

Griselda is certainly an entertaining binge-watch. A strong performance by Sofía Vergara and the unexpected twists that are dropped will get the viewers through the show.

If only the creators had tried to deviate away from the regular formula, Griselda may have stood apart.

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Also Read: Griselda summary and ending explained