“Vida” Shines on Starz
Love and Sex in East L.A.
It’s no secret that Latino representation is somewhat lacking in Hollywood. Although things are getting better (see Diego Luna in Rogue One or Michael Pena in literally anything), there hasn’t been a Latino-led superhero movie yet. Where’s Latino Panther? Sure, they did the Robbie Reyes version of Ghost Rider on TV’s Agents of SHIELD, but that’s not quite the same. While not an epic action adventure series, Vida on Starz looks to examine ground-level family drama from a Mexican-American point of view.
Lyn and Emma (Melissa Barrera and Mishel Prada) are estranged sisters who are forced to return home to East L.A. following the death of their mother, Vida. The reunion is met with revelations and rekindled connections. Lyn winds up hooking up with her old boyfriend, Johnny, at the funeral. Although the scene is undeniably sexy and hella provocative, there is a catch: Johnny (Carlos Miranda) is engaged and his fiance is visibly pregnant. Meanwhile, the sisters discover that their mother’s “roommate” was actually her wife, which really shakes up the image they had of their late mama. All the while, the looming threat of gentrification and rising rents plays out in the background, like the proverbial other boot, waiting to drop.
Unlike a great many TV shows, most of the writers for Vida are Latin-American, and a great many of them are gay, lending the production an aura of authenticity so often lacking from shows with this type of subject matter.
Vida airs Sunday nights on Starz.
