Gentefied | 9
Show Notes:
Julia talks with her friend Stephanie about the Netflix series Gentefied which is expected to release a second season sometime in 2021.
Transcript:
S1E9 - Gentrification, Family, and Identity
Julia: Hey friends. Welcome back to Pop Culture Makes Me Jealous. On this week's episode, I have a very special guest. My friend, Stephanie, and we are talking Gentified.
Gentefied was released in February, 2020 on Netflix. The show centers around three Mexican-American cousins and their struggle to chase the American dream. In the first episode we learned the family taco shop is at risk because the family is late on rent. Their neighborhood of Boyle Heights is slowly being gentrified and the community is struggling between survival and being pushed out.
At times, the cousin's dreams threatened the preservation of their community. This show is a look at what it's like to be on the cusp of change and fighting to come out on the other side, the Victor, and now. Here we go to that show.
Stephanie. Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm really excited to have you here to talk about Gentefied for
Stephanie: how do use is, uh, my first podcast. And I'm really excited to be here and talk about a show that actually really hits close to home.
Julia: Yeah. So before we dive in, like how did you find the show it's for people who are listening it's on Netflix.
So I found it because Netflix was like, oh, we think this is going to be something you like good job Netflix. It was
Stephanie: so actually I found it through my aunt who happens to be really into, um, shows like this, but also she lives in Pasadena has been, has experienced gentrification being from Highland park in LA Boyle Heights and Highland park are very similar.
Um, and they've gone through similar things and, um, You know, I, I was drawn to it, especially because of that. And because I, my significant other had gone and lived in Highland park and he had taken me to a place called echo park and echo park, like in the last couple of years has gone through that. And we were talking about the neighborhood and where he lived and where, how much it's changed and how people are getting driven out of their homes.
And so I thought, man, I really want to watch the show. And it was so good. I was, I mean, after watching it a second time, like even better.
Julia: Yes. I agree for people who are listening, who haven't seen the show, there's 10 episodes, total it centers around one family. Uh, a group of cousins, but they all have sort of their own storylines as well as their crossover storylines.
Basically the first episode is introducing us to the family and we meet the characters, Eric, Anna, Chris, and, um, their grandfather who they refer to as pops, which I love because we do that in the black community too. We call grandpa pops. Like that's a, I thought that was like a total black thing, but I guess maybe that's just a grandpa thing.
I don't know.
Stephanie: And they refer to him as pops and then they also refer to him as a Willow. Um, which yeah, I mean, I feel like pops is even not like him being in the United States, you know, like an easy way to call him. And I love that too. I really liked that because it's easy to understand, you know, who he is, you know, he's a matriarch of the family, right?
Julia: He's got such a great personality too. So I'm not familiar with most of the actors in the show. And I'm very sad about that because they were all so good and we're so committed to being the characters they play. So Eric and Ana live it, the impression I got is that they've never left. Um, Boyle Heights.
They've always kind of stayed and lived with their grandparents and were just really entwined in the community. Chris is a cousin who I got the impression that he wasn't raised there, but then he's finished school and is now come back to live with his grandfather while he's in transition between business school and trying to get into culinary school on as an artist, Eric.
Works at the taco shop that his grandfather owns. And so there's this like very interesting dynamic in the beginning, which I'd like to, I don't want to make assumptions about it, but I could relate to the whole, you know, Chris coming back into the neighborhood and everyone sort of being, not anti him, but just like, you're not one of us, but you're kind of one of us, if that makes
Stephanie: sense.
No. Yeah, totally. I think Chris's characters very much like anybody who's experienced, like moving out and coming back to your, you know, your, your home base and not being able to fit in anymore. Exactly the same way you did when you were a child, because things have changed and your cousins have experienced living there, all their lives.
So yeah, it's kind of, they always refer to him as the coconut, which
Julia: I thought was interesting because I've heard that term, not just. I've never heard that term within like the Mexican community I've only ever heard it. Um, when I, when people are like fighting about, um, someone of Asian descent that was, um, eyeopening for me, I guess like the term coconut being like brown on the outside white on the inside actually could potentially work in more than one culture as a, as a
Stephanie: negative.
That's funny because I haven't heard it in that way. I've always heard it in like gear a coconut, if you're, you know, brown on the outside and white on the inside, you know, like for, for our culture, like refer to people as coconut. It's nice to know that it's not just using one, you know, community it's used within communities.
And so I think it's funny that they always refer to him as that. Maybe he didn't, you know, and, and the thing you have to also think is like, he struggles with that identity because he so badly wants to belong. Now that he's back in Boyle Heights and he wants to fit in, and it's kind of hard for him to do that.
And you see that throughout the, um, you know, the show and, and gets highlighted constantly.
Julia: Yeah. Especially in the episode, episode nine, protest and tacos where they're a part of the food tour. So Ana is a lesbian and she has this girlfriend Yessica, and we get this really great backstory about how they met in episode.
I want to say it's episode seven and so fast forward to episode nine and Yessica is so upset about mama Finos taco shop being a part of the food tour, because it's just bringing more gentrifiers into the neighborhood. What I loved about Chris in that episode is that he is so desperately trying to help his grandfather's shop, stay alive.
Well, and Eric, they're all trying to figure it out. And then you have people in the community who are telling them this isn't the right way to do it. You're doing it wrong. But then no, one's really talking about alternative solutions to sort of help the taco shop survive.
Stephanie: Yeah. And I think in like, like going back to like episode one, it's like, you're seeing Eric and, um, Chris to have like this bad relationship, just because they're both trying to help, like want to kind of sort of help, but it's just not happening.
And like, they can't get along and it gets better with, you know, with each episode, but it's still like that identity crisis that Chris suffers with from the beginning, you realize, you know, you, you get introduced to him where he works and he works for a white man, all the Latinos around him who are, that's the story of fine dining in.
Especially in California, it's you go to these fancy restaurants? And even though he's the coconut, he still falls into the category of the Mexican cook and the always under the hierarchy of, of a white man, you know, like it's always the rich get richer and the poor they where they're at. And, and you see that just within that community, you know?
So I think Chris's characters really key in, in this storyline because he was gentrified, he moved out, but then now he's struggling to come back and fit in.
Julia: Yeah, I, man, I, by the time you get to episode eight, you kind of, I didn't forget, forget about the restaurant, but you've grown with him beyond that, that, and, and you're right in the beginning, it's just there.
So the guys in the kitchen with him are just kind of. They like tease them all the time. And it's funny, but you can see it in his face that it hurts a little bit because he doesn't see himself. Well, he kind of does see himself differently, but then at the same time, he's still like, I'm, I'm one of you he's always got this sort of, I want more tone to him, you know, like with his desire to go to cooking school and, or excuse me, culinary school, um, especially when he's like, you know, working for this guy, he's got Michelin stars, which is huge in the restaurant world, but at what sacrifice, because I know it was not a good guy.
He was so mean to the staff and he was very racially prejudiced. When you get to the episode where he finally sort of lose it, where, um, Chris finally sort of not loses it, I guess you could say he loses it. I mean,
Stephanie: we've all been there, right? Where you're. You reach your breaking point, you know, you're, there's only so much you're willing to take, especially when there's a lot of those racial slurs that were being brought out.
Like there was a point where he said sh and I wrote it down. The, the, the chef says like, oh, these people don't have papers. I can call ice on them. Right. And that, like, that's such a trigger in our community. Like these people are trying to make a living. And even though Chris struggles with his mix gun identity, he identifies as Mexican.
And he knows that this is a struggle, especially knowing I think that pops is an immigrant, you know, like you're always going to stand up for your family. And I feel like he almost felt like his kitchen family, that he's the cooks that, you know, they never get that name of chef, even though they're the ones doing all the cooking, um, the cooks, you know, they, they, um, They're all like the grandfather, you know, they're immigrants.
Like somebody needs to be standing up for them. And, and that's where I think, like, it was so heartwarming to see that he, although he struggles with it, like he still knows what's right. And what's wrong, you know, and how people should be treated because, and this is going to go segue into another conversation where, uh, Ana's mom, you know, she doesn't want to stand up for herself at work.
Somebody else has to be the voice of reason. And Chris was a voice of reason for these people. Like somebody needs to stand up.
Julia: Yeah. That's a really good segue into, um, on a storyline. So on as an artist, which being an artist myself, that's a very, um, our culture. Doesn't really like the struggling artist.
We really like the whole, like you're successful. So now we can support you sort of, sort of narrative. So, you know, she's struggling to make her artwork. She's working at a bar, she's got this girlfriend, who's a social activist. Um, and then her mom is literally working. Day and night after hours after a shift is done to support the family.
So, so last year when I watched the show and it dropped it, didn't like, I felt for Ana a lot because it was just like, man, trying to make your art successful so hard. I can't imagine, like, I already know what it's like when you have family members who don't or friends who don't fully get it, but I can't imagine what it's like for your mom to not get it.
But then this year when I was rewatching it in preparation for our conversation and watching her mom, that episode where her mom is, you see her working, she has to go to the bathroom and our bosses. Like it's not time for a break. You don't get to have a break that ache of her wanting, like you could see that she wants more for her life.
And so trying to balance. How she can achieve that. But then also seeing her daughter sort of feeling like her, daughter's not contributing to the household. So I'm rambling all this to say it's very common when you're a creative artist person, that your family is going to be like, you're not doing enough to contribute to the household, but then you add the layer of, you know, Beatrice is literally working herself to death in the garment industry.
And she's an, you know, so then you have the immigrant component too. Like what are her limitations because of where she is and where she lives, the way it's creating a conflict between mother and daughter.
Stephanie: Yeah. There's the gallery scene. Um, at the very end where the mom is seeing like her daughter's art and it's almost like full circle, you know, she gets to see that her daughter is, is trying to make it and, and she says something about, I think I wrote it down, was like, I thought you were going to paint me in this light of angry and yelling, but she sees her mom is joyous and a person who's worthy, you know?
And that's, that's the thing that, you know, during the show and you see like the struggle that they have as, as a, as a, you know, mother daughter relationship, but in not within our families, we're so close knit that like, she never once, like she threatens to kick her out, but she never kicks her out. She acts like she's not supportive, but it's just this facade that they have, you know, the mom feels like she has to keep up with, you know, like I still have to be a mom, but no matter what the love is there, you know, she has a love for her kids in Anna loves her mother.
And I don't want us to be able to be a good daughter, but also. Struggling to help her mom because art is there, but it's not, you know, it's not financially giving her much, you know, and I really liked the Anna and her art in the first episode she has, um, she kind of gives you a little bit of foreshadowing with her art.
There's a, there's a piece where has all these for rent, for lease signs. And I was like, this is what we're going to focus on. This is now that I see it, I'm like eat it, just foreshadow. What, what happens? And what's happening throughout with mama feena and. You know, she she's highlighting the struggle of her community.
And, you know, I know that it gets hard with her and her art, you know, but she's really trying, you know, she's trying to connect like her passion, but everything that's happening around her, her art reflects her community. Um, and that's even another struggle because she, she wants to highlight, highlight all this stuff, but to what costs, you know, and I love, I love her character in this because it does show you the perspective of being an artist, especially somewhere where you would think, you know, Boyle Heights and LA like you'd think that this is where all the artists go.
She is the title of a struggling artists, or you think you'd have so much opportunity, but even as a brown woman, she's still struggling. Um,
Julia: and then when Tim, who is this, I mean, for lack of, I mean, call it what it is. He's a total gentrifier coming in and buying properties. He discovers her at this party and it's just like, you're so amazing and gives her that boost of confidence that she's, it's not that she's craving it, but she definitely isn't getting it in the way that she wants it from her family.
Like, yes, they love her and support her, but they're not praising her overtly all the time. And so here's Tim, this curly hair, white guy with beads around his neck. Who's like, you know, all about queer allyship. And so it's putting her in this position of like elevating her in her art and giving her the space to have her voice.
But. It comes at a price, the scene where with Ofelia and he has purchased the building that the convenience store is located in any hires, her Anna to do a mural on the building. And then we later learned that he never discussed it with the person who actually owns the business. And so just seeing the devastate, like you can see it in her eyes that she feels like, like, Anna feels like she's been betrayed by Tim, but then also she's portrayed her fellow neighbor because she didn't know that she wasn't looped in.
And then when she tries to fix it with the, what do they call it? The shop kind of like a cash grab, if you will, like where everyone comes in and buys all the stuff to like help her. So she doesn't lose the business based on the mural that, and I don't want to give away what the mural is because I want people to watch it.
Cause it was like a really beautiful moment. That moment where she unveils it and she and her girlfriend have like this really beautiful moment in that. Um, but then, you know, Anna tries to fix it, but then it's still just doing more harm. And then when Ophelia just kind of like checks are in a way of like, this is my business and no one's including me in on the conversation.
Like that's not okay. I cried.
Stephanie: Yeah. Yeah. It's emotional. It's like, there's so many emotions going on because you feel for Anna, you feel for Ophelia, you know, and I know that Anna is trying to do the right thing, but a few Leah feels like you said left out. I mean, they do that cash mob
Julia: cash mob. That's what it's called.
Thank you.
Stephanie: I just remembered what it was called, but they do the cash mob and it almost feels like that. She says I'm not running my business. You know, in a lot of those mom and pops shops, they've been there, their institutions, you know, they've been there for so long. They have regulars and they're okay with their regular there.
They're not in, they're not in need of, of, you know, having these cash mobs. And it's hard to understand from an outsider perspective, it's like, oh, I'm doing a good deed. You know? And I was like, yeah, I'm going to bring in some revenue. But for her, she says, I w I liked my work I chose, which are my drunk people come my regulars.
And that's how it is, you know? And she does where we struggle with change, especially in those types of situations where it's already there. It's been there for many years. They have their, their way of doing it. They make ends meet. There's no need for a, you know, a change per se. And I think that's what a lot of people struggle with nowadays.
Anybody who has had an establishment for many years, it's the changes is not something that we're willing to take in just yet. It might take some time and. That doesn't say that a few, it doesn't understand that Anna is trying, you know, it's just at what cost, you know, it's hard, you know, I think Ofelia does a really good job of standing up for her.
Um, and that's hard for somebody who has set in their ways and you can tell she's pretty set in her ways. But when that drunk guy, there's a drunk guy that comes in one in that episode and he calls her, um, uh, Marty macho, I believe that's what she calls her and not is a lesbian. And she's a lesbian. Yeah.
Like that's, that's who she is, but people don't go around the street calling me, um, you know, heterosexual. Like it's not the way you do it. Right. And calling her out like that. Oh, feeling I knew he was in the wrong and she's like, get out of. So that that's heartwarming because although all this chaos is happening, I'm still going to defend you.
You're still my neighbor, you're still my community.
Julia: And that part, and that her doing that, it hit my heart in a way where it was just like, she's still so understanding about community and supporting community and, and the younger generation is trying to figure out what their balance is, right? Like they're trying to figure out, you know, I love my community, but how do, how do we still survive?
How do we survive gentrification? And just, just seeing an older woman. Cause you know, a lot of times it's the older generations that don't fully understand like identity in that way. And also seeing this older woman sort of be like, no, you don't get to talk to somebody like that in my store. Get out.
Stephanie: Yeah. You know, you know, and you know, with Anna's character, it's like a breath of fresh air to see that her whole family. Never once questioned her because she has this real, that, you know, because she is lesbian and sometimes within the, the, the Latino or Mexican community that's frowned upon because it's not normal for people because that's what they think is not normal.
Then the older generations. And I'm not trying to group them all together because they will have opened their mind up to being accepted, uh, more acceptable of, of, um, the community. But, you know, I love that that's never been brought up like, you know what, then her mom, they have this exchange relationship.
The only thing that I did pick up on, and it was in the first episode is, and I, and I have to say it, you know, the way that the mom said, and I wrote it was, um, she called Jessica, uh, as girlfriend , which means, uh, you know, a black girl that's like pretty much always here. Like she's always, you know, a burden almost.
That is racism within our, you know, our own people. And I might struggle with that. And, but her mom never once calls her on anything else, you know, and her and grandpa either pops doesn't either. He, you know, nobody else, everybody is very accepting of who she is. And I could appreciate that because there is so many people out there within our communities that they, they're not accepted and it makes her character that much more stronger.
And, and that's why she carries herself the way she is. She has a lot of people supporting her. I think the show shows you that, that there's, they all support each other in one way or another their community.
Julia: Yes. Which was why the Tim character was so frustrating for me because he was kind of forcing Anna into this allied.
Of, um, you know, and yes, be allies because you're both in the LGBTQ community. That's great. You know, you, you understand each other's struggles in that respect, but he wasn't able to put himself in her position in the sense of, with empathy in the sense of, she's not just a queer woman, she's a queer brown woman.
So there's more to it. I think at one point he's like something to the effect of like gays got to stick together when they're at her art show in the later episode. And I had this moment watching that where I was just like, it's not that simple for her. It's not that simple for her. She is a brown woman in.
That already undervalues brown women that already undervalues artists. And now you're like, sort of forcing her to ally with you because you're both in the LGBTQ community. You're not embracing the fact that she's brown. You're tokenizing it.
Stephanie: Yeah. That's a perfect segue to what I was just going to say is that in that episode, when he's talking about her.
He starts saying, oh, her mom lives in a sweat shop, grandpa. I mean, I don't know if she says this, but he starts like talking about all these things that she is like more like, oh, let me, like you said, tokenize on the fact that her mom is an immigrant they're low income. I don't know exactly how it was said.
And, and I mean, that's why you have to watch this show because it just, you see that and it's happening. It happens so much more than we think. Like people find a way to market the fact that you are a minority and, oh, she has a story to her. How about we don't highlight those things. It's not everybody has a struggle.
Let's highlight the fact that she is making it as an artist and part of who she is and everything that she's overcame it, you have to, you know, if he wanted to do it though, it's just the way he framed it. And he was talking to this woman who is a real estate agent. He's just like, oh, and she did this.
And like all the bad things, but like,
Julia: yes, that's exactly. And that's why Tim's so icky. He's so picky.
Stephanie: He. He needs to be part of it, because if this is happening and it brings up a new light, but yeah, he was one of those characters I really struggled with.
Julia: Oh my gosh.
Yeah. When he first showed up and he's like, make me, uh, some, some kind of princess, my princess. And I was just like, oh, okay. I wondered when this character was going to show up.
Stephanie: Yeah. And he like tries to do, you know, at the scene where they're at the party, where, where Tim and Anna, like, even they increased, like the ma they're not increased, but their, their relationship gets stronger because of this.
You know, this is where money starts coming into play is dressed like the Mayan princess or whatever. And I was like, wait to show cultural appropriation. Right. They're like, let me, you know, look the certain way. That's going to be, you know, that's, that's, that's cool. That's the cool thing to do really is do you really know what you just dressed up as let's be more culturally aware things not appropriate it because you're the white man and oh, I'm doing something cool.
You know? Yeah.
Julia: It's unique. I'm different. I'm different because I can be a part of it. But then also you're part of the problem, Tim. You're the problem. There was an interesting cause. So Anna meets Tim at this birthday party where she's face painting. And then what struck me about her storyline that is very universal for artists is that when she goes to get payment and the mall, and like, it's this huge party it's super elaborate for a child like.
I just, I can't. And so she goes to get payment and she's like, oh, we agree to behind XML. And she's like, oh, you know, like times are really tough right now. Like, you know what I mean? And then proceeds to, like, in the background, this little girl was driving her leg. What is it? It's like a car for kids that can drive.
And it has all this, like, you know, fanciness to it. And she's like, you know, times are tough. And, and I was just like looking around, you know, she's just like, okay, this is ironic. Cause you're telling me that you can't afford to pay the agreed upon price, but you probably spent a couple of grand on this party without including the presence that really just,
Stephanie: he says, guess what?
She's a struggling artist. And.
Julia: Uh, you can't afford a bad reputation. You can't afford a reputation of being difficult. And then when Tim shows up and is like, oh, I'll pay you $2,000 to paint this mural. And she's like, I'll do it for 3000. I was like, yes, stand up for yourself. Tell her a little, you
Stephanie: know that, no, I love that.
I love that she did that because it shows you that we don't just have to accept with what's being given to us like she did in the party. Because in that part, you know, she takes this gig on, because her mom's like, Hey, I need to bring some more money in. And she takes this, you know, this isn't face.
Painting is not her real thing. You know, she's, she's an artist. She, she likes creating art, you know? And, um, she gets paid in leftovers and like, that was even a struggle, but she takes it because. That's what we do. It's, it's a necessity, you know,
Julia: so real. I was waiting for the, I was surprised they didn't tie try to bring in the, you know, this is exposure because we hear that a lot in artists' community.
Oh, it'll be great. Exposure, exposure. Doesn't pay rent guys. Um, but thanks.
Stephanie: Yeah. Yeah. I mean that, it's so true. It's like, oh yeah, internships, volunteer, work. Like,
Julia: yeah. Do all this free labor. That's never going to get you anywhere or,
Stephanie: yeah. It helped my help. You, you know, but it's almost that idea of like, like when she gets in with Tim, it's like who, you know, and that's what we're always told.
It's about who, you know, but what about showing who you are and the talent you can bring? And I have been so much not even within the, within the, you know, even if you think about Chris, He that's why he was working with this chef. It's right. We know
Julia: he wanted the recommendation to get into culinary school, man.
That guy was a tool. I hated that guy. I'm so glad he told them off.
Stephanie: Yeah, those, those two characters, you know, they, they was two different types of characters, but they both were white men, white men, I guess what we have to kind of shut a better, I can be like, oh, well, okay. I'll, I'll listen to them, but I'm glad that they stood up to them, you know?
Julia: Yeah, me too. Yeah, I love. Um, so, so Eric and Chris, you know, they always have the struggle in the beginning. Yeah, they're so cute. Um, but I loved Eric and Lydia storyline too, because I feel like Lydia is such a strong character. She like knows who she is for people listening, who haven't seen the show.
Lydia is Eric's girlfriend on again, off again, girlfriend. Um, and she's someone like Chris in the sense that she's left Boyle Heights. She went to school in Stanford and then she came back to do work in the community to help the community thrive. Um, and so they, we find out in the first episode that they're expecting a child.
And so just watching that sort of play out through every episode, you know, their grandma pops is like pops loves Lydia, her dad. And he are good friends. Like this is just a very much like everyone's people are happy about this, but Lydia and Eric are trying to figure. What, how they fit now and what they want now.
And Lydia's got life things going on that don't necessarily align with what everyone else wants. I don't want to give anything away, but I just loved their story. I
Stephanie: cried a lot. I did too. You know, I was watching it last night and I, you know, the specific episode where they highlight them the most. And I was like, I was in tears.
I was like, oh my gosh, this is rough. You know? Um, like you said, we don't want to give too much away, but just life and things that you have to do sacrifices you need to make, but their relationship shows you it's raw. It shows you that it does not always, you know, rainbows and butterflies and you're bringing in a child and it's another layer of added stress.
And. Like you said she's successful. She has it going on. She's coming back and helping her community. And then Eric, he struggling, you know, he wants to help is he, you know, he wants to help mama feena become successful and, um, wants to make sure that pop is okay. But he also wants to be the provider with that because I think he feels in a sense, like, he's, that's like it for him, but when you see him and, uh, as a character you see that he really likes to read and really smart, you know, he, he wants to make sure his community is bettering themselves.
And I love that about him. It's like, he always gets seen as a characters, kind of like, oh, this guy who's immature, doesn't know anything. But you're constantly seeing him read or get a light on something. And like, I think there's an episode, you know, with Chris and Eric, they always, you know, argue about everything and there's a time where they are trying to figure out how to, um, help mama feena survive.
And they're meeting up with the lawyer and he, Eric had all the right questions. But Chris being an outsider is like, no, no, no. Like don't ask those questions. And then when the lawyer reassures him that he's doing the right thing, he's asking her, I quit. I was like, yes. Like somebody seeing that he's learning these things.
He's smart. He, and I think Lydia sees that too. You know, she, she, she sees that in him. You know, obviously she's, she's a strong woman she's in pretty independent. So she's not just going to be like, oh, it's fine. I'm going to let you come into my life again. Right. Um, okay. You know, like we're having a child, um, she believes in him though.
Yes.
Julia: That's huge. And I think we really see how much she loves him in the scene where he's analyzing Anna's art. And she's like, what do you think Anna was thinking when she painted this? And he just got real deep and it was such a, it was so beautiful hearing him. Express what his opinion was. Not just because it was deep and thoughtful, but because he was also being kind of vulnerable in it too.
And throughout the series, I thought he's just very much a man, you know, he's got this very much. Like he kept saying that I'm a grown ass man, and we get your grown ass, man, Eric, but also maybe calmed down a little bit because it's, you know, we not only to help each other, but when you see the way that Lydia is looking at him, as he's talking about Anna's art and what he thinks, it means it was just like, I don't know.
I don't know if it was meant to be like a super like sexy scene, you know? But to me that was just so sexy to hear a man speak in that way with such vulnerability about something so meaningful. I was like, oh, good job. You guys, why didn't they submit this for, I mean, consideration,
Stephanie: it was, it was really heartful and.
Yeah, I guess like Eric, you're doing it again, like making us fall in love with your character even more, you know, I felt like a really like, like it was so, um, heartwarming that, that seemed, you know, like, okay, like, she's, she's like, this is my man, you know, like he's smart. Like, yeah. Like I see it. Um, I liked the episode two where he starts the little Leebro, um, um, you know, the, the reward system and she's like all about it.
That's all we need. Right. Like, even though we're struggling and we're having a hard time when somebody is there tobacco stuff, it's like, oh yes. And especially if it's like your significant other, it's like more, you know, acceptable and fun, you know,
Julia: their relationship was, I think. We needed to see that kind of representation on TV, because we see so much of couples who are pregnant and they're not married and their paths are kind of going in different directions.
And they sort of like get written back into being forced into each other again. And what I love about Eric and Lydia is that the writers sort of leaned into the reality of their situation, but also helped this organic conclusion show up in the sense of like, cause I don't want to give anything away, but in the sense of like they, at the end of it, they're loving and supporting of each other and they have this great respect for each other.
I really appreciate that they sort of laid this footprint for people to see how it could be resolved in a positive way. And everyone sort of. Is respectful and loving and supportive of each other. I thought they did a really good job without trying to give anything away. Yeah. I know
Stephanie: that they did a good job because they, they also show that that they're a couple that struggles, you know, like, I mean there were in the beginning, you didn't even know if they were really a couple or not, and you know, and they, they shed some light on the fact that like, they're not an Instagram family.
They're not, you know, they're not this perfect family. They, we don't even know if they're family at this point, any needs later on that you start seeing the development and another things. But I like that it's raw. And I liked that. It shows you that it's not always rainbows and butterflies. Like he, Eric and pops have a conversation about like, Hey, you're going to have a child.
You need to grow up, even though you're a grown man, you need to grow up and you need to step up. And, you know, Lydia knows she's she could be the provider on her own, but with some help, it could, it could be good too. And I like that they do that. You know, they show you that, yeah, it can be done on your own, but he's also a father and, um, pops doesn't want, you know, Eric to go down the same path that his, that, you know, his father went through.
And we don't know a lot about that. You know, it feels like, um, Eric has maybe some something in his past that, and hopefully we find out in a second season, you know, it's the way, he's a reason. He is the way he is for a reason. And, um, I liked that pops, you know, it was always so supportive of all of his grandchildren.
Yeah. All of them. He has his own struggles with his business, but he's always so supportive and no matter what he wants them to be happy, he wants them to be successful and he's willing to do it at all costs. You know, it's nice that he supportive of their relationship and wanting to make sure that no matter what, Eric is still a provider to that child.
Yeah.
Julia: Yeah. Which I think contributes to Chris's sort of, uh, identity crisis because of the way that his dad sort of speaks about Boyle Heights.
Stephanie: Yeah. Yeah.
Julia: And how hard he's worked. So he doesn't have to live in the ghetto. I think he says that a couple of times and
Stephanie: curious to know. Why doesn't he help pops out?
Right. He seems like he's a successful character, you know, but we don't know him. We don't really know about him, but, you know, I always think about like, what happened with him in pops, pops out and I love the character of pop say no. And I think that he, he, he struggles a lot throughout the whole, uh, the whole series.
Julia: Yeah. So mama Phoenix, for those of you who are listening is basically the taco shop. He started with his wife, his wife is Delphina. Um, we've learned that she's, you know, in the first episode we learn that she's no longer with us. And so the shop is just, it's not just his taco shop. It's also where he and his wife were happy and loved.
And so I love how much they show in the beginning of like their relationship before she's done, because he's just this big loving Teddy bear. And it's just so sweet.
Stephanie: Yeah, it is. And, and, you know, I'm really happy. They chose him as the actor. So a little bit about the character, uh, pops. He he's actually an actor that has come out in Spanish.
Um, oh, shows and stuff. Yeah. I have seen him. Um, so he, he has played always like, um, different types of characters, but I think this one, I think I've seen him in two different, um, shows before or the Lenovo Velez. I'm not sure. I don't remember exactly, but I know his character is his, he's a seasoned doctor and I love that him, they bring him back and he, his character, it just shows you that, that like kid, he, so like, like you said, mama, Phoenix is more than just a taco shop.
It's. It brings back good memories of him and his wife. And that's why he struggles with changing it. And he knows things need to change. And even though his grandchildren, like constantly are telling him, like, especially Chris, like, oh, you need to do this. You need to do that. I wanted to talk about lupus.
Oh yeah. Yeah. Luca is like, the character is a character that gets brought on in, um, one of the episodes and she is an owner of authentic couches, like a botanical shop. And they, they have like a lot of different types of herbal medicines and things of that sort and loop. It is a business owner who has experienced gentrification and she's, she actually has embraced it.
And she has a successful, you know, um, career and she has a successful business and it's because she was able to modify it. Whereas when, um, You know, loop is an old friend of gussy meat or pops, and she she's very open to the idea of change and she helps him feel more confident. And I love that that relationship that they have because, um, this is a new, or do you know an old person, older person friend for many years.
Whereas like when you hear your young grandchildren telling you to change, you're kind of like, oh, a little hesitant, you know, nice to have that character who kind of brings them to the senses and shows him that change is good. I know that, that we don't want to, like, we don't want to step away from the idea of like mama Finos and stuff, but just to make it successful, they're there, you know, there's always that back and forth.
Like, do I change it? Do I keep it? And how do you grow? Yeah. And she helps with kind of no, showing him the side of a successful business that has embraced change.
Julia: Yeah. I really love her too. She had such a warmth about her that I think that just felt very universal, you know?
Stephanie: Yeah. She shed a different light on like life for him as well.
You know, because pops is the caring grandfather and he's afraid to let go. And even though he's getting older, he's afraid to let go, but she tells him like, you know, you, what do you want to do? Like, he's like, I want to sleep more and you don't want to be able to enjoy a day off. And those are things that help him, you know, later on as, as a character with his grandchildren.
And I kind of see a different light and the potential mama Phoenix can be. Yeah.
Julia: Yeah. I just love him, his cowboy hats. So cute.
Stephanie: Yes. You know, he's so like, so real, like, I love that about him. Like he's in his home. Like you guys will see that he said the show is just, you'll love watching it and you'll be hooked on him.
Cause he's just such a good person.
Julia: He really is. Here's what I love. I love a well-acted. Right. When you forget that they're actors, you forget that they're pretending to be in this fake world. All of these characters are so convincingly real while you're watching that to me is the best thing about movies and television is when you can put together a cast like that.
And the, the folks who assembled this show did such a great job in that way, because you feel like pops is your grandpa. You feel like Eric and Ana and Chris can be your friends and or relatives like Lydia, you feel like you want to go and like help Lydia and Yessica and their causes like they did. And I yelly and his little sister, we didn't talk about her yet, but she's such a great little sister.
The show does not get enough recognition. It did not get an African mission at all
Stephanie: at all. Like I have watched multiple shows on Netflix and this is the one show that like I had to sit through the war. I binge-watched shows before, but this one was like the one I actually, like I was watching it, not because I wanted to know what happened at the end.
I liked the development of every episode. I didn't even really care if there was an end or not. I wanted to just keep watching because I laughed. I cried, I enjoyed the characters pops. I feel like he could be my grandpa. He reminds me of my grandpa. I think if I saw him on the streets someday, like I would, I wouldn't even refer to him as his name because it's pops like his, you know, he has a really good character and all of the characters are great.
The show is some is one of my favorites. It's a hits close to home, but it's also just like, feel good show. Yeah. So
Julia: I thought it was really well executed in the sense that it's, you know, very culturally specific, but at the same time, you still sort of as a person who is. Represented in this, in this show as part of the culture, it's so effective in making you the viewer feel something.
And that's just so important. I think that's such a huge part of being able to come into a situation and say, okay, so let's think about what's happening. Maybe I shouldn't be an asshole. Who's racially prejudice. Not that I'm saying I am, but you know, like when people say things, you're just like, okay, so you lack understanding.
And this show, I think helps highlight in a way that the theme of family first, the theme of love the theme of gentrification. Those things can have elements to it that are easily to relatable if you were not coming from a Mexican background. And I think the producers of the show did such a great job of reminding everybody.
Family is universal. Yeah, commitment of family is universal. The balancing of family is universal. And so then they add the layer of, you know, we have this Mexican family that we're, that is trying to balance everything. So you, you can relate to the family theme and then you gain understanding because they're bringing in elements of the Mexican culture of what it's like being Mexican American, being an immigrant, et cetera.
And
Stephanie: I think also one theme that I saw, like a recurring theme is food is the, like that universal love language. Like that's what always brought them together, was like when they were at mama Finos or there was like a time where, um, you know, I think it was, um, Jessica and Anna and Chris and Eric, and like one of their friends we're all together and they're enjoying food and you know, you're Mexican street dogs and they're having a conversation like a good conversation.
I always say. Food is always like a center of conversation and, um, their love for it. I think that was another theme that I saw and can I help, but think about also like emotions that I brought up in and, um, not only emotions, but also like the way I see things, I was following the storyline. And sometimes I struggled with like, well, change is good.
We know like, oh, I, I sided with Jessica in that sense of like, she was like, no, you know, like we, we need to stick up for our community and change. She's not saying change is bad, but it's just like to what expense. Right? So you almost, you struggle with a little bit of bias and within the show and it's eye opening, you know, Now second time watching it.
I'm more aware of things that both sides go through. And, um, I like that. I like that. It makes me aware of things that, you know, I might've just had like a total bias opinion on, you know, to, to open your eyes and reflect on, on what really is going on within these communities. You know? Um, it's a true struggle of two tails, you know, it's like, ah, where do we fit in between where the community.
Successful, but it's also growing and thriving,
Julia: right? I definitely related to Chris the most in the beginning because he's struggling with fitting in, he's struggling with, how can I help? I've got all these ideas and he's sort of bringing in ideas without listening to the locals, if you will. And then as the show progressed, I really started feeling Ana a lot.
Because again, the artists thing, you know, you want your art to be your sole source of income. You want to be successful in that. And again, it's that question of, to what cost and Yessica really calls her out in an episode about it, but really broke. My heart was. There's an episode. I think it's called brown love.
Yeah. Episode seven. And I Ellie's doing this report for school about, you know, love or whatever. And asks, where do you guys see yourselves in five years? And yes, because five-year plan includes Anna and then Anna's five-year plan is all about her art. And that was just like me giving something away in the show.
But, but it hit in a way where you're just, it, it it's a pivot, right? Because sometimes artists forget to include outside elements into their plans because they've been surviving instead of thriving. So they're so focused on how can I thrive instead of survive that, you know, we tend to forget to include other people in our plans.
Yeah. And that really like hit me like, oh, I've done that. Whoops. And so to see, yes, it gets face. I was like, oh shit. That's how people feel when I say stuff like that. Oh man, I'm a terrible person.
Stephanie: Yeah. And it's not like, you're not thinking about the other person. It's just that in that moment, where do I see myself?
Like, you know, you're, I think we assume that those people are already included in that. And so it is, it is rough, you know, it is rough to hear those kinds of things, you know? And I guess in a sense you have to be like, oh, I have to be more aware of how I'm saying things, but maybe just make sure people know, like we're in my plans.
It's just, this is what I want to do for myself. You know, it's about personal growth as well, you know? And I think that that's what Anna is highlighting is like her personal growth and what she wants to do in five years. And my assumption was that she was including,
Julia: oh, that's interesting. Who was your favorite character on the show?
Stephanie: Um, my favorite character. I mean, I liked them all, but I liked Lydia because. Really relate to her. I'm not a person who has children, but I just could relate to her because I have a really good relationship with my father. And she had a really good relationship with her father and her father is, um, you know, kind of struggling with her li you know, her like goals, her career goals.
And, um, I think that that's, that I related to her because I. Have career goals and I have a really good, you know, it's that family unit thing. When in a sense, I also related with Anna because she was always trying to help her mom. And that's the way that we are always trying to help our families. And so that's why I was like, I related to those two characters and I really liked them both.
Um, but Lydia definitely was my favorite just because, um, I could relate to her and the struggle of like hoping to reach some career goals, but thinking about your family and, um, you know, she left once before and she came back wanting, like I did something similar. I left for college and I came back and I fit right back in because I lived here, but there's always like that need for wanting more and maybe going somewhere.
Yeah, and I really liked her, but I mean, all the characters that were just like so great,
Julia: like you said, what do you want to see in season two?
Stephanie: I want to see the development of Lydia and Eric's relationship. Yes. I want to see how that goes. Um, I want to see where Chris for his character goes because he's still struggling.
And so, without saying too much, like what's next for him, it leaves in a really, I mean, I'm not going to give out what it leaves. You need to watch it to understand it. And. I want to see that I want to see what happens. You know, there's a lot of like cliffhangers. I will say that about this show. And then I don't want to give too much, this is why you need to watch it because season two is hopefully coming and
Julia: it is, Netflix did announce there's going to be a season two, but they haven't announced when I am DB just says 20, 21.
Well, it's April guys. Like, are you recording? Come on. I need
Stephanie: answers. Yeah. So I'm curious to see all of that. And just in general, like what happens to some of the characters that get highlighted and kind of get not, you know, they're not forgotten completely, but just. Back and forth. I mean, there's, there's the mariachis that I wonder what's going to happen to them.
Julia: Oh my gosh. We didn't even talk about that episode girl. Oh my gosh.
Stephanie: That was a rough one.
Julia: It really was. The episode is called the grapevine it's episode six and Javier is the main person in the mariachi band that we follow and he has a son that's Nial Ellie's age. And so just I'm like, how do we talk about it without giving too much away?
Stephanie: Yeah, no, I'm just curious to see like what, what's the development of that, the mariachi and what happened. And,
Julia: um, he could probably do a whole, I could probably do a whole episode on just that particular episode alone because there was a lot packed into episode six a lot. And I cried a lot. I mean, I
Stephanie: just cried this show.
Like he said it's full of emotions. I didn't, I didn't think that I was going to be this emotional the second time. Same, but I got more emotional something we didn't touch on it. And I really think it's important to highlight. Is there was different types of Latinos. Yes. Not only Latinos, they always talk.
They also talk about Erica she's Dominican and, um, they all get for, for whatever reason. We always tend to group everybody together. And I love that Erica is still true to herself and she, yeah, just she's, she's, she's so true to herself and you know, she, she continues on. She'll talk about, you know, some, a little bit of her being Dominican and Norma, who's also a character and she's the cook at mama feena.
Then she stopped flooring it and then we have another chef in or cook in, in the first episode who is, I don't know. I don't remember if he was like been a swelling or okay. Yeah. And like they, all, everybody gets grouped, but I highlighted. Spanish speaking groups, you know, they're not all the same, you know, all together, but I love that they bring different, they shed a light on, on different, um, cultures as well.
Not a lot, a lot, but enough to where it's like, all these people are struggling, have their own struggles and they're minorities and similar, but different
Julia: bringing it back to him. There's a scene where Anna and I forget who the third person is in the scene, but he basically calls the two women refers to the two women as being exactly the same in terms of like where they're from or their background.
And they both at the same time. Oh yeah. It's Ophelia. And they both, at the same time, like correct him. And he just like brushes them off, like blah, whatever I know. What's right. Like, no, bro acknowledged that like these are two very different cultural experiences. Like.
Okay. That's who you are to, I'm still, don't like you. I agree. I want to see Eric and Lydia and season two, because the way season one ended it's heartwarming. And we do have a lot of that happy ending stuff in Hollywood, even with serious stuff, when it comes to. Pregnancy. There's always that happier happily ever after, but then we don't ever get the next chapter.
So I would like to see what their next chapter looks like. Especially with the way that ended. I kind of hope we meet Chris's dad.
Stephanie: He calls him in kukui on his phone, which means like the scary guy pretty much like, oh, like, like the big, bad Wolf type, like character, like, oh, when you say cocoa in Spanish, it's like, oh no, he's going to keep Danny.
Yeah. I'm curious to see who he is and why he has a niece. He doesn't even talk to really, to his own father. So curious to see why he doesn't talk to pops almost in there that dynamic. And
Julia: then two I'd like to see, um, If we get more about Eric's dad, cause again, they kept alluding to the fact of Eric. You don't want to end up like your dad, which is always a negative tone.
You know, it's always like assumed that something bad happened to him. So, you know, are we assuming that he's in jail, dead missing? Like what, what is it about Eric's dad that we don't want Eric to end up? Like,
Stephanie: yeah. And you know what I struggled a little bit with, and I'm still very confused and maybe you can clarify this because maybe other people who watch this might feel the same way.
It's Anna's mom Beatrice. Like what is she is she, um, pops his daughter. Like I really feel that way.
Julia: I didn't feel that way either. I thought so the first time I watched it, I didn't actually piece it together, but this time watching it, I thought, I wonder if maybe she's the daughter-in-law and maybe pops had like.
Three kids, all boys and each one of the grandkids is one of their kids because they make a very clear distinction. And one of the episodes that, that Anna and Eric are cousins. Yeah. Cause he said something, somebody said something to him and he's like full that's my cousin. Um, so it was like, okay, there's that?
But then when they're at the art gallery for Anna show, they don't interact like father daughter. Do you know,
Stephanie: maybe you'll be able to shed a light on that episode. I mean, season two, hopefully just to understand that dynamic, um, it seems like they all have a really good relationship though. I will say that.
Yeah.
Julia: Which is what I love. I love, um, shows that do have a very strong family. And we've talked about this offline. Like your family is really close with. My family is really close, so I, I have a hard time when television shows. And I know that's not everybody's story. I recognize that now that I'm older, but I do find that it makes me happy when they show non-traditional type scenarios.
Like in the sense, like Eric's, dad's not in the picture. You know, Chris has a broken relationship with his dad and then the situation between Anna and her mom, but there's still a strong family bond. So it's showing that like, yes, there's a strong family bond, but it doesn't look traditional in the sense of mom and dad are happily married and all the kids are happily married and everyone's happy in their houses with their picket fences.
So I really appreciate when, when that is represented like this isn't a normal unit, but we're still very close and family still very important. Yeah.
Stephanie: And you know what? They also highlight grief and the loss of mama feena and, uh, That it's a constant struggle for, for families. I like that because it's like the family, although they, like you said, they're all walks of life.
They're all doing different things, may great together. They, you know, maybe in their own ways, but they they're all, they're a unit and thinking what makes people, it makes them more relatable families that struggle and that they're there. That's okay. It's like you said, it's not the white picket fence family.
Like even within our conversations. Yes. We're close to our families, but we have our faults and our families have their flaws and, but you can still be close. And, and that's what I like, you know, and, and it's okay if you're not close and there's reasons why, but at least this show will highlight that maybe there's the, you know, things that you can work past.
You know, be a unit and even from afar.
Julia: Yeah, definitely. Oh man. Will you come back after season two airs to talk about it with me?
Stephanie: Yes. I'm excited for season 2, 20, 21. Where here? Yes.
Julia: Give it to us already.
Stephanie: Watch it. And yeah, I definitely would love to come back and talk about season
Julia: two. Oh man. That makes me happy.
I'm I really appreciate your time. And you coming in today to talk about this, I feel like each episode could be its own conversation separately, because like I said, with the great fine episode with the mariachi band, there's so much packed in each. Yeah.
Stephanie: And it's 30 minutes and you're like, wow. It was loaded.
Julia: Yeah. Yeah. Hey, it's your host, Julia. And I just wanted to say thank you so much for sticking around. If you enjoyed this episode about share this episode with your friends. Just send him a link to the episode. If you send it to two or three people who will listen and then we can all have a conversation about the show.
That'd be really cool. Thanks for tuning in y'all .
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