It’s become one of the most common formulas for creating movies and TV shows.

From Netflix to Amazon, everyone wants a piece of the action.

While not every project is a knockout, audiences have seen some successful franchises flourish from this method.

Just off the top of my head are the Harry Potter movies, Twilight, Hunger Games, 50 Shades of Grey, and even the Bridget Jones movies.

And it’s not just the big screen. TV saw the opportunity and jumped on board with shows like The Vampire Diaries, Game of Thrones, Percy Jackson, and The Witcher.

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We likely have the 1697 classic Cinderella to thank for our current state of adaptations. The fairytale was the first book to be made into a movie in 1950.

Although streaming services are the biggest adaptors, some apps take things too far.

Over fifty percent of Apple TV+’s shows in the last five years have all been novel-to-screen adaptations.

Apple TV+ Doesn’t Leave Kids Out Just Because They Don’t Have Credit Cards

Because novels host a whole plethora of genres, the media has been a shortcut to stories for all age groups over the years.

So, it’s unsurprising that a streaming giant like Apple TV+ would have optioned kids’ books for families and young viewers.

While children aren’t exactly signing up for streaming services, kids can be a great motivator for parents. Who doesn’t love a family TV night?

First up, there is Amber Brown, based on Paula Danziger’s book series from the ‘90s.

The show follows Amber Brown, a multiethnic girl navigating the typical pitfalls of growing up while dealing with her parents’ divorce. It’s heavy stuff for kids.

Then there is Surfside Girls, which is based on the graphic novels by Kim Dwinell.

The Apple TV+ series focuses on best friends Jade and Sam when they encounter a ghost who tells them about a pirate ship and curse surrounding the hidden treasure of Surfside.

They may be shows for children, but Apple TV+ knows how to cherry-pick some exciting stories for kids.

Comedy Is The Kind Of Genre That Flourishes When It Goes From Page To Screen

Still, the streamer’s catalog of shows for adults far exceeds that for its younger viewers.

If there is one thing every person on the planet can agree on, one of the best feelings is laughter.

Comedy can be tough to get across on the written page as tone can be challenging to nail down.

However, when an author gets it right, the humor usually translates and magnifies when the novel is adapted for the small or big screen.

Film and TV creators can flesh out projects and enhance the story through a multitude of visual elements and components.

If you’ve seen Palm Royale starring Kristen Wigg, based on the book Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel, then you know a splash of color goes a long way in storytelling.

Even Vince Vaughn’s show, Bad Monkey based on Carl Hiaasen’s novel of the same name, makes sure the physical comedy and visual humor match up to the eccentricity of the book.

Novel-to-screen adaptations are also a great way to bridge language barriers.

Land of Women stars Eva Longoria in a series based on Sandra Barneda’s novel of the same name, but in Spanish, and toes the line between English and the native language of its characters.

There are plenty of laughs from books to be had at Apple TV+, including The Big Door Prize, based on M.O. Walsh’s novel of the same name.

But these kids and comedy shows aren’t why we are concerned with Apple TV+’s obsession with adaptations.

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Apple TV+ Is The Originator And Instigator Of The Drama

Have you ever heard the phrase “too much of a good thing?” Well, the same goes for any TV or film genre. And Apple TV+ seems to have its hooks in as many dramatic stories as possible.

Most of the streamers’ series fall under drama, and most of those shows are based on novels.

Let me clarify that every single streaming app develops stories from books, whether literary or graphic.

However, Apple TV+ seems to exclusively work with adaptations, at least in the last five years, with more on the way.

Still, it has to be said that the stories the executives are choosing offer an out-of-this-world level of entertainment.

Especially when that drama is introduced with comedic flair, profoundly dark undertones, or science fiction that makes you question reality.

The Rashida Jones sci-fi show Sunny, based on The Dark Manual by Colin O’Sullivan, has been a whirlwind of comedy, drama, and thriller action.

There’s actually a point to be made in favor of Apple TV+. Even though the app is shelling out show after show, a huge name is always attached to every project.

Take, for example, Lady in the Lake, based on Laura Lippman’s 2015 novel of the same name.

It stars Natalie Portman as a Jewish woman who leaves her life behind when she pursues her dreams to be an investigative journalist after a local woman is found dead in a lake.

If you like visual fever dreams with a masterclass in acting and a mind-boggling story, this is the career-defining series for you.

And it’s not just that show, but a whole roster of one series based on a book of the same name after another. It’s a long list.

Defending Jacob, The Mosquito Coast, Lisey’s Story, Foundation, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Pachinko, Shining Girls, The Essex Serpent, Five Days at Memorial, Shantaram, The Last Thing He Told Me, Silo, City on Fire, The Changeling, Lessons in Chemistry, The Buccaneers, Masters of the Air, and Dark Matter.

Whew!

Of course, we have to include the upcoming Cate Blanchett series Disclaimer, about a journalist who discovers she is the main character in a novel that reveals a dark secret from her past.

Just When You Think Apple TV+ Can’t Get Any More Dramatic, It Renews Its Library Card For More Intense Adaptations Starring Heavyweight Hollywood Names

Wait, you didn’t think we were done yet, did you? Oh, gentle reader, we had a legitimate reason to be concerned with Apple TV+’s use of adaptations.

That said, some shows make us understand why the streamer would be so enthusiastic about the novel-to-screen method.

For one thing, it’s how we got the amazing series The Morning Show, based on Brian Selter’s 2013 book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV.

Remember what I said about star power? The Morning Show boasts not one but two heavyweight Hollywood names.

Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon play journalists with contrasting personalities who bring their own set of baggage and issues to their news station.

Apple TV+ has always dished out award-winning shows. Even though some don’t always hit the mark, the streaming service is covering the walls with adaptation after adaptation.

Those include Truth Be Told, Slow Horses, Roar, Black Bird, The Crowded Room], Manhunt, Franklin, and Presumed Innocent.

So, whether Apple TV+ is obsessed with adapting novels to shows or has just figured out a sure-fire formula is anyone’s guess.

One thing for sure, though, is that the streaming giant has been making waves in quality television, so there may be a correlation.

Either way, you can count on me to be glued to my TV screen watching every perfectly packaged project Apple TV+ throws TV Fanatic’s way.

Which of the streamer’s many adaptations have you seen?

Will you be watching Cate Blanchett in her new miniseries, Disclaimer?

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we review all your favorite new and returning Apple TV+ shows!

The post Does Apple TV+ Have An Unhealthy Obsession With Adapting Novels To Shows? appeared first on TV Fanatic.

And the adventure has finally come to – well, not an end, but a new beginning.  

Though the season only had six episodes, Land of Women delivered Apple TV+ quality drama and intrigue.

With this final episode of the premiere season, audiences may have noticed certain things about the show.

Namely that it wasn’t the same show that it started out as six episodes ago.  

So, without further ado, let’s take one more walk through the Land of Women.

Related: Land of Women Series Premiere Review: Styling in Stilettos up the Steep Streets of Spain

It is a story of wine, women, and what they’re capable of.  

Land of Women Stuck the Landing from Beginning to End  

It’s hard to believe that just a month ago, Eva Longoria entered viewers’ homes once again to stretch her comedic muscles.

While the series always promised to deliver hilarious hijinks, what many, myself included, received was so much more.  

Without possibly meaning to, Land of Women changed its focus.

It went from being about a family of women on the run to a true sense of its namesake.  

Using “bait and switch,” the Apple TV+ series drew in audiences with lots of laughs but kept them with a story about survival.  

After the first couple of episodes, Land of Women transitioned into a plot about the Xatart women and their legacy.  

But beyond that, it was about a town’s strength and resilience and the wine they tried with all their heart to make.

They might’ve been falling short for a while, but Gala brought hope to the otherwise lost cause that was the town’s wine.  

The whole point of going on the run was to find a new beginning.

Thankfully, that’s precisely what they did, along with healing generations of trauma scars.

Related: Land of Women Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Chapter 3

Julia’s Journey Through the Land of Women  

Speaking of generational trauma, Julia possibly had the most remarkable growth journey through the series.  

She left La Muga, a scared young woman with a baby on board and no idea what she would find in America.

Through fate or coincidence, the Xatart matriarch was brought back to a town that was recovering in her wake.  

It was definitely fun to watch her walk around the town with the eyes of many older men on her.

However, Julia had possibly the biggest reasons to return to La Muga despite not realizing it.  

Even with Eva Longoria‘s Gala as the protagonist, Julia set the standard for how the Xatart women were welcomed in the town.  

Sure, Julia slept with half the village when she was younger, but that was hardly something she batted an eye at.  

No, the only thing that mattered to the older Xatart woman was finally seeing and reconciling with her sister.

However, now that that’s been resolved, who the heck is Gala’s father? 

Andreu and the priest have the results, but the writers clearly thought leaving it a mystery would make for an effective cliffhanger.  

I mean, it does, but come on!

Related: Land of Women Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Wayward Women & Wasted Wine

Gala and Her Guys Tore Through the Land of Women  

We gotta give it up to Gala for putting up with the plethora of guys who only seem to complicate things.  

From the moment Gala arrived in La Muga, male mayhem has been coming at her from all sides.

First, there was Amat, who was the bane of her existence, but we always knew this was leading to an ” enemies-to-lovers” situation.  

It looks like Amat is not done causing Gala a headache with the news that Montse is pregnant.  

And then there is Fred’s, played by James Purefoy (The Veil). 

He’s a dumbass for just showing up and expecting to be the white knight in shining armor to save Gala.  

For a progressive parent, Fred’s arrogance is as immense as his incompetence towards business.  

Sure, we know now that he wasn’t having an affair and was trying to figure the situation out.

That still doesn’t change the fact that the situation wouldn’t have existed without his constant lies.  

Sadly, we don’t know how much was in Fred’s safe on the cruise.

By the sound of it though, he likely had enough money to at least get Tony off Gala’s back.

Related: Land of Women Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Gala’s Gotta Get Going Before the Going Gets Rough(er)

Land of Women Will Always Have a Hold on Our Hearts  

Taking all the cliffhangers into account, there’s Gala’s father, Amat’s child, and now the dead hitman on the road.  

Maybe now the thugs will serve a purpose other than being cliched slapstick hitmen.

They seriously couldn’t decide if they knew what they were doing or were just bumbling idiots.  

The only thing that didn’t work about the series was the inclusion of Kevin, played by Amaury Nolasco (Hightown), and Hank, played by Jim Kitson (The Red King), in such prominent roles.  

They continuously pulled from Gala’s most interesting narrative about helping the town’s women create quality wine.  

If I had to question one more thing, it was that the amazing mechanic and hero who lit a fire under Kate never got a name.  

Seriously? How did the writers and showrunners drop the ball so hard on a character that was present in almost every episode?

Thankfully, Gala and her girls aren’t going anywhere for now.

Fans of the series will hopefully see more of the mechanic and all of the lovable characters in La Muga.

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All that’s left now is for Apple+ TV to renew the series for another season, which could come at any time.  

Though some viewers struggled with the show’s language barrier, critics praised the writing, acting, and overall storytelling of Land of Women.

Whatever the future holds for the Xatart women, we will always be thankful for the time we spent with them in the Land of Women.  

What did you think of all the cliffhangers of the season finale?  

Which character will you miss while we wait on word from Apple TV+ about a renewal?  

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we review your next favorite series! 

The post Land of Women Season 1 Episode 6 Review: It May Be a Man’s World, But the Ladies Lead in the Land of Women appeared first on TV Fanatic.

It’s been a long and winding road that has brought viewers to tears and laughter, but it looks like Land of Women is headed for an intense ending.  

With only one more episode of the series, it was surprising to see some of the story and character choices the writers made for the fifth episode.

There were many things that felt out of place or inconsistent with the narrative, but despite some shortcomings, the show still exceeded expectations most of the time.  

Land of Women is Holding Audiences at Gunpoint with Inconsistent Characters  

Up until this point, the series has managed to keep the pace of the story consistent despite many dramatic moments that could’ve slowed it down.

Related: Land of Women Series Premiere Review: Styling in Stilettos up the Steep Streets of Spain

It was surprising to see such a mismatched tone of an episode with a cold open that is a far cry from the dire straits that the Xatart women are in right after.  

The episode was also hampered by the two thugs, Hank and Kevin, who the writers didn’t seem to know what category to put them in.  

Hank and Kevin, played by Jim Kitson of The Red King and Amaury Nolasco of Hightown, have been all over the place with where they fall on the alignment chart.

One second, they’re a couple of bumbling idiots who don’t understand the fundamentals of tracking a few women down.  

Then, the next second, they’re professional hitmen who speak with their guns first, even though viewers are fully aware of their incompetency.  

The characters flip-flop so much that it’s a wonder they have any loyalty to Tony at all, considering how loose and easy they’ve been handling the women.  

The show would benefit from finally settling on these men’s motivations or getting rid of them altogether because their mere presence has hindered the tone and pace.  

Julia’s Fragmented Memory is Starting to Slow Down Land of Women  

As mentioned above, the cold open was an odd choice, considering where Land of Women Season 1 Episode 4 left things at its end.

Julia’s back story has been a key component of the story in several different ways, but the constant flashbacks make it hard for viewers to keep track of the story.  

The need for Julia’s memories is understood as it helps to depict the problems between Mariona and Julia fully, but that part of Land of Women needs to be wrapped up.  

Luckily, it looks like that is where the story is headed now that Jula and Mariona have just about made up, despite Julia’s ever-declining memory.

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Speaking of her memory, it’s become evident that Julia is not taking her medication as prescribed by her doctors, whether by not taking them at all or mixing them with alcohol.  

Hopefully, someone will adjust her medication in time for the Apple TV+ series to end on a better note with only one more episode of the season.  

Audiences deserve a solid ending to the first season since the show has yet to be renewed for a new season.

While critics have praised the show’s breezy and fun nature, audiences have not matched that energy, with many tuning out because more than eighty percent of the dialogue is in Spanish.  

Kate Keeps Her Head Held High on Her Brave Journey  

One aspect of Land of Women that has been consistent since the beginning is the struggle and journey that Kate has endured, not just on the run but her whole life since transitioning.  

Played by Victoria Bazua, the actress has done a phenomenal job of portraying a very real and very raw depiction of the struggles many transitioning teenagers likely feel.  

Everything that Kate goes through in each episode brings the show back to the core of what makes the series so heartwarming.  

Especially after that traumatizing incident that happened at Montse’s bar in Land of Women Season 1 Episode 3 with that horrible doctor and his loud-mouthed girlfriend.

Speaking of girlfriends, now that Maggie has shown her true colors, we’ll hopefully not be seeing that filler character anymore despite her father’s shady dealings.  

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this leaves an opening for the super sweet and amazing mechanic who has been like a hero to Kate since she arrived in La Muga.  

However, the mechanic wasn’t the only one swooping in to save the day, as Kate’s drawings eventually won over the town’s chickens.

Related: Land of Women Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Wayward Women & Wasted Wine

She may not be as brash and abrasive as her mother and grandmother, but Kate has proven to be just as headstrong and caring as the other women in her family.  

Get Gala a Glass of Red Because the Men are Driving Her Crazy in the Land of Women  

Finally, we get to Gala, which is probably what Fred thought when he just showed up at Amat’s house at the end of the episode.

Even though this was the second to last episode, seeing the rat-bastards face was still surprising.  

We can only imagine how fiery things are about to get when Gala likely lays into him for being the crap father and even crappier husband that he’s been so far.  

How he can even show his face is beyond me, but it will take a miracle of epic proportions for Fred to receive any redemption in the viewers’ eyes.  

Though he hasn’t had that many scenes, Fred, played by James Purefoy of The Veil, has ironically done a fantastic job portraying the character and all his complexities.  

There was that beautiful moment in Kate’s flashback when he comforted her after meeting Maggie’s parents, showing he was a genuinely sweet and loving father.  

So, at best, he’s a gigantic idiot who doesn’t understand how borrowing money works.

Still, it doesn’t change the mountain of lies that Gala has dealt with or the endless pits he has dug his family into.  

And to leave them to fend for themselves like that?

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Gala is definitely about to go full telenovela on Fred, and we are going to be eating up every delicious word and hopefully slap that she lays on the cheating bastard.  

We’re approaching the end, with the next episode being the season finale.  

While we can speculate about what might happen, it’ll be far more fun just to let it all play out.

That said, I think it’ll end with Fred turning himself in to Tony, Kate returning home to finish school, and Gala staying behind with Julia to help the wine co-op.  

What were your thoughts about the tone and pace of this episode?  

Were you as surprised as we were to finally see Fred’s face again in real-time?  

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we review the next episode of Land of Women! 

The post Land of Women Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Gala’s Gotta Get Going Before the Going Gets Rough(er) appeared first on TV Fanatic.

You get an absolutely wild ride of comedic proportions with perfectly timed moments of heart between actual danger trailing the heels of these wonderful women.

While the series has done a fantastic job so far of not losing sight of its tone and general direction, quite a few moments have felt staunchly like a Hallmark movie.

Although considering the way Land of Women Season 1 Episode 4 left the characters and audiences at the edges of their seats, we may be headed down a road with very few romantic looks of longing.

Eva Longoria is Giving Glamourous Gala No Matter What

How can Eva Longoria look stunning in every sense of the word while being so pregnant, she’s literally bursting at the seems?

Related: Land of Women Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Chapter 3

And in a white dress, no less, while taking herself to the hospital because her dumpster of a husband is everywhere but by her side.

Unsurprisingly, she is likely developing feelings for Amat after everything she has endured.

The writing is on the wall because I have never seen two people who aren’t romantically involved bicker as much as Gala and Amat.

All that timber needs is one good spark.

This is especially true now that Eva Longoria‘s Gala knows that Amat isn’t actually in a relationship with Montse, who is quite possibly the calmest human being in existence.

At the very least, Gala and Amat must be destined for each other as business partners.

Not only did they manage to get all the wine from the women in town, but they also got them to work overtime, following Gala’s instructions.

And it might’ve even gone according to plan had the two bumbling excuses for thugs not shown up at the worst possible time.

Still no word on where Fred’s lying, cheating butt has scurried off to, but good for Gala in deciding to choose herself and her family over that rat bastard of a man.

Now, if only she could make it back to Amat and the women of the village before they completely wreck the rest of the usable wine.

No Matter How Hard Life Tries, There’s No Keeping Kate Down

While Maggie can hardly be blamed for her father’s shady dealings, despite Kate’s feelings, the character is not hard to see as dispensable.

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Especially when there’s a character as impressive as the mechanic who always seems to be right around the corner to give Kate a word of encouragement and more compliments than Kate may be used to.

The only issue with the character is that Maria de Nati’s charming role has not been named.

Four episodes in, and Apple TV+ has still not given a hint despite characters we’ve only seen once receiving official character names.

Hopefully, it’s deliberate on some level and not a complete writer oversight.

How else will we thank her for lighting such a fire under Kate because her reading that extremely unprofessional doctor and a waiting room full of gossiping towns folk was everything?

Keep Your Eyes on Julia

One thing that was made abundantly clear is that Julia has a pattern of leaving loved ones without a word of communication for years at a time.

She shows a lot of trademark traits of characters who experience trauma, leaving them in a similar state of mental maturity until the emotional scars are resolved.

In Julia’s case, she never stopped being a free-spirited young woman.

Still, she did bang a priest well on his way to doing the Lord’s work when she knocked his socks off in a barn while the young father was still in seminary.

There’s no shame in her game, and we are all for it, but it’s a little sad she made so many great memories since the Land of Women Season Premiere only to have them slip away.

But don’t let the woman’s dementia fool you; she is still as sharp and quick as a whip.

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If there was ever a laugh-out-loud moment in the episode, it was Julia suggesting they all have drinks with the thugs because she didn’t want to die sober.

The woman is an icon and a legend.

She pulled out all the stops, even trying to flirt her way out of captivity with a man holding a gun up to her.

And what did she do when that didn’t work?

She stole a gun from Andreu to threaten the thugs, and when that expectantly didn’t work, she grabbed a wine bottle and knocked one of them over the head.

Like I said, keep your eyes on grandma at all times.

Speaking of Andreu, that poor, sweet man is clearly still head over heels for Julia’s free-loving behind because he could’ve gotten off clear of having a daughter but came clean anyway.

Much to Julia’s chagrin by the looks of it, because now the only way to know who Gala’s birth father is will be with a blood test, and she’s going to need all she can get if those thugs decide to use their guns.

Honestly, the woman would have done amazing on Eva Longoria’s previous show, Desperate Housewives, because the woman is as wily as any wife on Wysteria Lane.

Things are in a rather precarious place at the moment, but if there is one trait the Xatart women can call a family aspect, it’s being a survivor.

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These women don’t back down, and every episode has been a treat to see how well they cope and adapt while leaning on each other.

That being said, it was good that the series didn’t let the plot get stale by fleshing things out and instead got right to the point of a gun.

Whatever happens next, we will be upfront and at the edge of our seats to see how things shake down on the next episode!

Were you surprised that the thugs managed to find the girls so quickly despite their apparent ineptitude?

When all is said and done, do you think these women will return to their previous lives or find a new home in La Muga?

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we review the next episode of Land of Women.

The post Land of Women Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Wayward Women & Wasted Wine appeared first on TV Fanatic.

In Land of Women Season 1 Episode 3, we got to see the trio of women finally settle down in some sense of the word.

In doing so, the tone and pace of the show shifted in a way that allows viewers to experience the same level of peace of mind as the characters.

Granted, they are far from out of the woods, but at least now they have an actual plan and aren't just running around a foreign town in designer heels and a bag filled with fifty thousand dollars.

The one thing that can be said so far of these characters is that they are confident in knowing who they are and are not shy about standing their ground, despite most of the town wishing they'd get off their land.

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While each episode has had a perfect chemistry of heart and humor, the third episode supercharged both aspects of the show in a way that is similar to the actual human experience.

There was a lot to discuss in this episode, so let's not waste another minute and talk about the incredible journey these amazing women are on!

First, it's great that they now have a roof over their heads and a soft bed to sleep in, but I'm with Gala regarding the rooster. Absolutely not.

The look of defeat on Gala's face was one that any and all viewers know too well because even if you end up having a great day, you're still going to remember how crappy it felt to wake up that early.

Kate: I just don’t get what Grandma and I are doing here.

Gala: We’re family. And families stick together, even in the worst times.

_{🔗 permalink: We’re family. – LOW S01E03}

The poor woman has been through enough and deserves to sleep for like a week.

She probably also doesn't enjoy having to remind her mother of their situation every morning because of Grandma's spotty memory, even though it's hard to tell when she's playing it up or being sincere.

Grandma has been calling out Fred since Land of Women Season 1 Episode 1, and we completely agree with her identification of Fred as the bastard that he is.

Gala: Try to remember, Mom. We’re here because Fred –.

Julia: Right, right, right. We need to run away and hide because of your stupid husband. I wish you had gotten a divorce, honey.

_{🔗 permalink: Right, right, right. – LOW S01E03}

Now, about the thugs on the hunt for these lovely women.

In the first two episodes, they seemed like effective henchmen who knew a thing or two about tracking down people and getting what they needed, but wow, did that perception go entirely out the window in "Chapter 3."

Thug #1: Let’s go.

Thug #2: Where? We have no idea where they are.

Thug #1: The girl said they were staying in a wine-making village in Catalonia, right?

Thug #2: But if you search “Wine Village, Catalonia,” you get a hundred hits.

_{🔗 permalink: But if you search – LOW S01E03}

They at least seemed competent, but now it's been made abundantly clear that these two bumbling idiots have absolutely no idea what they are doing, and that is fine with us if it means keeping the girls safe while they're hiding out.

Thankfully, this series has more substance than the cliched trope of the "Home Alone" bad guy variety.

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And substance abounds, because with just a brief moment of dialogue, Grandma gave a small history lesson that painted a decades-long picture of where the town got its roots and traditions while organically stating the show's title.

Julia: Many years ago, men worked in the vineyards. But when the Civil War arrived, they were sent to the battlefront. Because of what might happen to them, they left their lands to their mothers, their daughters, their wives. So, they started making wine. And it became a tradition. And ever since, this has been the land of women.

_{🔗 permalink: Many years ago – LOW S01E03}

Remember when it was an unspoken requirement that shows and movies said the title no matter how out of place it felt?

The good ol' times.

Gala, in the same amount of time, managed to tick off what seemed like more than half the women of the town, but we don't blame her, as over five dialects of Spanish are spoken in Spain.

Gala: I had a wine shop in New York. I have connections. I can help. To improve your wine.

_{🔗 permalink: I had a wine shop – LOW S01E03}

To Eva Longoria's credit, the Mexican-born actress is not a native speaker of the Spanish language.

She only learned the language in 2009, after many in the entertainment industry deemed her "not Latina enough."

As my Honduran mother would say, guess who's laughing "jajajajajaja" all the way to the bank to cash those checks now!

Getting back to Gala, the woman even had us pausing at her extensive expertise as a sommelier.

There's no getting around that it initially felt like she was just another rich woman opening a shop to fill all her free time with a hobby, and boy, were we ever wrong.

The women not only knows her wine but also how to strategize marketing to upsell the declining product that the town needs to sustain itself.

Amat: We have to make it according to the regulations to keep the certificate.

Gala: What certificate?

Amat: the certificate of origin.

Gala: What do you need that certificate for?

Amat: So more people by the wine.

Gala: But it doesn’t sell because you’re making bad wine. The problem isn’t the market. It’s you.

_{🔗 permalink: But it doesn’t sell – LOW S01E03}

I get that the women running the cooperative are likely territorial, but they aren't looking at the big picture in the long run because, as Miss Grande would say, "Whoever said money can't solve your problems must not have had enough money to solve'em."

While Gala is doing her best to help the town, Grandma is doing what she does best: teaching a master class in confidence without ever flinching about what and who she wants.

Doctor: Okay. Have you felt dizzy at any other time recently?

Julia: Yes. Every time a guy like you gets close to me.

_{🔗 permalink: Yes. Every time – LOW S01E03}

Did you see the way that doctor practically blushed?

Related: Land of Women Series Premiere Review: Styling in Stilettos up the Steep Streets of Spain

Speaking of Grandma and her wily ways, it seemed a little odd that she was so quick to peg Andreu as Gala's father, considering the woman has been very vocal about her sexual escapades when she was younger.

In case anyone has forgotten, Grandma had every man's head turning as she sashayed out of jail in Land of Women Season 1 Episode 2.

She's a show-stopping, heart-breaking, wild woman who will not be held back by anyone, including the town she grew up in or her own family.

She should give her daughter a break, though, especially after Gala made that small confession about her dreams.

Gala: Do you want to know what I miss? My wine shop. For the first time in my life, I was doing what I wanted to do. The opening was beautiful. Everyone loved it. And suddenly, poof! It was over.

_{🔗 permalink: Do you want to know – LOW S01E03}

It really and truly only made us hate that rat bastard Fred even more!

Thank God for Amat and his abundently fermented wine, otherwise Gala may not have let her down and to get a little tipsy with the vigneron, leading to a drunken night of hilarious proportions.

Now, with total transparency, there was some googling on this end to find out precisely what a Certificate of Origin (CO) is, as it was mentioned so many times in this episode.

Amat: We can’t sell it.

Gala: I don’t want to sell it. I want to mix it. Look, that wine you have is more acidic and tastes fresher. It’s much lighter. If we mix them, we’ll make a wine that’s more subtle. Delicious.

Amat: If we mix them, we’ll lose the certificate of origin.

Gala: You don’t need the certificate. We can create a signature wine. Smaller, more elaborate. Following our own rules.

_{🔗 permalink: You don’t need the certificate – LOW S01E03}

While we can see the value of something like that kind of authenticity, it's certainly not the only kind, leaving us squarely in Gala's corner believing the certificate is only holding the town back from its chance at getting out of the hole it has been digging itself into for a while.

But we can't talk about this unbelievably amazing show without talking about Kate, the youngest of the Xatart trio.

Related: Lady in the Lake Trailer: Natalie Portman Thrills in Apple TV+'s Visual Tour de Force!

Did anyone else feel a surge of anger that made them want to reach through the screen and beat the transphbic girl in the bar with her dumbass doctor boyfriend who clearly doesn't understand doctor patient confidentiality?

Me neither. Violence is never the answer, so it was good to see the disturbingly beautiful mechanic come to Kate's rescue.

Land of Women is proving to be a force on all fronts with its incredible acting and writing because the dialogue is the next level despite some viewers likely being unhappy with the need for subtitles.

The series also dips into some telenovela roots, with Fred's infidelity and Amat almost kissing Gala even though he and Montse are clearly a thing.

And damn, did Mariona deliver a slap heard throughout the countryside before she set the record straight about her man!

Mariona: What’s all this nonsense about him being a father? Andreu is sterile!

_{🔗 permalink: What’s all this nonsense – LOW S01E03}

This series is really incredible, and we can only hope that more people jump on the bandwagon so fans can have multiple seasons for years to come.

Whatever Apple TV+ decides to do beyond the first season, we'll at least always have this fantastic live adaption of Sandra Barnedas's bestselling novel.

What are your thoughts on the town and their cold shoulder to these amazing women?

Related: Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline Star in Disclaimer from Apple TV+. Here's Your First Look!

Does Gala have a type, or is she just unlucky enough to attract only taken men like her mother?

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we review the next episode of this one-of-a-kind series!

The post Land of Women Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Chapter 3 appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Eva Longoria is not only a talented actress who chooses projects that speak not just to her amazing acting talent but resonate with her heart in a way that shows in her performances.

She may have gotten recognition from her role on a drama-dripping soap opera with a cast of actors who have no right to be as attractive as they are talented, but Longoria has proven she is so much more than a pretty face and a smile that could melt steel.

With wins from the Screen Actors Guild and the People’s Choice, the actress is a familiar face who has been entertaining folks since the start of the millennium.

If this fantastic woman hasn’t won you over yet, do a quick search of her to see how she brings thousands of dollars to charities and foundations that help impoverished communities and immigrants worldwide.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Riley Keough Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Now, get ready to put a smile on that face because Eva Longoria has a whole lot of heart and humor coming your way with some of her best work to date, including a little upcoming role that we at TV Fanatic are at the edge of our seats to watch!

Overboard (2018)

Role: Theresa. Available for rent or purchase.

While the original Overboard with Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn has become somewhat problematic, somehow switching the gender roles of the story and adding Anna Faris made the film more relatable while pushing the comedy past what the original achieved.

Kate is a single, working-class mother of three hired to clean a luxury yacht that belongs to Leonardo, a selfish, spoiled, and wealthy Mexican playboy.

After unjustly firing Kate, Leonardo falls off the boat and wakes up without remembering who he is. To get payback, Kate shows up at the hospital and convinces the confused amnesiac that they’re married.

As Leonardo gets used to manual labor and his new family, Kate wonders how long she can keep fooling her fake husband.

Despite what critics might have you believe with the movie’s low RT score, this is still a story worth watching with some timeless themes and messages.

Eva Longoria takes a backseat as a wise-cracking sidekick friend willing to throw herself under the bus to save Anna Faris’s character, and the film is all the better for her performance, which grounds the otherwise zany Faris.

Cast: Eugenio Derbez (Acapulco), Anna Faris (Mom), Mel Rodriguez (The Afterparty), Alyvia Alyn Lind (Chucky), John Hannah (Transplant), Swoosie Kurtz (Mike & Molly), Josh Segarra (Abbott Elementary)

For more physical comedy and lies with a countdown till the truth bomb, check out the hilarious and lovable character stuck in the afterlife on The Good Place, streaming on Netflix.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Joel Edgerton Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Dog Days (2018)

Role: Grace. Available to watch on The CW.

Honestly, this movie looks like every television network got together and dropped in an actor from each of their respective shows because I can’t remember the last time I saw a cast list with so many familiar small screen faces.

Elizabeth is a charming anchorwoman who seeks advice from her dog’s therapist. Tara is a spunky barista who dreams of a life beyond the coffee shop.

Daisy is a dog walker who’s enamored with a client. Garrett pines for a woman while trying to keep his adopt-a-dog business afloat.

The beloved canines in their lives soon start to influence their careers, friendships, and romantic relationships in funny and unexpected ways.

Sure, it’s a romantic comedy, but there’s one thing even critics can’t deny, and that’s the power of a pooch, which may be why this movie received some solid reviews. I’m sure the actors were great, too, but we’re really here for the canine companions.

Eva Longoria deviates from comedy to play Grace, a mother who serves up heart in heaps with more love for her child than she can sometimes handle.

Cast: Vanessa Hudgens (Powerless), Michael Cassidy (Good Trouble), Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), Tone Bell (Truth Be Told), Adam Pally (Happy Endings), Thomas Lennon (Santa Clarita Diet), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), Tig Notaro (Star Trek: Discovery)

You don’t need to trek to the theater to get your romantic comedy fix, as Netflix has got you covered with the hilarious and sweet series Emily in Paris starring Lily Collins.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Jessica Biel Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019)

Role: Elena Marquez. Available to watch on Paramount+.

You’re probably wondering why we would include a movie clearly intended for kids on a list of titles geared toward adults, and all that can be said is that you answered your own question. We’re here to serve up a little something for everyone.

Even though it’s based on a popular children’s animated show, this live-action adaptation bridges the generational gap. Anyone of any age will love this wild ride of Hispanic proportions.

Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle, nothing could prepare Dora for her most dangerous adventure yet — high school.

Accompanied by a ragtag group of teens and Boots the Monkey, Dora embarks on a quest to save her parents while trying to solve the seemingly impossible mystery behind a lost Incan civilization.

If you need the critic’s input before landing on whether to watch something, you may be in for a surprise to find out that this movie is just as beloved by reviewers as it is by the audience that left the theaters likely with smiles still on their faces from this certified fresh film.

Elena checks all the boxes of the stereotypical loving mother, offering compassion and solid advice while whipping up baked goods, but then again, her character is based on a cartoon.

Cast: Isabela Merced (The Last of Us), Eugenio (Acapulco), Michael Pena (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), Jeff Wahlberg (The Girl from Plainville), Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time), Temuera Morrison (Ahsoka), Danny Trejo (RZR), Benicio del Toro (Escape at Dannemora)

For more precocious children in the most obscure and unexpected situations, catch up with the Baudelaire children in Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events, streaming on Netflix.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Olivia Munn Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Unplugging (2022)

Role: Jeanine Dewerson. Available to watch on Hulu.

Listen, we are all for reconnecting with nature and your loved ones as much as possible, but for God’s sake, have some backup plan, like a life alert.

To revive their marriage and reconnect, a couple takes a self-prescribed digital detox weekend to a remote mountain town. What starts as a perfect weekend getaway without technology quickly spirals out of control.

Sure, not every project can be a hit, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t genuine laughs to be had in this comedy, especially when you bring together a few faces known for their funny film and television performances.

The best way to describe Jeanine is by saying she is a workaholic wound so tightly that if you placed a rock squarely between her cheeks, you’d have a diamond by the morning because this type A character truly needs unplugging.

Cast: Matt Walsh (Veep), Lea Thompson (The Spencer Sisters), Keith David (From Scratch), Nicole Byer (Velma), Al Madrigal (Lopez vs. Lopez), Johnny Pemberton (Fallout), Hala Finley (Magnum PI), Morgan Walsh (Games People Play)

Technology certainly has a way of embedding itself into our lives, and to see how it can carry on with us into the afterlife, catch Robbie Amell in the fresh take on virtual in Upload, available on  Amazon Prime Video.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Josh Charles Movies and TV Show You Must See

The Young and the Restless (2001-2003)

Role: Isabella Brana. Available to stream on Paramount+.

Soap opera actors must have excellent medical insurance because it has to be murder on the neck to whip your head around dramatically, but how else are they supposed to get across how serious they’re being on The Young and The Restless?

I guess they could always shoot someone. That seems to be a popular plot device in these drama-drenched series with actors so handsome and beautiful — it’s like looking into the sun.

The Newmans and the Abbotts represent Genoa City’s upper class. Powerful Businessman Victor Newman runs Newman Enterprises and has never stopped loving his former flame and wife, Nikki Reed Newman.

Jack Abbott and his sister, Ashley, are closely connected with the Newman family, personally and professionally.

The battle for supremacy in Genoa City has been going on for years. Katherine Chancellor and Jill Foster Abbott, the Winters family, the Williams family, and recent newcomers round out the socially and ethnically diverse town.

Can you believe this series is still airing? It’s hard to fathom, but the show is still going strong over fifty years after its debut. There are shows that are lifers, and there are some that seem downright immortal.

Cast: Peter Bergman (The King of Queens), Eric Braeden (How I Met Your Mother), Sharon Case (Poor Paul), Sean Dominic (Makeup X Breakup), Melissa Claire Egan (Misguided), Hayley Erin (General Hospital), Camryn Grimes (NCIS), Amelia Heinle (Ghost Whisperer)

Do you ever notice that Soap Operas usually have show titles that are just as extra and dramatic as the stories they depict? For example, The Bold and The Beautiful is still going as strong as this series decades later and streaming on Paramount+.

Related: Essential Viewing: 13 Colin Farrell Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Desperate Housewives (2004-2012)

Role: Gabrielle Solis. Available to stream on Hulu.

It seems odd to have to inform people about this one-of-a-kind show, but if you can believe it, there are still people who haven’t tuned in to see the residents of Wysteria Lane on Desperate Housewives. That’s just crazy talk.

Behind the facade of a postcard-perfect subdivision live four women whose lives are anything but idyllic. Klutzy Susan is divorced and the mother of teenage Julie.

Lynette is married to Tom and the frazzled mother of four rambunctious children. Bree is the neighborhood’s Martha Stewart, whose perfection masks significant dysfunction.

Ex-model Gabrielle, married to handsome and successful Carlos, wants to have her cake and eat it too. Looking down on it all is Mary Alice, who took her own life but comments on the lives of her former neighbors.

Coming straight from her role on a soap opera, we can’t imagine it was that hard for Longoria to slip into the heels of an ex-model who married for love and especially money while having an affair with the soap opera hot teenager who mows their lawn.

That might’ve been a tough sell to any actress, but Eva Longoria was clearly having fun playing the part, considering she shines as Gabrielle Solis.

Cast: Teri Hatcher (Fantasy Island), Felicity Huffman (Get Shorty), Marcia Cross (Monarch), Nicollette Sheridan (Dynasty), Ricardo Chavira (Selena: The Series), Brenda Strong (Supergirl), James Denton (Good Witch), Vanessa Williams (Girls5eva)

It’s hard to imagine any show could come close to capturing the perfect balance of comedy, drama, and characters that remain likable while having questionable intentions, but why try to imagine when you can just stream Why Women Kill on Paramount+?

Related: Essential Viewing: 13 Jennifer Morrison Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Devious Maids (2016)

Role: Herself. Available to stream on Hulu.

If there’s one person you never want to mess with, it’s a maid. People forget how seamlessly these hospitality providers move behind the scenes and how much they can learn about a person from very little. And these are definitely some Devious Maids.

In Beverly Hills, whoever ‘has the dirt’ holds the power. In some of the city’s wealthiest families, the power belongs to the close-knit group of maids with ambitions and dreams.

The maids are brought together by their jobs, life struggles, and their employers’ upstairs-downstairs universe. Rosie, who left Mexico after her husband’s death, works for a pair of self-absorbed actors.

Aspiring singer Carmen hopes her pop-star employer can help get her career off the ground. Still, her boss, Odessa, will do whatever it takes to stand in her way, and Zoila works beside her teenage daughter, Valentina, for an emotionally unstable woman.

The maids, along with newcomer Marisol, turn to one another for support when fellow maid Flora is murdered in her employer’s home. Then, a loved one gets wrapped up in the murder, and Marisol searches for the truth.

It was inevitable that Eva Longoria would find her way onto this series, considering she was an executive producer. Even though she technically plays herself, it’s very obvious that performs as a caricature of herself—an amalgamation of all her previous characters, really.

Cast: Ana Ortiz (Love, Victor), Dania Ramirez (Sweet Tooth), Roselyn Sanchez (Home Economics), Judy Reyes (Dr. Death), Edy Ganem (9-1-1), Rebecca Wisocky (Ghosts), Drew Van Acker (Titans), Cristian de la Fuente (Manchild)

If there is one thing that many entries on this list prove, it’s that an all-female ensemble series is a hit with audiences, which is why so many people love Good Girls, currently streaming on Netflix.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Anya Taylor-Joy Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Decline and Fall (2017)

Role: Margot Beste-Chetwynde. Available to stream on Acorn TV.

This was certainly a treat for fans of Eva Longoria. Although she is not an actress who takes on period projects, it’s clear that the comedic opportunity spoke to her wheelhouse. Plus, they don’t make fashion and headwear like on Decline and Fall anymore.

Based on Evelyn Waugh’s 1028 novel of the same name, Oxford University student Paul Pennyfeather is wrongly expelled for indecent exposure after falling victim to an ill-conceived prank, triggering a rather unfortunate and unexpected series of events.

After his expulsion, Paul moves to Wales and takes up a teaching position. He immediately falls head over heels for the Honorable Mrs. Margot Beste-Chetwynde, the mother of one of his students.

After agreeing to tutor her son over the summer, Paul becomes wrapped up in far more than he could have ever bargained for.

As Margot, Eva plays a woman who is used to getting what she wants. When she sets her eyes on Pennyfeather, it isn’t long before the wedding bells ring.

Cast: Jack Whitehall (Bad Education), David Suchet (His Dark Materials), Douglas Hodge (The Great), Vincent Franklin (Happy Valley), Stephen Graham (Bodies), Matthew Beard (Funny Woman), Oscar Kennedy (Wreck), Katy Wix (Ted Lasso)

Brits know how to bring a special kind of dry humor that’s surprisingly refreshing with so much goofy comedy on the broadcast airways. However, Fleabag toes the line closely while keeping itself grounded, available for chuckles on Amazon Prime Video.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Jensen Ackles Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Empire (2017)

Role: Charlotte Frost. Available to stream on Hulu.

Every so often, a show comes along that is so incredibly written and acted that TV viewers who don’t frequent that particular genre find themselves tuning into a show that they can get enough of even though they probably never would’ve normally watched it.

Just speaking from experience here. This show is incredible, and it’s no wonder that Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels has called Empire the “Black Dynasty.”

Hip-hop artist and CEO of Empire Entertainment, Lucious Lyon, has always ruled unchallenged. Still, a medical diagnosis predicts he will be incapacitated in three years, which prompts the sharks to circle.

Without further damaging his family, he must decide which of his three sons will take over. His favorite, young Hakeem, is a gifted musician but values fame over hard work. His middle son, Jamal, is talented and shy but gay, embarrassing to Lyon.

The oldest, Andre, is business-minded but lacks charisma. The reappearance of Cookie, his ex-wife, complicates things since she says he owes her for taking the fall for the drug-running that financed his early career.

Eva plays Charlotte Frost, the head of the Las Vegas Gaming Commission, who holds the keys to Lucious entering Vegas. Because she doesn’t drink due to being a conservative Mormon, Lucious’s usual tactics of wining and dining are dead on arrival.

Cast: Terrence Howard (The Best Man: The Final Chapters), Taraji P. Henson (Abbott Elementary), Bryshere Y. Gray (The New Edition Story), Jussie Smollett (Star), Trai Byers (Harlem), Grace Byers (Phoenix), Malik Yoba (Blue Bloods), Tasha Smith (First Wives Club)

There is no drama like the music industry, and while many times, these stories seem too grand and elaborate to be based on reality, the more we see shows like Star streaming on Hulu, the more we believe the possibility.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Melissa Roxburgh Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Land of Women (2024)

Role: Gala. Available to stream on Apple TV+.

First, if you haven’t ventured over to Apple TV+ for some of its incredible original programming, I highly recommend Land of Women because even critics can’t get enough of this fantastic series.

A New York socialite is forced to flee to a charming Spanish wine town with her mother and daughter. She navigates small-town quirks while confronting her deepest family secrets and a pair of bumbling hitmen.

Seriously, this show has barely gotten off the ground, but it packs so much into just one episode yet seems to effortlessly balance humor, heart, and heated arguments.

As for Eva Longoria’s Gala, I previously said in my review of the premiere that her character is like if Gabrielle Solis left Carlos, moved to NYC, and landed herself another Mr. Money-bags, and I fully stand by that characterization.

Cast: Santiago Cabrera (Star Trek: Picard), Victoria Bazua, Carmen Maura (Limbo), Amaury Nolasco (Hightown), Gloria Munoz (Dangerous Moms)

A fabulous-looking woman on the run in stilettos after having her entire life turned upside down? Are you sure we aren’t discussing the Kaley Cuoco-led Max series The Flight Attendant?

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Keegan-Michael Key Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Only Murders in the Building (2024)

Role: Herself. Available to stream on Hulu.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Eva will be joining fellow Latina actress Selena Gomez in the absolute phenomenon of a show, Only Murders in the Building. Considering the all-star cast that has already made its way over to the Hulu hit, we are currently chomping at the bit.

Three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one.

When a horrible death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another.

Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living among them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it’s too late.

There is no news yet about who Eva Longoria’s character is or how she will be involved in the mystery comedy drama’s story, but if you’ve kept up with the show, you know it will be amazing no matter what. And how crazy was that Meryl Streep reveal from the third season?! 

No wonder the most recent season, which premiered with 719 million viewers, came in ninth on the Nielsen overall streaming charts and third among streaming originals.

Cast: Steve Martin (The Downer Channel), Martin Short (Schmigadoon!), Selena Gomez (Inside Amy Schumer), Aaron Dominguez (Gossip Girl), Amy Ryan (Sugar), Cara Delevingne (American Horror Story), Adina Verson (And Just Like That…)

True crime is almost everywhere in every genre of storytelling right now, from comedic to dramatic to thrilling. Still, in the Peacock series Poker Face, Natasha Lyonne delivers all that and more in this exciting show about a woman with a sixth sense to sniff out liars.

Eva Longoria is as talented as she is a beautiful soul who works hard to give back to the less fortunate and has managed to remain grounded despite years of acclaim and success.

Wherever her career takes her, we will gladly be along for the ride while laughing all the way.

Related: Essential Viewing: 11 Elisabeth Moss Movies and TV Shows You Must See

Which of Eva Longoria’s previous works is your favorite?

Will you be tuning in like the rest of us to her exciting new Apple TV+ series and again when she joins the cast of Only Murders in the Building?

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we break down the must-watch movies and television shows of your favorite actors!

The post Essential Viewing: 11 Eva Longoria Movies and TV Shows You Must See appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The series premiere episodes were a nonstop adventure of mishaps and mayhem, with laugh-out-loud moments that perfectly balanced physical comedy with sincere moments of heart and love.

However, the most striking aspect of the show is how seamlessly it weaves through dialogue in English and Spanish, which is a testament to the multicultural facet of the series.

Spanish-speaking viewers likely appreciated this. Shows with a predominately Hispanic, Spanish, or Latinx cast and characters either lean wholly into the native language or go full English.

It is a series that accurately depicts how bilingual people talk to one another, usually slipping between their native language and English, which adds to the authenticity of the series and brings a little zest to the dialogue.

Related: Lady in the Lake Trailer: Natalie Portman Thrills in Apple TV+'s Visual Tour de Force!

Right away, we meet Eva Longoria's Gala, a New York City socialite who has it all and is about to get even more as she prepares to open her own wine store.

It would have been nice to see the store in business before the craziness began, but we're not complaining because, so far, this wild ride has us itching for more.

Still, Gala was due for a reality check. Within the first few minutes of Land of Women Season 1 Episode 1, it's established that she has more significant problems coming her way than what dress to wear to whatever event.

Gala: I look like the curtains

Friend: I thought you already had a dress.

Gala: I did. I ordered a dress. This is what came. Yeah. I’m already having a midlife crisis. You think I’m gonna squeeze my ass into some pleather?

Friend: Okay, first of all, this is not a midlife crisis. Okay? Call me when you’re accidentally tripping over your nipples.

_{🔗 permalink: I’m gonna squeeze my ass into some pleather? – S01E01 – Land of Women}

It's going to be really hard not to get that very specific midlife crisis description out of our heads because that's something only a medical professional should have to deal with.

Gala deserves some credit for how quickly she jumped into action once the ball got rolling on getting out of Dodge.

She moved with a quickness that speaks volumes of what her past must have been like before she met old money-bags, Fred.

Although, I guess it's no-money-bags Fred now after he turned tail and rained off to Lord knows where leaving his wife to run off to God's country in Spain.

It would be understandable that the grandmother didn't make much fuss about an impromptu trip somewhere. She is a wily woman who has said, "Staying out of trouble was never my thing." We love her already!

Related: Presumed Innocent Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Discovery

And sure, Gala did have to lie to her daughter to get her to go because she's not as impulsive as her mother or grandmother, but how in the world did no one bat an eye about jumping on a plane to fly to another country on another continent?

That absolutely screams "on the run." Rich people's problems.

Even harder to believe is how Gala did not see the massive tractor in the middle of the road. And I'm not talking about right before she hit it. How did she not see it from fifty feet away as she made her way down the road?!

I'm with Amat. It's a tractor. She should've seen it, but there's no getting around how hilarious the situation was.

That was a rough start to what might end up becoming an unexpected love interest for Gala despite her already being married.

Amat: American, huh?

Gala: A little bit. Can you tell?

Amat: “A little bit,” yeah. Don’t look like a country girl either.

Kate: He’s calling you a snob.

Gala: Yeah, I understand Spanish, honey.

_{🔗 permalink: Kate: He’s calling you a snob. – S01E01 – Land of Women}

Technically, though, she was abandoned, and even if it was for her own good, Fred borrowed money he couldn't pay back and then lied about it till it was too late. So, go off, Gala. Do you, girl.

Eva Longoria's character might seem familiar to some viewers because her vibe is very much like that of Gabby from Desperate Housewives if she had left Carlos for another man with money and moved to New York City.

At least the grandmother is enjoying herself because the only time she stopped smiling was whenever she thought she saw anyone in her old town that she didn't like — or at least thought she didn't like.

Gala: You think she’s someone else, mom.

Julia: I do not. That’s Catalina. She’s thinner now. She must have drunk her own poison.

Montse: No, ma’am. I’m Montse.

Julia: I am so sorry, sweetie. I thought you were someone else from town. A viper with a very long tongue.

Montse: No, I know Catalina. She was my mom. She died last year.

_{🔗 permalink: She was my mom. She died last year. – S01E01 – Land of Women}

Related: 12 Obscenely Wealthy Characters Who Get a Free Pass

It's incredible that Gala was able to keep it together for as long as she did because she literally ran in heels from NYC to Spain, all while shouldering the burden of keeping what she knew to herself.

It really seemed like she was about to tell the whole truth to Kate and Julia for a minute there, but in the end, she still decided not to reveal the threat of danger.

Gala: Okay. This isn’t a girl’s trip. Uh, we, uh — we don’t have any money. Your dad didn’t invest very wisely, and now I can’t pay for your university. I can’t pay for Mom’s nursing home. I’m going to lose the store. So all we have is that house and the money in this bag.

_{🔗 permalink: okay. This isn’t a girl’s trip. – S01E01 – Land of Women}

It seems like an odd choice if you have to keep trying to convince the two people with you why it's crucial for everyone to stay together on this trip.

Sure, lie to them to get them out of the country, but once you're in the clear, at least have the decency to tell your family members that you and they are being hunted by hitmen who possibly want to kill them.

Kate: So, we have no car, no house, but we do have a bag full of wet money.

_{🔗 permalink: So, we have no car – S01E01 – Land of Women}

That's just a common courtesy.

Although Julia is a firecracker waiting to zip and zap all over the place, not even the idea of jail rattles the woman.

Officer: Well, that’s everything, miladies. Be careful not to break the law again. It stays on your record forever, okay?

Julia: Look at me. I’m shaking.

_{🔗 permalink: Look at me. I’m shaking. – S01E02 – Land of Women}

That doesn't mean she doesn't have a lot of things to deal with or explain, considering Gala's skill for lying is clearly hereditary, as Julia has a past that she hasn't come to terms with in decades.

Gala: Are you going to leave your sister out on the street?

Mariona: She is not my sister anymore.

_{🔗 permalink: She is not my sister anymore. – S01E02 – Land of Women}

And while we are rooting for this wily woman, it's time to give up the ghost.

Gala: Mom, tell me the truth. Julie Xatart, who is my father?

Julia: Well, I don’t know! I don’t know. My memories get mixed up. Plus, I was pretty busy back then. I had several suitors.

_{🔗 permalink: Well, I don’t know! – S01E02 – Land of Women}

Related: Toby Jones, Lisa Vicari, Christiane Paul Join Idris Elba For Hijack Season 2

Also, how heartwrenching was that flashback between Kate and her father in Land of Women Season 1 Episode 2?

Fred: Hey, you remember when you told her you were going to transition?

Kate: Yeah, of course I remember.

Fred: Right. And that day when you told us, I just… Whoa, I just couldn’t take it all in, you know? Then your mom, she made it crystal clear that if I had any objections, then they were my problems, not yours.

Kate: And did you?

Fred: To be honest, yeah. Yeah, I was afraid. I didn’t want you to suffer.

_{🔗 permalink: I didn’t want you to suffer. – S01E02 – Land of Women}

The level of love there almost made us forget what an idiot the man must be. Almost.

He had better plan some epic rescue to save his family; otherwise, the hitmen would be the least of his problems when Gala finds him.

Gala: They say the measure of a man is how he acts in crisis. Fight or flight. Clearly, my husband is a flyer, and I’m — well, I’m just going to have to fix this myself.

_{🔗 permalink: Clearly, my husband – S01E01 – Land of Women}

However, that may not be an issue if things keep softening up between Gala and Amat the way they have so far.

Amat: Well, I need to go back now. Where should I take you?

Gala: I don’t know. We have no home. No money. Jail was better. We had a bed.

_{🔗 permalink: We have no home. – S01E02 – Land of Women}

Whatever the case, TV Fanatic is here for these wayward women and their whirlwind journey back to everyday life!

Gala: Sometimes our greatest adventures begin with the most unexpected of moments. A chance encounter with a stranger. A feeling of helplessness when someone we love begins to slip away. We never ask to go on the journey, but ultimately it reveals the truth we desperately needed to confront.

_{🔗 permalink: Sometimes our greatest adventures – S01E02 – Land of Women}

What did you think of the series' first two episodes?

Are you excited to see how things unfold now that Gala has somewhat of a plan with Amat's wine?

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join us again when we review the next episode!

The post Land of Women Series Premiere Review: Styling in Stilettos up the Steep Streets of Spain appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The following day, they are released due to Amat dropping the charges over guilt.

They make a plan for Kate to get the car towed to town while Gala and Julia break back into the house to retrieve the money Julia hid there before they were arrested, but the two women discover the money is missing.

A flashback reveals a heartfelt conversation about Kate's transition with Kate and her father. Back in the present, the memory prompts Kate to call her girlfriend Maggie to help fly her back because she misses her home.

With the money gone, Gala deduces that Amat spent it, confirming he needed to replace the trailer she broke when she drove into him.

Gala and Julia confront Mariona for selling their family home before she reveals the truth that she and Julia have been estranged for over forty years.

Julia confesses that Gala's father is not dead and that he is likely alive and well, living in La Muga.

Gala's anger towards her mother is paused when she finds out that Kate went to the airport to fly home.

She scrambles to the airport to retrieve her daughter before she boards the plane, but the only way to stop Kate is for Gala to tell her the truth.

Feeling sorry for the woman, Amat agrees to let her stay at the house while he tries to repay her for the money he used to replace the trailer, but Gala feels he needs her help with the grapes since the town's wine is disgusting to her.

At the airport in NYC, Maggie panics when Gala doesn't get off the plane. She calls her father, who tells her everything will be alright before it's revealed that the hitmen work for him.

The post Land of Women Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Chapter 2 appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Twenty-four hours earlier, she's dress shopping with a friend, complaining about her life and possibly having a midlife crisis.

Later, she is at a party celebrating the opening of her new wine store. While waiting for her husband to arrive, she is approached by two large men who tell her that her husband owes them fifteen million dollars.

Back at their penthouse, Gala's husband informs her that he borrowed money that he can't pay back and that she needs to go on the run and leave New York City.

The next day, Gala packs her bag and money before escaping the hitmen waiting for her in the parking garage.

In a hurry, she gathers her mother, Julia, and daughter, Kate, claiming she is taking them on an impromptu girl's trip to visit her mother's old town where she grew up in Spain.

Without any credit cards, Gala has to buy an old car from a stranger, but on the road to La Muga, the woman accidentally hits a tractor delivering grapes.

After a heated argument, the driver, Amat, offers to give them a ride after he realizes that their car no longer works after the accident.

On her way into town, Gala discovers that the house she thought belonged to her mother was sold to Amat, who declares it his, and that the women must find shelter elsewhere.

They try to visit Julia's sister, Mariona, but she turns them away at the door before Gala confesses part of the truth to her mother and daughter, leaving out the part involving the hit men.

Gala decides to break into Amat's house, claiming it belongs to her, but he calls the police, and the women spend the night in jail.

The post Land of Women Season 1 Episode 1 Recap: Chapter 1 appeared first on TV Fanatic.