“I’ve been poor, and I’ve been rich,” Teresa Mendoza, the eponymous sovereign of USA’s new drama Queen of the South, is heard saying in the starting shot of the show. As she does a line of coke, in the wake of emerging out of her private helicopter and into her elegant manor, she concedes what you expect she will post-Breaking Bad: “Rich is better.”
It’s likewise deadlier (you most expected that, as well). Suddenly, a projectile breaks the window of her not-so-private bathroom; she gets hit in the stomach and unveils–through voiceover–that a little back-story may be useful. This carries us to the beginning of the film.
The Queen of the South, a USA Network TV show, initially aired in 2016. It’s fixated on Teresa Mendoza, who lived a glamorous life with her drug-runner sweetheart in Mexico until he was murdered.
She runs and fights for her life. The show follows her on a journey to self-discovery and freedom as she’s defeating all the problems that life tosses at her.
Fans and followers of the film have seen Teresa’s (Alice Braga) cuddling up to a charming Texan drug smuggler, becoming buddies with a spouse of a cartel member.
Then, gradually gets in-too deep when her comfortable life threatens to come crashing down around her. And throughout her ascent and fall, the film has not once disappointed its viewers.
The most captivating part of the show is the character advancement that we see when Teresa goes from being a trophy spouse to being self-dependent.
We see her struggle, experience devastating conditions, and still find her strength, which is universally relatable (except for the drug-dealing part).
Teresa is a survivor. She thinks fast on her feet and takes the necessary steps to make it out alive. Her alter ego, The Queen of the South, frequently appears to her and offers her guidance when she is in hazardous circumstances, and she often obeys.
Teresa is ingenious and uses what is given to her, as showed when she changes a shortcoming or interruption for her potential benefit. She is obstinate and needs to prove herself to Camila to protect herself.
Teresa is also a kind woman, as seen by the way she takes care of Tony and gets medication for a young lady with a fever. She also fights for her loved ones, as confirmed by how far she went to rescue Guero and Brenda.
We cheer for her act of defiance against the system that made her. Teresa is the aggressor, but also the oppressed, and it makes for an interesting dynamic to watch.
Also, the show incorporates really gifted casts like Alice Braga, Veronica Falcón, and Justina Machado, who all represent various aspects of the world. That is another pivotal component of this project, which is something we don’t see all the time in TV shows nowadays.
The show is totally encompassing of Latino actors and actresses, which adds realness because of the original Mexican world depicted in the show.
The show also weighs being good or bad. The results of our decisions and integrity, however, gives it gives a twist of not knowing what is next at the same time.
For people who appreciate book adaptations, based on a book with a similar title written by Arturo Pérez-Reverte—initially produced as a Spanish-language Telenovela in 2011. In the wake of its notoriety, they created the English language version.
If you haven’t started watching this, but you enjoy gripping and intriguing thrillers with a speck of female empowerment, then this show is highly recommended. The show is accessible on Netflix.
Things Fans Have Learnt From Queen Of The South So Far
1. Control Taking
Teresa was in a comfortable relationship with her man, who was coincidently a drug mule. He stole some cash, got captured, and killed. But he left her an “escape card” as a book that detailed areas of the cartel’s locations. Because of this, Teresa and her closest companion, Brenda, wind up escaping to America.
Most of us can identify with this circumstance. Access your cutback, termination, repossession, foreclosure, a family member’s death, life-threatening disease.
Teresa had no ideal opportunity to set up a full plan, but she realized that she needed to live. For her, that meant doing whatever she could to arrive at a position of safety.
2. Thinking Before Speaking
With the circumstance that Teresa was confronting, she only expressed enough to keep her alive. She ensured that she didn’t reveal all her true plans. She could move up in rank because she was closed-mouthed most of the time.
Figure out your plan, ensure you don’t communicate them to everybody. Somebody unexpected wants your position, your clients, your lover, your vehicle, and so forth. You must take time to discover who you can trust and what information you want them to have.
3. Steadfastness
With all the maltreatments, she made the best out of her situation. While she was in a drug distribution centre, Camila Vargas, the BOSS, monitored her through cameras.
She monitored the seemingly insignificant details like mileage, time finishing errands, and choices made during conveyances. This shows that somebody is continually watching how dependable you are in your business.
This quality of reliability ought to be critical to anybody that is starting or in a business. When people realize that they can depend on you, they will give you more business and honours. A vital aspect of building a brand is building up a degree of trust that is spotless.
4. Finding A Mentor
Teresa was able to gain so much foothold because she found a friend/mentor in a fellow drug dealer, James. He has a sweet spot for her, and he can perceive how she thinks.
Consider getting a coach that plays special minds to you and helps direct you on a path that is the most beneficial for you.
5. Enthusiasm And Passion For Change
The zeal and ability to endure all misfortune were evident in this entire series. Teresa finds strength and quality from a future version of herself.
She manifested the image that gives her the will to forge forward. She could see herself in this perfect white suit, hair slicked back, urging her to think of the life she wanted.
In the meantime, her genuine conditions were very uncomfortable; sleeping in an enclosed cage in a stockroom with around 20 other ladies who were drug mules. Still, she kept on ‘dreaming’ about the individual she wanted to be.
Teresa is one of the most impressive, complex, and dynamic female leads on TV at this moment–a genuine survivor, which is why people are loving Queen Of The South.
See also: 10 Netflix Movies For Couples To Watch