María la del barrio

There's no doubt as to why this telenovela is as iconic as it is. It's probably because of Itatí Cantoral, who served the over-the-top drama that Mexican telenovelas came to be known for, and she did it in the most entertaining way possible. Thalía is not the best actress but the plot makes you forgive her mediocre acting chops. It feels a bit boring and clichéd in the beginning, but it can (and will) get crazy in ways that the viewer would not necessarily expect. The story is overcomplicated but in an exciting way, though it lacked some depth to it to each of its arcs - most of what we see is just face value. I do wish that the telenovela had cared about the rest of the characters, because it did end up being more of a María biopic as if everyone was aware that she was the main character. The time jumps are ridiculous but once again forgivable, with already old people not decaying a bit after 15 years and the only difference being María's hairstyle and Fernando's mustache.