Cheap copy of Orange is the new Black
If you've ever wondered what it would look like if someone binge-watched Orange is the New Black, took absolutely none of the wit, heart, or storytelling, and instead just scribbled down "women's prison + stereotypes + predictable drama," then congratulations-you've just described En el Barro.
This show is the equivalent of reheating leftover instant noodles three times and then calling it gourmet cuisine. It looks like TV, it sounds like TV, but god damn, it has the depth of a puddle.
Every Scene = Cliché Bingo You know how sometimes you're watching a show and you can guess what's coming next, but you still hope they'll surprise you? Yeah, no surprises here. You could literally pause the show, write down what you think the next three scenes will be, and you'll be right every time.
The innocent new girl gets thrown into prison - immediately bullied by the mean, tattooed veteran inmate.
The corrupt guard who abuses power - shocker, he has a secret deal with inmates.
The lesbian prison romance subplot - of course one of them betrays the other.
The flashback sob story - every inmate has the most painfully obvious "tragic backstory" that's written like a soap opera script.
And don't even get me started on the "drug smuggling through laundry" storyline. Bro, that's not even clever anymore. That's like Prison 101, straight out of the Cliché Starter Pack.
Story? Or recycled garbage?
The main plot is supposed to be about Clara, this naïve rich girl who gets tossed into prison for "a crime she didn't commit" (how original, right?). Within two episodes, she's already doing the classic prison arc: 1. Crying in her cell.
2. Making friends with the wise old inmate who "knows the system." 3. Getting beaten by the queen bee inmate.
4. Suddenly becoming tougher than all of them by episode 6 because, of course, that's how character development works.
Meanwhile, the side characters feel like they were spat out of a "Netflix Originals Generator": The loudmouth Latina who's always making jokes but has a heart of gold.
The cold, calculating matriarch who secretly just wants her kids back.
The guard who acts "nice" but is obviously crooked.
I swear, half the script must've been written by someone playing Mad Libs with old prison drama tropes.
The worst part?
There's no tension. Zero. Nothing matters because you already know what's going to happen. When a character picks up a shiv, you know exactly who's getting stabbed. When two characters start whispering in the corner, you know it's going to turn into the "betrayal" subplot by the next episode. Even the so-called "twist" at the end-the big reveal that the prison warden is behind all the drug deals-was telegraphed so badly, a toddler could've guessed it.
Final Verdict: En el Barro isn't just bad-it's offensively lazy. It's the kind of show that makes you wonder how it even got funded. Like, did someone pitch this with a straight face? "What if we do Orange is the New Black, but strip away all the humor, originality, and decent acting, and instead fill it with soap opera clichés?" And some exec actually said: "Genius. Here's your budget."
If you want a prison drama, rewatch OITNB or Wentworth. If you want to waste your time, sure, throw this sludge on. But don't say I didn't warn you.
2 stars.
This show is the equivalent of reheating leftover instant noodles three times and then calling it gourmet cuisine. It looks like TV, it sounds like TV, but god damn, it has the depth of a puddle.
Every Scene = Cliché Bingo You know how sometimes you're watching a show and you can guess what's coming next, but you still hope they'll surprise you? Yeah, no surprises here. You could literally pause the show, write down what you think the next three scenes will be, and you'll be right every time.
The innocent new girl gets thrown into prison - immediately bullied by the mean, tattooed veteran inmate.
The corrupt guard who abuses power - shocker, he has a secret deal with inmates.
The lesbian prison romance subplot - of course one of them betrays the other.
The flashback sob story - every inmate has the most painfully obvious "tragic backstory" that's written like a soap opera script.
And don't even get me started on the "drug smuggling through laundry" storyline. Bro, that's not even clever anymore. That's like Prison 101, straight out of the Cliché Starter Pack.
Story? Or recycled garbage?
The main plot is supposed to be about Clara, this naïve rich girl who gets tossed into prison for "a crime she didn't commit" (how original, right?). Within two episodes, she's already doing the classic prison arc: 1. Crying in her cell.
2. Making friends with the wise old inmate who "knows the system." 3. Getting beaten by the queen bee inmate.
4. Suddenly becoming tougher than all of them by episode 6 because, of course, that's how character development works.
Meanwhile, the side characters feel like they were spat out of a "Netflix Originals Generator": The loudmouth Latina who's always making jokes but has a heart of gold.
The cold, calculating matriarch who secretly just wants her kids back.
The guard who acts "nice" but is obviously crooked.
I swear, half the script must've been written by someone playing Mad Libs with old prison drama tropes.
The worst part?
There's no tension. Zero. Nothing matters because you already know what's going to happen. When a character picks up a shiv, you know exactly who's getting stabbed. When two characters start whispering in the corner, you know it's going to turn into the "betrayal" subplot by the next episode. Even the so-called "twist" at the end-the big reveal that the prison warden is behind all the drug deals-was telegraphed so badly, a toddler could've guessed it.
Final Verdict: En el Barro isn't just bad-it's offensively lazy. It's the kind of show that makes you wonder how it even got funded. Like, did someone pitch this with a straight face? "What if we do Orange is the New Black, but strip away all the humor, originality, and decent acting, and instead fill it with soap opera clichés?" And some exec actually said: "Genius. Here's your budget."
If you want a prison drama, rewatch OITNB or Wentworth. If you want to waste your time, sure, throw this sludge on. But don't say I didn't warn you.
2 stars.
- dartynagger
- 20 ago 2025