Las Azules

Shogun is definitely the best series I have seen this year... objectively speaking, but Las Azules is putting me to the test... and it's doing so in a big way. I just love this series! It completely caught me by surprise.

The first two episodes are more of a comedy, somewhat in the spirit of Police Academy. In the 1970s, a serial killer is on the loose in Mexico City, hunting women. And to improve the image of the authorities and law enforcement, for the first time in history, women are allowed to join the police. And that's how we meet the four protagonists. They are all completely different (even though two are sisters), but they are united by their desire to catch the killer. Of course, no one takes them seriously at first, and those first two episodes are mostly about making fun of women in the police force by ultra-conservative old-timers. But it turns out that their detective skills and determination quickly lead our heroines to new clues.

Here, I have to say that the investigation and serial killer plot is almost on the level of Mindhunter. I really think so, as the layers of the story are revealed brilliantly, and most importantly, it makes sense and feels like something that truly happened (the series is inspired by real events). With each episode, the atmosphere thickens and becomes more serious. The personal storylines are also very well developed. Not only are the main characters multidimensional, but even the dull policemen guys are well-written. They're not black-and-white either; they also struggle with the pressures of working in the police force.

All in all it was a fantastic first season. This show deserves to be more popular.

I lived in Mexico City in the 70's and I remember how sexist everything was, so it's not hard to believe that the first female officers had to put up with dismissive, sexist attitudes from the male officers. I was also a police officer in America in the 80's and things hadn't changed that much in ten years. Even today most people outside of policing have the belief that being an officer is all about how strong you are and how fast you can run and little to do with your intelligence and your ability to communicate with anyone in the public. Women are great at this and are more likely to get a person to cooperate than want to fight them. But if they have to fight they can. Women have a place in the criminal justice system despite what some people think.

As far as the show, female officers were forced to wear those ridiculous skirts which obviously made their jobs even harder. The women are looking into details of the case that the detectives are ignoring in order to get an arrest for a serial killer, regardless if that person didn't do it. This actually happened a lot in the 1970's when the technology didn't exist (in America either) to tie someone to a crime. Much of it was circumstantial. I have just finished episode 3 and I find it intriguing enough to keep watching. The sexism is hard to watch as it brings up bad memories, but at least it's realistic.

I was expecting this tv series, wanted to see if Mexican talent + Apple resources would finally give us a decent crime show based on Mexico City. Sadly, my expectations were not met at all.

The storyline is not well written, the suspense is missing and the female main characters lack any real depth. It has the complexity of any regular crime series that you may watched but without really caring about the characters or the stories, just background noise you will forget the next day.

I may have watched it while doing other things, but the acting is quite regular, and the actress playing Valentina is terrible, all her facial gestures are over the top and annoying, like what you would see in the first classes of acting schools.

UPDATE: My first review (above) was based on two episodes; I watched five more due to friends' recommendation. It gets better in episode 4. The characters are better outlined, but in a predictable way: the empowered housewife, the annoying rebel "feminist" who doesn't know how to negotiate, the shy and insightful autist, and the naive but well-intentioned woman.

The actor Miguel Rodarte is great, and I also liked B. Mori's performance; N. Tellez and X. Sariñana also improved throughout the episodes but are still a bit cartoonish.

Watch it if you have the time and patience to spend more than three hours before it becomes exciting.

"Women in Blue" is a show that pulls you in right from the start. The plot is intriguing, and the acting is solid, making it a series you'll want to keep watching. Each episode builds on the last, keeping you curious about what will happen next. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy to connect with the story. The pacing is smooth, so it's easy to watch several episodes in a row without getting bored. If you enjoy crime dramas or just want something entertaining, "Women in Blue" is a great choice. The show's ability to keep you guessing while still delivering satisfying conclusions is a testament to its excellent writing and direction. It's not just the plot that's engaging; the cinematography and music also add a layer of richness (love the soundtrack).

I enjoyed this show. Great writing and acting. The cast is great, I was hooked after the first episode.

Barbara Mori is great, have seen her in other shows and movies and she does a great job in this one.

The actress who plays Gabina is great too. You really end up caring for the characters and the struggles they go through in a male dominated career.

The actress who plays Valentina is great too. Fiery and does a great job on the show.

I am picky with what I watch, so many bad shows on tv and my wife and I struggle to find something to watch together but this show won us over.

It's great to see latinas/latinos getting opportunities in front od the camera. Great job Apple tv.