USA Network's 'Queen of the South' New TV Show Review: Too Bad We Can't Binge-Watch
- Details
- Category: Television
- Published: Wednesday, 22 June 2016 18:19
- Written by Lupe Rodriguez Haas
After watching the pilot episode of USA Network’s “Queen of the South,” we’re hooked. Too bad we can’t binge-watch USA Network’s anticipated English language version of the international best selling novel "La Reina Del Sur" because it’s definitely worth binging. Instead audiences will have to wait every week to see how Teresa Mendoza (Alice Braga) matures into the queen pin of the drug cartel.
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH tells the powerful story of Teresa Mendoza, a woman who is forced to run and seek refuge in America after her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico. In the process, she teams with an unlikely figure from her past to bring down the leader of the very drug trafficking ring that has her on the run.
Brazilian actress Alice Braga gives a riveting performance in the rags to riches story. Since debuting in Brazil’s CITY OF GOD (2002), the actress has consistently chosen strong roles in Hollywood movies such as ELYSIUM, I AM LEGEND and PREDATORS in addition to balancing dramatic roles in her native Brazil. The 33-year-old actress is adept at the action sequences in addition to the dramatic range needed to play such a complicated character. The other impressive performance comes from Mexican actress Veronica Falcon who is the original queen pin “Camila Vargas” and under her guidance will show Teresa the ropes of running a drug empire, and help bring down the competition who happens to be Camila’s ex-husband.
The original drama series is based on the global best-selling novel "La Reina Del Sur," by internationally-acclaimed author Arturo Pérez-Reverte which yielded one of the most popular series of all time for USA's sister network, Telemundo starring Kate del Castillo. Having never watched the Spanish version, we don’t know how this compares but it’s certainly a worthy show on its own.
Given the setting is the drug cartel, “Queen of the South” is very violent, and many lives are lost including one we wished stayed around much longer. So don’t get attached to any characters.
“Queen of the South” premieres Thursday, June 23 on USA Network at 10p.m.