Land of Women
By Sioph W. Leal
There are many tropes of rich people losing it all, being forced to downsize in an unfamiliar place, and learning to adjust to their new lives. It's a great trope that works well as a standalone, in a brief series plot, or as a premise for an entire series such as Schitt’s Creek. It’s fun, and it’s a formula that sells. Land of Women takes that situation and brings it to a new location with more mysteries and turns to bring something new in this dramedy starring Eva Longoria as Gala.
Gala is a well-to-do New Yorker who has worked her entire life and grafted for the luxurious life she leads. Those expecting to see Longoria as another housewife will be happily surprised, as Gala is a rash, determined, and driven woman whose life is turned upside down when her husband fails to repay a huge debt to the wrong people. With her and her family's lives on the line, Gala is forced to flee New York for a remote town in northern Spain, where her mother ran away years before. With her ageing mother Julia (Carmen Maura) and teenage daughter Kate (Victoria Bazúa), the three women must start their lives anew, keep hidden in the charming yet gossiping town, and confront family secrets from the past and present.
The setting of a beautiful small town in Spanish wine country is enough of a character itself, and the series makes a point to highlight the stunning landscape and the mysteries they hold in conjunction with the character development. Despite the frantic nature of the show, the location provides a beautiful respite for us to really get to know the characters, the town, and how those dynamics blend. It’s hard to imagine why Julia ran away from the town, but the more she stays there, the more her past is revealed through her dementia, showing the memories going in and out beyond her control. The series uses the location to seamlessly transition past and present memories, adding a calm and nostalgic feel to them and more of an understanding of the characters.
There are a lot of flashbacks in the season throughout various times, and they work well with one exception in Amat (Santiago Cabrera). It is the only time the flashbacks are a detriment to the series and take away from the otherwise perfect pacing.
There is a frantic, almost erratic energy to the series at times that works to balance the emotion, the drama, and the comedy, most notably in Julia, but each of the three women has their own conflicts going on. Julia has a secret that destroyed her relationship with her sister; Gala is fighting for her family to survive murderous thugs; and Kate is fighting the small-minded nature of some of the town in regards to her identity.
All of the characters work perfectly together, each with their own vibrant personalities, and the performances match that. In Gala, we see the desperation and the desire to save her family in every way possible; in Julia, we get the emotional heart of the series as she carries the weight of the past and a decades-long secret; and in Kate, we get a touching performance from Bazúa, who navigates someone trying to discover themselves and a new life that is forced on them. While they all work in perfect tandem, the standouts are Bazúa and Maura. Maura can bring comedy with her erratic yet calm performance that is perfectly crafted and a delight to watch, and Bazúa can show the difficulties Kate faces. Longoria is a force to be reckoned with as Gala, and she brings a determined spirit to the series. Each offers something new and unique and creates characters with depth that you root for.
Land of Women never has a dull moment and is carried by fun performances mixed with a cosy, nostalgic setting that highlights the beauty of Spanish wine country and the varied performances. The drama and comedy balance perfectly to make a fun series with heart.
Land of Women premiers 26 June 2024 on Apple TV.