In a happy world, there would be no harm in beauty contests: what's wrong in enjoying what's easy on the eye? But of course, we live in a world where women are widely marginalised, belittled, and treated as existing for the purposes of men, so it's no wonder that feminists have often registered protests against such competitions. "Senorita '89" is a drama series whose setting is a Miss Mexico competition, and one could imagine a drama constructed by fictionalising actual happenings that would address the real issues with such events by telling an essentially true story. The programme's problem is that the plot also contains a story of a (wholly fictional) killing and a cover-up, and while this gives us a classic thriller-style plot, it somewhat undermines the wider social message, as the viewer doesn't know how much is based on reality, and what is just made-up story. The series is also rather heavy handed in it's treatment of the material, with a semi-independent character providing a voiceover that tells us what we should be thinking right from the start. It's not an awful series, but ultimately it's not a particularly insightful one either.
8 Reviews
A Must, Must Watch
louiselh8 December 2022
A Brilliant Mexican series bought by the BBC. It's not what I expected - it's far better. It feels like a show that will capture people's interest, just like The Killing did.
Ive Shared it with family and friends already, even though I'm only up to episode 3.
Maybe consider Watching before or after viewing the handmaids tale. Just like the excruciatingly hard to watch, yet riveting dramatised Margaret Atwood novel, Señorita 89 is just as scary; if not more so as the young women are more relatable due to their modern day clothes.
This along with the handmaids tale Should be shown in 6th forms colleges and uni's.
Ive Shared it with family and friends already, even though I'm only up to episode 3.
Maybe consider Watching before or after viewing the handmaids tale. Just like the excruciatingly hard to watch, yet riveting dramatised Margaret Atwood novel, Señorita 89 is just as scary; if not more so as the young women are more relatable due to their modern day clothes.
This along with the handmaids tale Should be shown in 6th forms colleges and uni's.
Brilliant
magda-strong4 February 2024
It is a hard one to watch with some scenes being quite graphic, but it certainly brings a message across of control and manipulation, the hunger for power and money, and how the world is ultimately controlled by a few (usually male but not exclusively) people. These are themes not only found in 3rd world countries but everywhere. The main cast are predominantly female who evolve in a very realistic and believable manner.
In the end a really excellent production. Great acting and actors and directing with a complex story line. The end is one of vindication, commitment to bring about change in a corrupt world, not playing it safe and doing the right thing regardless of own life. I loved it.
In the end a really excellent production. Great acting and actors and directing with a complex story line. The end is one of vindication, commitment to bring about change in a corrupt world, not playing it safe and doing the right thing regardless of own life. I loved it.
A must watch!
alegomeze14 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"Beauty is a cage and can become a bird"
What caught my attention is the topic: Beauty pageants. You think you know it all but as you see the process every contestant go through, their story, their background, challenges, you empathize with them. There are explicit scenes on how they're treated as victims of abuse of power, discrimination, sexism.
Of course this is from a female point of view, there are women who are against each other as most of us would believe, you could even notice the influence of sexist behavior in the matriarch, and to be honest I wouldn't have believed this mentality back in the 90's but I loved how all of them support each other to cover a crime. They find their strenght in each other even with the world against them.
I don't want to go deep in the whole political patriarchy context so overall I really liked the way these women are trying to be heard to be seen, as human beings. People in power can really either hinder your dreams or make them come true.
I recommend for you to watch it and draw your own conclusions.
Of course this is from a female point of view, there are women who are against each other as most of us would believe, you could even notice the influence of sexist behavior in the matriarch, and to be honest I wouldn't have believed this mentality back in the 90's but I loved how all of them support each other to cover a crime. They find their strenght in each other even with the world against them.
I don't want to go deep in the whole political patriarchy context so overall I really liked the way these women are trying to be heard to be seen, as human beings. People in power can really either hinder your dreams or make them come true.
I recommend for you to watch it and draw your own conclusions.
Señorita 89
iotaplan13 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I finally saw the last two episodes. I was thinking The girl from the Yucatan should win.. you know go America, but I secretly wanted Leidi Gutiérrez to win from Chihuahua. AND LAdy Ms. Romo is still cool though...Davey.
You'll be sorry.
steven-22227 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Unless you want to watch a story that come to a completely downbeat ending with the total triumph of evil...you've be sorry you spent ten hours of your live watching Senorita 89. I'm not necessarily against downbeat stories, if they earn the serious artistic stripes to claim my hard-won empathy. But Senorita 89 wants to have to be both an over-the-top, oh-no-she-didn't, trashy entertainment, AND a heavy-hitter in the gravitas department (think say, Shutter Island), a work that leaves you devastated but so deeply moved you're willing to feel the pain. Instead, after ten hours, I was left feeling dirty, used, and abused...not unlike the young women in this series. Watch a second season? Not on your life!
3/10
cosmin74200026 May 2022
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