Our Favorite Latinx Shows of 2021 You Need to Stream
We are always down to watch the latest and greatest shows, but if you're trying to infuse some Latinx culture into your binge watching, we've put together a list of shows that have strong Latinx representation
Photos: Netflix
We are always down to watch the latest and greatest shows, but if you’re trying to infuse some Latinx culture into your binge watching, we’ve put together a list of shows that have strong Latinx representation. There’s a little bit of comedy with Gentefied and a little bit of drama from POSE. These are some of the shows we loved this year and while some are also ending this year, we are excited to see what the rest of the shows on the list have in store for us in 2022. Here are eight of our favorite shows telling Latinx stories on television.
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Gentefied – Netflix
Season 2 of Gentefied premiered this year and it was as powerful, emotional, and relatable as we hoped. As the family patriarch Casimiro “Pop” Morales (Joaquín Cosío) petitions for a green card we see how his grandkids Erik, Chris, and Ana navigate changes in their love lives and career. The series centers on issues of gentrification, immigration, love, family, and the American Dream. We’re still waiting on a confirmation for Season 3 but we’re hopeful it’ll get renewed.
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Love, Victor – Hulu
Image: Instagram/@lovevictorhulu
Michael Cimino stars in Hulu’s series Love, Victor, which tells the story of a Puerto Rican-Colombian teen coming out to his family and trying to navigate a new high school. The series starts with him going on a journey of self-discovery and leads into his first relationship so it can definitely get heavy and emotional but that’s what makes it so important. The show highlights what it means to be LGBTQIA+ in a religious family and the intersection of beliefs and identity.
wp_*postsQueen of the South – USA Network
Image: Instagram/@queenonusa
The final season of Queen of the South aired this year on USA Network. The past few seasons we saw Alice Braga flee Mexico after her boyfriend was murdered. She became the head jefa in charge of a big drug business so that she could avenge his death. We don’t want to give away any spoilers, but the last season is definitely an emotional roller coaster.
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On My Block – Netflix
Black and brown kids are at the heart of the series On My Block which ended with its fourth season on Netflix this year. The show centered on the four teens as they go through the highs and lows of love and struggle with their classes while dreaming of graduation day amid gang violence and gentrification. The show’s authentic character portrayals and real struggles resonated with so many of us and though it’s now over, Netflix did announce a spin-off entitled Freeridge.
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Saved by The Bell – Peacock
Image: Instagram/@peacocktv
Latinas Haskiri Velazquez (Daisy Jiménez) and Alycia Pascual-Peña (Aisha Garcia) are two breakout stars of the Saved by the Bell reboot. The show takes place in the same location but this time there is more Latinx representation and we love to see it. “As a Latina, being able to play Daisy on Saved by the Bell means a lot to me. Daisy inspires me to be fearless and take on all challenges that come my way. I love knowing that Daisy will be relatable and inspiring to young Latinx girls. She’s also someone who’ll look like them! But, what I truly love about playing Daisy is that she’ll be someone that ANY young girl can look up to. For girls everywhere to know that they too can take on any challenge and overcome any obstacles and set goals for their future,” Velazquez tells HipLatina.
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POSE – FX & Available on Netflix
https://www.instagram.com/p/CQlnDjYLcx6/
Image: Instagram/@poseonfx
Pose is deep dive into drag ball culture scene in New York City from the 80s through the late 90s with Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ front and center. The series, which ran for three seasons, was critically acclaimed for having the largest cast of transgender actors as regulars in a series. Afro-Latina MJ Rodriguez, Indya Moore, who is of Haitian, Puerto Rican, and Dominican descent, and Dominican-American actor and dancer Jason A. Rodriguez.
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Maya and the Three – Netflix
Image: Instagram/@mayaandthe3
Latinx representation in Hollywood is limited but Indigenous representation is even moreso so the release of this series that’s a mix of indigenous Latin America, weaving in Inca, Maya, and Aztec mythology and modern-day Caribbean culture is so exciting. Maya and the Three tells the story of a rebellious teenage warrior princess named Maya (Zoe Saldaña) who embarks on a quest to seeking the three great warriors who will help her defeat the god of war and save humankind. The nine-episode series also stars Gabriel Iglesias as Picchu, Diego Luna as Zatz, the Prince of Bats,Gael García Bernal as Lance, Dagger and Shield, the Jaguar Brothers, Maya’s three older brothers, and
Rita Moreno as Ah Puch.
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Diary of a Future President – Disney+
Image: Instagram/@disneyplus
Tess Romero plays 13-year-old Cuban American Elena Cañero-Reed who aspired to become president one day. It includes flash forwards to Gina Rodriguez after Elena has achieved that goal highlighting the challenges Elena faces in both periods. Though the dramedy series from Ilana Peña lasted only two seasons (the final season aired this year), its existence is a powerful statement with a Latina as president of the U.S.
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With Love – Prime Video
With Love premiered this month but it’s already one of our favorites and considering it comes from One Day at a Time creator Gloria Calderón Kellett it comes as no real surprise. The show follows a Mexican American family and features a mostly Latinx, Afro-Latinx, and queer cast. We love to see multiple generations of Latinas explore love and life and what makes it unique is that each episode takes place during a holiday. It kicks off with Nochebuena and ends with Dia de Los Muertos.
