As I have continued my journey watching La Reina del Sur, it has become apparent to my friends and family that telenovelas have become some of my favorite things to discuss. They constantly ask me how my show is going or about the latest drama regarding Teresa Mendoza. Recently, one of my friends reached out and mentioned that he was watching a new drama on Netflix that he thought I might find interesting. He explained that it was called Elite, and that it was all done in Spanish.
I decided to watch a few episodes, and was shocked at the similarities between this modern television show and the telenovelas that we study in class. It was apparent to me upon watching just a few episodes that drama was the most important element in this series. Within the first few minutes, the audience had already been exposed to a first degree murder, a heated sex scene, and a building burning to the ground. Emotions were exaggerated and love/hate was the center of everything that occurred throughout the beginning storyline.
I was also surprised to find that a handful of characters in the new Netflix original were the same actors that starred in the popular Spanish television show, La Casa de Papel. I noticed these actors overlap between the two television shows greatly, playing a diverse range of characters that have little connection to one another.
In comparing the Spanish modern television that I have been watching to my study of telenovelas and my journey with La Reina del Sur, I have been surprised by the similarities but also by the differences. In telenovelas, it is obvious that the fan following is very different. I have learned that they often have a very loyal following and individuals that are very connected with the characters, often going above and beyond to make their opinions about their characters very public. I have not seen this type of following with La Casa de Papel and Elite, and I assume that this is due to the strong audience/character connection that I have learned telenovelas produce.
Regularly watching these modern television shows in Spanish has served to increase my Spanish speaking abilities and also allow me to study telenovelas in a whole new light. In comparing the two, I am able to see the stark contrasts between telenovelas and regular television, and have thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment and educational aspects of both.
Lauren,
ReplyDeleteEstoy de acuerdo con su comparación entre la televisión moderna y las telenovelas. ¡Es increíble la cantidad de gente que anhela el drama! Ya sea en una telenovela o simplemente en un programa "regular", el drama es una necesidad para llamar la atención de la gente. Lo que también me pareció interesante fue tu punto sobre la base de fans. Las telenovelas tienen algunos de los fanáticos más dedicados de todas las series de televisión. Es interesante porque muchos programas de televisión que incluso veo, me siento capaz de alejarme y tomarme un descanso. Sin embargo, los fanáticos de las telenovelas nunca considerarían alejarse de la televisión durante sus telenovelas. Esto de nuevo resalta algunas de las diferencias culturales que hemos estudiado este semestre, que me parecen muy interesantes.
I love the comparison between these two shows. It's been really eye opening throughout the semester to take notice at how a telenovela truly does differ from a modern drama. I feel like I am now much more advanced in my media knowledge and have the ability to notice things much clearer than previously. I think it's super cool that you watch ELITE and began to really make the connections and also discover how they were different.
ReplyDelete