GENTEFIED Season 1: Good Virtues Ruined by Obnoxious Agenda
By Trevor Jones, Contributing Writer
GENTEFIED is a 2020 Netflix original dramedy. Set in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, it centers on a working class Latinx family who operates a struggling taco shop. They face modern-day issues like discrimination, an unstable rent market and the demands of Caucasian-American culture.
GENTEFIED is a technically competent series, but it’s weighed down by problematic values and heavy-handed messaging. It features a homosexual relationship, puzzling writing choices, and on the nose political commentary. For a TV-MA demographic, Movieguide® issues extreme caution.
The show’s worldview is humanistic with a hint of Christian virtues. The family’s prevailing obstacle is “gentrification,” the process of middle-class citizens moving into and altering the culture of a low-income area. The series’ title is also a pun on the Spanish word “gente,” which means “people.” The Morales family makes occasional references to “the devil” and “God,” but they don’t go to Mass. The main characters are loyal to one another and try to preserve their community’s Latinx heritage, but their morals are more human-focused than God-focused.
The Morales family, while not practicing Christians, do affirm certain Christian values, including familial teamwork, loyalty, and giving back to one’s community. Casimiro ‘Pop’ Morales, the grandfather, mentors his younger relatives in treating each other as neighbors. Erik Morales, the expectant father, embraces fatherhood. He helps his pregnant wife with their living arrangements. Ana Morales paints street art for her clients to support her family. Unfortunately, this good will is ruined by obnoxious political commentary.
GENTEFIED’s biggest detriment is its progressive messaging. In every episode, it checks off a list of trendy 2020 political talking points. This commentary would be tolerable if it weren’t so arrogant and on the nose. When the Morales family and their white neighbors collide, they sarcastically criticize each other’s culture. The family regularly utters phrases such as “white privilege,” “not a real Mexican,” and “queer.”
In one example, Ana paints a “brown love” mural on the side of a locally owned convenience store. She appeases her Caucasian patron but disgusts the Latina store owner. Her mural, which depicts two male wrestlers kissing each other, causes a ruckus with the store’s Latino conservative customers. They refuse to do business with that store. Ana holds a campaign to regain the customers’ trust. However, the mural is later vandalized.
Speaking of “brown love,” Ana lives with her girlfriend Yessika. Ana uses her Instagram to promote her work and flex her homosexual status. The show frequently reminds the viewers that the two female characters are madly in love. They’re also active politically in the city. They hammer on the need for Latinx representation at all times.
In one episode, Ana and Yessika protest a food tour for encouraging gentrification. The rest of the family takes advantage of this protest to promote their taco shop. The Morales family hosts a comedic ad on social media. They ask viewers to support local businesses while “checking your privilege.” The stunt works–to Ana’s dismay–as a group of racially diverse affluent tourists flood the shop. One tourist says, “This is great. We can get tacos and make a difference.”
Not surprising, the series is critical of white-American culture. Ana hosts an art gallery exhibit, but soon realizes how snobbish her white patron is. In the last episode, she sprays graffiti on her own work and storms out the building. The visitors start bidding on the vandalized art, believing it’s worth more than in its non-vandalized state. Ana’s white landlord patron is portrayed as arrogant, air-headed, and full of himself. On short notice, he hastily sells the taco store’s property to a real estate company.
GENTEFIED also tackles gender. Erik is self-critical of his inability to be a suitable husband. He constantly brings up “toxic masculinity”—and not just in the sense of “I should be a more virtuous person.” When he discusses this with his cohorts, they call his wife “a strong, independent woman.” This angle is later hastily dropped.
The series fails to leave a lasting political impact on the viewer. The issues it brings up break the immersion of the storytelling. They’re only included to appease political tastes. The blunt writing also spills into the elements it portrays.
In terms of content warning, the show features some harsh language in both English and Spanish. There are glimpses of brief physical violence. One character, after getting enraged by racist comments against his co-workers, punches his boss in the face. The grandfather drinks alcohol, gets drunk, and urinates on public property in protest. He immediately gets arrested.
Smoking appears in a few instances. In one episode, Ana and Chris Morales go to a party, consume drugs, and endure an ecstasy trip. Regarding sex and love, there are several intimate scenes. Ana and her girlfriend sleep together in their underwear and they kiss onscreen. Moreover, her girlfriend plays a pivotal role in the series. To round it off, there are protests, vandalism, and police corruption.
On the lighter side, GENTEFIED contains some positive elements. The actors do a superb job and their chemistry feels authentic. When they’re not forcing a leftist agenda, the characters are likeable. The series moves at a good pace, and some comedic elements do work.
In conclusion, GENTEFIED is a series that had potential but wrapped in a barrage of obnoxious pandering. It embodies a humanistic tint with some Christian elements. The series talks down to viewers rather than letting them come to their own conclusions. Movieguide® recommends extreme caution for mature audiences.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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