Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Female police fight crime and sexism; cursing, smoking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Women in Blue
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The Mexican series Las Azules, a.k.a. WOMEN IN BLUE, is inspired by the true story of Mexico City's first female police force. It's 1971, and times are turbulent in the very conservative and patriarchal country. The capital city is also being terrorized by a serial killer who the police believe is responsible for the brutal deaths of several young women. In hope of calming the public down, new police chief Emilio Escobedo (Christian Tappan) announces he's creating a female police force to help keep the streets safe. One of the many women who join the academy is Maria (Bárbara Mori), a wife and mother whose childhood dreams of becoming a crime investigator were reignited after discovering that her husband was cheating on her. She joins her sister Valentina (Natalia Téllez), a young activist who wants join the police force to change it from within, and Gabina (Amorita Rasgado), who comes from a family of male police officers, and who's willing to defy her father in order to become one. Also joining them is Ángeles (Ximena Sariñana), a quiet analytical genius who's devoted to her faith and her grandmother. But after the female cadets are trained by the relentless Octavio Romandía (Miguel Rodarte), who only agreed to the task in exchange for reinstatement into his investigative squad, they discover that the entire project is a publicity stunt. Nonetheless, María, Valentina, Gabina, and Ángeles are committed to finding the serial killer that's on the loose, and together begin conducting their own independent investigation.
Is It Any Good?
Inspired by true events, the well-written and stylized fictional crime drama follows four women as they seek to identify a serial killer while challenging the traditional sexist norms of Mexican society in the 1970s. Throughout Women in Blue they reveal their intelligence, talent for investigation, and their ability to take calculated risks, much to the chagrin of the male officers assigned to the case. The women are consistently forced to find ways to successfully conduct their investigation outside of personal and institutional patriarchal spaces, which are intended to keep them (and all women) out of what are considered male domains; this adds both drama and moments of humor to the series. But Women in Blue situates Maria, Valentina, Gabina, and Ángeles' experiences in a way that pays homage to the efforts made by Mexico City's real-life first female police officers, who were recruited in 1971 to improve the image of law enforcement, and who began to break down the gender barriers for the women who came after them. If you're looking for an entertaining and binge-worthy series, this one fits the bill.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the role of women in Mexico City's police force. Did you know that there was an attempt to have a Mexican squadron of female officers in the 1930s? Why did it fail?
Women in Blue highlights many the obstacles that Mexican women who wanted careers in fields that were considered "male" faced in the 1970s. How much of this has changed in Mexico over the last 50 years?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 31, 2024
- Cast: Bárbara Mori , Natalia Téllez , Ximena Sariñana , Amorita Rasgado
- Network: Apple TV+
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Activism , Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models , History
- Character Strengths: Compassion , Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: August 18, 2024
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