| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this soapy drama has mature themes (adult sibling rivalry, corporate power struggles, underhanded/illegal tactics, etc.), strong sexual innuendo, steamy bedroom scenes (though no real nudity), and violent confrontations. The central characters -- powerful, wealthy Cuban-Americans with traditional values -- run a rum business and will do anything to protect it, as well as the "family honor."
CANE is a dramatic primetime soap opera that tells the story of feuding families, internal power struggles, and steamy romance with a traditional Latin flair. Jimmy Smits stars as Alex Vega, the foster son of the Duques, a large, close-knit Cuban-American family in the rum and sugar business. Alex helps his foster father, Pancho (Hector Elizondo), run the company along with brothers Francisco (Nestor Carbonell) and Enrique (Eddie Matos). Alex's wife, Isabel (Paola Turbay), is Pancho's daughter. Holding the family together is the Duque matriarch Amalia (Rita Moreno). The series presents the ongoing strife between the Vega-Duques and the Samuels clan, who run a Florida sugar cane company. Patriarch Joe Samuels (Ken Howard) heads the business with his son, Lamont (Lee Tergesen), and his seductive daughter, Ellis (Polly Walker).
Cane is full of mystery and passion and provides all of the other guilty pleasures you'd expect from an adult soap opera. But what separates it from other dramas of its kind is its celebration of America's Cuban heritage. Some of the show's storylines are connected to major historic events that define Cuban-Americans today, including little-known facts about the early years of the first post-revolution refugees. The series also serves as a vehicle for several generations of talented Latino actors (though not all Cuban), who add to the show's authenticity.
Families can talk about what makes a TV show a "soap opera." Do you consider this series a soap? Why or why not? What do most shows that fall into the soap category have in common? How is this one similar or different? Families can also talk about the characters' culture and values. Do they provide positive Latino role models?
| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | CBS |
| Cast: | Jimmy Smits, Nestor Carbonell, Polly Walker |
| Genre: | Drama |