Parents' Guide to

El Rey, Vicente Fernández

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Mexican music legend biopic has drinking, smoking, violence.

TV Netflix Drama 2022
poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • Starting a tour.
  • Meeting the audience.
  • With Cuquita.

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age 14+

Based on 4 parent reviews

C.Tina
C.Tina Parent of 12-year-old
October 6, 2022
age 17+

Screen before watching with kiddos.

The storyline was great until Episode 13 “Enemies”, they threw in a scene of two scheming men in bed (no, not in the act). This scene was not necessary but it did explain the TV-MA rating. I tried to Google in advance why the show was rated TV-MA, in search of any raunchy or overkill scenes and this was not in any of the reviews.
GTrumbach
GTrumbach Parent of 18+-year-old
October 6, 2022
age 18+
This movie has the worst actors. I almost feel embarrassed for the real Vicente Fernández. None of the actors that sing are able to sing sing painful to watch. I’m 55 years old and I’m very familiar with many of the events in Mexican singers and there seems to be much made up events and feel that they are made to to feet the times we currently live. Maybe the regular Anglo can be genuinely entertained as fir me I’m constantly fact checking it’s not a truly genuine story of his life.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

EL REY, VICENTE FERNÁNDEZ is a dramatic series based on the early life and career of Mexico's most famous singer. Set between 1950-1976, each episode moves back and forth to pivotal events in Vicente Fernández's (Jaime Camil) professional and personal life. It introduces us to 10 year old "Chente," (Kaled Acab), who leaves school to make money singing in order to help his mother Paula (Marissa Saavedra) and his often-drunk father Ramón (played by Enoc Leaño). It also follows Chente in his late twenties (Sebastian Dante) as he struggles to find his footing in the music business. Meanwhile, viewers also get to the see the legendary singer in his late thirties as he seeks to build on his fame and go international. Throughout it all, Fernandez's relationship and subsequent marriage to Maria de Refugio, a.k.a. "Cuquita" (Marcela Guirado) is also chronicled. From struggling to meet the needs of his career and his family, to coping with personal and professional losses along the way, the series offers an in-depth interpretation of the life of one of Mexico's greatest cultural icons.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This thirty-six episode Mexican series is a long, stylized, and entertaining interpretation of how Vicente Fernández became the king of traditional ranchera music. Despite the shifting back and forth between the three main phases of his early career in each episode, it still delivers a well-developed story that is easy to follow. Also impressive are the singing performances by the three actors who play him. But most of the controversies surrounding Fernández, who died in December 2021, are not addressed here because they arose after the time period featured. Instead, it focuses on solidifying his place as a Mexican entertainment legend. If you're not a fan of the singer, you probably won't find it very appealing. But if you are, El Rey, Vicente Fernández is a series worth the commitment.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the history of ranchera music. Did you know that this music tradition dates back to before the Mexican Revolution? What does it represent? Is it still popular in México today?

  • How accurately does El Rey, Vicente Fernández portray the singer's career? Should viewers expect the series to present a narrative about his life that is completely true?

TV Details

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