Somos.
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Violent, brutal drug-cartel story humanizes victims.
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Somos.
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What's the Story?
Based on a true story, SOMOS. is a six-part series that follows the lives of people living in a Mexican border town overtaken by a drug cartel. Allende, a ranching town located just south of the U.S. border, is under the control of Los Zetas, a powerful criminal syndicate known for its brutal violence. Some local residents like Paquito (Jesús Sida) and Aracely (Natalia Martinez), young parents who live with Aracely's mother Doña Chayo (Mercedes Hernandez), and high school friends like Nancy (Jimena Pagaza), Tom (Mario Alberto Quiñones), and Armando (Jesús Herrera) live their daily lives as usual; others, like rancher Isidro Linares (Fernando Larrañaga), are struggle to keep their businesses going while keeping the cartel at bay. When U.S drug enforcement agents discover that two key members of the syndicate are living just outside of Allende, they attempt to infiltrate the group using local informants. Things go wrong, and members of Los Zetas seek revenge against the entire town.
Is It Any Good?
The understated but dramatic series is a fictionalized recounting of events that led up to the March 2011 massacre that took place at Allende, Coahuila. Through a series of intersecting narratives featuring an ensemble cast, it highlights how the small town's residents worked, shared, hoped, and dreamed, despite the presence of the cartel in their community. However, it also reveals the tactics Los Zetas used to maintain control over the area, and how easy it was to inadvertently get caught up in, and fall victim to, their activities.
While the unapologetic brutality of the cartel's retribution against Allende is underscored, Somos. also places the blame for the massacre on the United States for botching its operation. But what makes the series meaningful is its ability to present a group of fictional characters that holistically represent the very real 300-500 men, women, and children who were kidnapped and murdered. By doing so, it transforms the story from a mere historical footnote in the on ongoing drug wars taking place on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border to a story of human tragedy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of films and TV series about drug cartel activities around the world. Why do audiences find them entertaining? Do they glorify their violent activities? Is the impact these syndicates have on the lives of civilians portrayed honestly?
Somos. tells the story of Allende from the point of view of the mundane, day-to-day activities of the people who live there. Who among them is most impacted by the cartel? Why is this significant?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 30, 2021
- Cast: Mercedes Hernández , Jesús Sida , Fernando Larrañaga
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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