Television Drama in Mexico - by Paul Julian Smith (Hardcover)

About the Book

Studies the current artistic and industrial transformation of TV series in Mexico - the biggest and most dynamic Spanish-language market.

Book Synopsis

This book analyzes, for the first time, innovative Mexican television drama of the current decade. It provides an account of the processes of production and reception for seven series, offering close textual readings of individual episodes. At this critical time for the medium, the transition between national network television (Televisa) and transnational streaming platforms (Netflix andAmazon Prime), Mexican creators, mainly women, have responded with new and exciting innovations.

The book focuses on three genres. First, it shows how the much despised and loved heritage telenovela, addressed primarily to a female audience, has adapted to changed circumstances by addressing once taboo social issues and how a classic broadcast title is adapted for a new platform. Second, it examines fiction series and true crime titles, which investigate the key and troubled topic of the legal process in Mexico. And third, it addresses the key new genre of the bio-series in its multimedia context, focusing on a celebrated wrestler and movie star.

Review Quotes

Selecting exemplary television series streaming across a range of platforms, Smith assesses their particularities and significance in the wider media eco-system. Serving as an indispensable guide, he demonstrates the breadth and depth of his knowledge of Mexican television and his unerring capacity to observe and astutely assess patterns and developments.-- "Niamh Thornton, editor of Legacies of the Past: Memory and Trauma in Mexican Visual and Screen Cultures"