Even though I've rated over 1,500 titles, never have I ever felt compelled to write a review on this site. Seriously, not even my favorite film deserved it. And yet, Vgly is simply the most accurate representation of Mexican youth I've ever seen in media, and although I cannot say I've experienced the bulk of the situations depicted in this show, every other episode had me laughing not at the comedy (which is certainly not lacking) but at the sheer exactitude with which it showed aspects of (mine and my peer's) life that go from the very mundane (the way they discuss open relationships, the jargon they spout to refer to some incredibly niche occurrences or how they joke about Tlaxcala being empty) to the identifiably universal phenomena they represent so damn precisely (for instance, the character of Takoshi and how he embodies the commonplace archetype of a 'deconstructed' man who, for all intents and purposes is actually just as misogynistic and despicable as the average Mexican male, save for his façade built upon a superiority complex). Makes sense that a powerhouse producer such as HBO would go on to fabricate the single greatest Mexican TV show in existence (and probably the only one), for even as Mexican cinema is magnificent, TV is an industry we haven't quite mastered yet, simply because the general public would rather consume a vapid novella any day over than sensible and smartly produced content such as this. This show of course is primarily targeted towards teens; thus, one could easily toss it out as 'just another teen dramedy', but beware dear reader, It's not. Vgly takes some really niche aspects of contemporary Mexican adolescence and turns them into a theatralization of themselves, for clearly not all of it is unexaggerated and veridical, but by all means it remains as true to the realities it is trying to depict, to the extent that no other Mexican piece of serialized media ever has. Rebelde. La Rosa de Guadalupe. La CQ. Control Z. None of them has ever (or will ever) even come close to what Vgly materialized, because just like the protagonists in the story itself, the show knew to start humbly, and as the plot thickened, it cleverly spun more complex and serious narratives revolving around organized crime, drug addiction, ego, classism, misogyny and abandonment (to name a few), in a way that sure, these other 'teen shows' had already tried, but failed miserably, because in all cases, they went for quantity over quality, in the process sacrificing all realism or innovation they could've brought about, and even though I'd kill for a second season, the conclusion to these 13 episodes was nothing short of perfect. In short, Vgly tried and succeeded in crafting a story with characters and situations so realistically detailed and yet, enjoyably simple (as is common in the average Mexican experience) that it achieves just the right tone. It's not crass, it has just the right number of profane references, expletives and situations. It's not cheesy, for it presents a complex and intelligent picture of more than one reality of the Mexican adolescence (for instance, with the close analysis of polar opposites such as Flex and Trippy) juxtaposing them within the same timeline and space of events (there is a shot in a hip business office overlooking Bellas Artes and then a scene taking place just outside a market in La Guerrero; a character lives in his car while another one has an apartment on la Del Valle) and creating in the process such a nuanced development of the story that I can only compare to what Skins did for British teens. It is, within the confines of fiction of course, realistic; because it doesn't gloss over the myriad of factors inflicted upon the development of our story and character (their acquisitive power, their skin tone, their sex, the neighborhood where they were born, etc.) and not only acknowledges them, but integrates them into the narrative (for instance how Vgly seems so baffled with Triana at first, because although it is evident she's got a crush on him, he can't fathom the idea of privileged and accommodated (and famous) girl even being aware of his existence; or how for instance, no matter how supportive and talented Takoshi is with Data, we clearly see his intentions being him wanting to go to bed with her, yet Data has to put up, for she believes is upper class-ness is a way to achieve a higher status and bigger recognition, only to realize he's no more than broppiating her IP and only then does she finally flip him off), and that is, in a way that doesn't feel at all forced, because this is probably the most abhorrent flaw in the other shows I mentioned, that even if the pretend to integrate the mosaic of factors that traverse everyday life for a Mexican, especially an adolescent one; they do so in a way that awkwardly, ridiculously and rather unbelievably thrusts the situations upon the characters, not the other way around.
Vgly treats its characters (and narratives) with respect, acknowledging the harsh realities of Mexico as ever morphing and complex; yet managing them to the extent that they don't become a grossly misleading and utterly stupid representation, as it so often happens. Thank you to the people who made this, it's brilliant, and it's about time we Mexican youths stop romanticizing foreign representations of existences so completely alien to us as euphoria, Élite or Skins. If for whatever reason, you feel compelled to watch a show that most earnestly tries to bring about true, true representation, then please, give Vgly a chance, and I assure you, you'll have nothing but praise for this show, just like I do.
Vgly treats its characters (and narratives) with respect, acknowledging the harsh realities of Mexico as ever morphing and complex; yet managing them to the extent that they don't become a grossly misleading and utterly stupid representation, as it so often happens. Thank you to the people who made this, it's brilliant, and it's about time we Mexican youths stop romanticizing foreign representations of existences so completely alien to us as euphoria, Élite or Skins. If for whatever reason, you feel compelled to watch a show that most earnestly tries to bring about true, true representation, then please, give Vgly a chance, and I assure you, you'll have nothing but praise for this show, just like I do.
