Depends On What You're Looking For

giogc

Today, looking for something to watch with my sister, we were searching for something new on Netflix. Having just finished Friends, I didn't want anything too serious just yet, but the normal Disney channel shows she usually watches will drive me away within minutes. So, we compromised. Violetta is a Disney Latino show, and tells the story of the titular character, a young girl who, after traveling with her father, returns to Buenos Aires, where she gets the chance to become, essentially, a normal teenager. She has no clue about who her deceased mother was, and as she begins to learn more from her father and her (unknown) maternal aunt, she also starts interacting with Tomás, a delivery boy she meets, and the students at the school her aunt works with.

The best way to describe it to anyone is as a kid's telenovela - which is something we need in our family. We frequently find ourselves watching novelas, or Spanish soap operas, and while they're popular, they have a lot of violence, cursing, and sex, which means the younger kids are excluded from the evening until they're "a little older."

If your kids are still very impressionable, maybe you should look for a different show – there aren't a lot of life lessons and lots of typical teen drama – but if they're old enough, maybe over 13, they should be fine. Novelas aren't the best TV has to offer - they're no Emmy winners, and they typically use tropes so old your abuelita sitting in her chair can call them before they happen - but they're fun. And Violetta means that kids like my sister (whose Spanish needs practice anyways) can sit down with us and watch a novela of their very own, one made especially for them. If you're looking for something deep or similar Disney's usual programming in the states, Violetta probably won't be for you. If you're looking for a family friendly novela, this is a great choice.

score 8/10

giogc 13 July 2015

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3276399/