A year has passed since we learned that Boyle Heights-set Gentefied would make its way to Netflix. Originally a web show, the series has been reimagined as a half-hour Netflix series, and we’ve excitedly waited for it to make its debut on the streaming service. This week, Netflix released the first trailer, giving us a glimpse at what’s up ahead.
In the show – co-created by Linda Yvette Chavez and Marvin Lemus – we learn that Mama Fina’s, where cousins Ana (Karrie Martin), Erik (Joseph Julian Soria) and Chris (Carlos Santos) work is facing an uphill battle. With the increase of hipsters in the neighborhood, they’re behind on rent. The only solution is to adapt to the changing environment and make changes to the menu, which means introducing items like a chicken tikka masala taco.
And while the series focuses on those who are being displaced (or on the verge of being displaced), it is also a love letter to Boyle Heights. From the beautifully bright Mama Fina’s shop to the wall murals Ana’s creating to the background house parties, the aim of the show is to also give us a look at the people who shape this neighborhood.
If you jumped onto the MACRO-produced web series a few years ago, then you’re in for a treat. The Gentefied series looks to have just as much family, levity and incisive social commentary.
Gentefied premieres on Netflix on February 21, 2020.