The weekend has arrived and as usual, we will once again have cold days in the emerald island, according to the weather forecast. For who is like me and has nothing to do, just staying at home chilling on the sofa and wrapped in a blanket, how about catch up on a light-hearted series to entertain on this weekend?
My tip is to watch “Valeria”, the Spanish comedy drama series developed by María López Castaño for Netflix, based on the novel series” En los zapatos de Valeria” by Elísabet Benavent for Netflix. It stars Diana Gómez, Silma López, Paula Malia, Teresa Riott, Maxi Iglesias and Ibrahim Al Shami. The plot revolves around Valeria (Gómez), a writer who feels that something is missing in her marriage and writing. It took me a while to get interested, but this week checking the Netflix catalogue in Ireland I came across the series and decided to watch it. Honestly, it’s better than I expected. Of course, I am in the middle of the season, many things are going on, but I have already been hooked by the story that is centred on Valeria (Diana Gómez), a 28-year-old Spanish aspiring writer who leaves in Madrid, with her husband Andrián (Ibrahim Al Shami), a talented photographer, but with the work is not recognised. Although they are both talented, they have not yet been able to be valued in their artistic professions, which causes insecurities and anxieties – this storyline causes me a tremendous identification, except that I am not as young as they are.
Valeria is writing a book that is expected to deliver the draft for approval by the publisher. The publication of this book is a great chance for her to become a professional writer, however, she is going through a creative crisis that is cultivated by the imposter syndrome, causing her to belittle her own work and not see the value in her talent. In parallel, she faces a marital crisis after six years of marriage, which further enhances her difficulty in being creative in the art of storytelling.
Valeria has the support of her friends who are around 28 years old as Lola (Silma López), who works as a translator, has a free spirit and has an active sexual life. Nerea (Teresa Riott) is serious, work-focused, lesbian, but has a hard time assuming her sexuality to her parents. Carmen (Paula Malia) is an agitated hipster who has a platonic love for her co-worker in an advertising agency.
The story of the 4 friends reminds me a lot of the American series “Sex and the city”. Although it has this reference to the great success of the 2000s, “Valeria” is a post-modern tale that discusses the demands for a modern women who are approaching 30 years of age and the demands that society imposes on them, set in the hot and metropolitan Madrid landscape.
Valeria is going through a moment of profound changes in her life. The crisis with Adrián, in fact, reflects a life-changing moment. She needs to deal with the marriage dislocation with Andrián, who although she has enormous affection, is tired of the predictability and routine of the wedding. Valeria is tired of the difficulties of becoming a successful and published writer; she is tired of being considered “lost” by her seemingly perfect family; she is tired, above all, of the pressures of what a woman in her 30s should look like, with family, children and career success.
Therefore, she finds herself attracted to Víctor (Maxi Iglesias), a charming, outgoing and self-confidant young man who flirts with her, and he seems to understand her feelings and frustrations, making her vent to the conflicts she goes through. He represents a chance for a new begin.
The narrative makes it unpretentious but real, we connect with Valeria and her inseparable best friends. So far, “Valéria” is a sexy and enjoyable portrait of the modern women. Let’s see what happens in the next episodes. Anyway, “Valeria” would be a nice companion to warm your heart on this freezing weekend in Ireland.
