When Netflix first announced we would be getting a Selena Television Series I was ecstatic. Yes, we have the Selena movie which shot Jennifer Lopez to stardom, but there’s only so much you can tell in 90 mins. As a huge fan of the singer/songwriter, I couldn’t wait for the series to delve deeper into who Selena was, her family, and her “forbidden” relationship with Chris. I mean, he did write a book so there was plenty to go on. 

Cr. SARA KHALID/NETFLIX ©️ 2021

In Selena: The Series – Part 1, we got a very close-to-the-chest story that barely touched on the singer herself. The series seems to tell the story from her father Abraham’s perspective; sharing his truth about who he felt Selena was, or at least who he wishes for her perception to be. I did, however, really enjoy learning more about how the infamous songs came to be, and more about y Los Dinos, but if you’re gonna name the show Selena I feel you have to tell her story as well. 

A Little Less Focus On The Family, More Focus On Selena

Coming into Selena: The Series Part 2, I was hoping my issues with Part 1 would be fixed. That we would delve deeper into Selena as she battles with her family over her love for Chris, as well as the struggle she went through in order to go solo and put out the English album she always dreamed of doing. Sadly, this is not the case. The series continues down the path of expanding mostly on her family, as well as most wanted/most hated, Yolanda – the woman who murdered the singer in cold blood. 

As wild as it is to say, I actually enjoyed Natasha Perez’s portrayal of Yolanda as an obsessed, crazy woman, with her own Selena murder board – even if parts of how absolutely insane and manipulative she is were partially glossed over. The love story of Selena and Chris is sped through again; one minute they’re dating, the next they’re getting married. I just don’t understand that decision when the information is out there from Chris himself. Selena: The Series – Part 2 also focused heavily on the feelings of the family while Selena was struggling with the idea of going solo in order to put out her English Album. Again, if you’re going to call it SELENA you can’t ignore your main character.

Shout out to Netflix for giving us a screener for the series. However, we weren’t given access to the final 2 episodes. So, I didn’t get to see the Astrodome show or even the finale which we all know is coming. In the end, I don’t feel like I’m missing much. At this point, I’ll stick to the movie.

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