It’s summertime, and while some of us might be looking to spend the season laid out in the summer sun, another one of our favorite activities is the tried and true excitement that comes from binge-watching a seriously good TV show.
Read on for some of the best Latino TV shows (or that at least have strong Latino leads) to tune into this summer - we promise you won’t regret it.
Roswell, New Mexico
Photo via The CW
Where to Watch: The CW, Netflix
Star-crossed lovers always make for a good watch. Still, Roswell, New Mexico brings the genre to an entirely new level with Cuban-American Jeanine Mason starring as main character Liz Ortecho. Ortecho’s story as the daughter of undocumented immigrants who returns to her hometown only to find out her teenage crush (played by Australian actor Nathan Dean Parsons) is actually an alien life form who has gone his entire life hiding his secret is uhhhh ironic, to say the least - and we’re here for it. You won’t want to stop watching as they unravel mystery after mystery while also unraveling their love for one another. This drama will keep you hitting that “next episode” button.
Vida
Photo via Starz
Where to Watch: Starz
Sadly, the award-winning Vida got the axe after their third season. However, the story about two sisters reuniting in their native Boyle Heights, California neighborhood in the wake of their mother’s death is a must-watch and is relevant today as it was a few years ago. The critically acclaimed show stars Melissa Barrera and Mishel Prada as Lyn and Emma as they work to rebuild their mother’s business while battling gentrification, financial woes, and much more, making it one of the top on our to-watch list.
Love, Victor
Photo via Hulu
Where to Watch: Hulu
A spin-off TV show of the popular Love, Simon movie, Love, Victor tells the great story of half-Puerto Rican, half-Colombian Victor Salazar (played by Michael Cimino) as he navigates adjusting to a new life, his cultural identity, and realization of his sexuality. Based in Atlanta, the show does a great job of mixing the two beloved characters of each story as Victor comes to terms with certain challenges in his life. The lovable characters add that extra pizazz that keeps you watching.
Catch all three seasons on Hulu. Like many Latinx-centered shows, this show was recently slated for cancellation and won’t be returning for a fourth season.
Los Espookys
Photo via HBO
Where to Watch: HBO Max
After a lengthy two-year hiatus, HBO’s beloved comedy series Los Espookys is making its way back to our screens. The series is centered around Renaldo, a fan of everything horror and scary, as he created Los Espookys, a company focused on bringing the thrill of true fear to life for its clients. The plot might not sound very humorous, but this show delivers plenty of laughs and what better excuse to celebrate the spooky season year-round than this one?
Acapulco
Photo via Apple TV+
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
They say as you get older, you get wiser. Successful mogul Maximo Gallardo Ramos, played by audience favorite Eugenio Derbez, tells the story of his humble beginnings as a young man in Acapulco, Mexico. He began his career in hospitality as a pool boy at the lavish Las Colinas Resort which was the top destination for everyone wanting to make it big, set against the backdrop of the over the top neon-colored 80s. With some beautiful beaches, oversized shoulder pads, and hairsprayed teased hair, this drama-filled comedy will leave you wondering what everyone was thinknig in the 80’s while also keeping you wondering what’s next in Maximo’s life story.
Lucky for us, Acapulco was renewed for a second season.
The Gordita Chronicles
Where to Watch: HBO Max
New to the screen and ready to dominate your queue is The Gordita Chronicles, a coming-of-age comedy centered around main protagonist 12 year-old Cucu Castelli and her Dominican family as they immigrate from Santo Domingo to Miami in 1985. Executive produced by Eva Longoria and Zoe Saldana, the show looks to tug on our heartstrings as the loving family navigates the challenges that come with immigrating to a new country in search of the American Dream balanced with plenty of humor and questionable 80’s fashion that’ll surely make this one of your summer binge watches.
