In The Community
Maria la del Barrio
One of the most famous novelas in TV history goes down as Maria la del Barrio. Featuring superstars Thalia as Maria and Fernando Colunga as Fernando De La Vega, our all-time favorite telenovela star (and meme queen) Itati Contoral plays Soraya Montenegro as the villain in this classic novela. This classic rags to riches story resonated with so many U.S. based audiences as this novela coincided with peak migration of Latinos to the United States - many arriving with the myth of the American Dream in mind.
Rubi
Rubí Pérez is a poor woman intent on making it by marrying a rich man. Bárbara Mori dazzles us in this novela about a woman who falls in love with Alejandro, a middle class doctor, only to dump him in search of the life she has always wanted with Héctor, a rich architect. The twists and turns are endless in this classic story, making it a must-see in our book.
Teresa
Who doesn’t love a self-sabotaging protagonist looking for a way out of poverty? Teresa is one of our most beloved novelas with Angelique Boyer in the main role, scheming her way through life looking for financial security after growing up poor. Love interests come and go, but Teresa is always true to her goals in this story: “Entre ser y no ser, yo soy” after all.
Dos Mujeres un Camino
A classic love triangle ensues when Johnny, a married man and truck driver from Mexico, falls in love with a woman while delivering goods to the United States. Erik Estrada, Laura León and Bibi Gaytán are the main characters in this show from the early 90s and they’re sure to stir up some memories. Not to mention the hit theme song performed by Laura Leon is a cumbia banger.
La Usurpadora
We can’t forget about La Usurpadora, featuring Gabriela Spanic as twins Paulina and Paola with Fernando Colunga as Carlos Bracho, the main love interest for both characters. Separated twins at birth, dramatic romance, and an evil sibling make this one of the best telenovelas in history.
Amigas y Rivales
A star-studded show, Amigas y Rivales tells the tale of four women from all walks of life as their lives intersect in different ways. Endless drama surrounds Laura, Jimena, Ofelia, and Nayeli as they navigate life together, a true coming-of-age story (with a huge dose of twists!). It also became one of the first novelas to resonate with millennials, as an insight into life as young adults.
Rebelde
Who else loved Rebelde so much that you’d end up singing the theme song for weeks? We definitely did. Six students attending Elite Way School named Mia, Diego, Roberta, Miguel, Lupita, and Giovanni all navigate school while coming together to form a band. Elitism runs amok in this story of love, music, and a classist society - the drama!
La Reina Del Sur
Kate del Castillo plays Teresa Mendoza, a woman from humble beginnings whose life takes a dramatic turn after the murder of her pilot boyfriend. This series quickly escalates as Teresa makes her way to the top of the drug trafficking world in Spain. A show that took an eight year hiatus before coming back in 2019, it’s now been renewed for a 3rd season and we can’t wait to watch!
La Fea Mas Bella
Angelica Vale takes the screen as Leticia Padilla Solis (also known as “Lety”) with Jaime Camil as Fernando Mendiola in this love story. By mainstream beauty standards, Lety is an unattractive woman who lands a dream job at Conceptos, Mexico’s leading media company. Elizabeth Alvarez, who plays Marcia, Fernando’s jealous fiance, plots to keep him all to herself. Drama unfolds in this classic novela that resulted in an American adaptation (Ugly Betty) that cast America Ferrera as the lead.
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Mayim Bialik Spit Take GIF by FOX TVGiphy
Amy, La Niña De La Mochila Azul
An underrated classic, this telenovela from 2004 is about a tomboy child who grows up on the shore with her fisherman step-dad who rescued her from the sea (you’ll have to watch to figure out why a kid is at sea to begin with). It stars our beloved child actor, Danna Paola. There are many twists and turns, but our favorite has to be Amy’s friendship with a mermaid named Coral.
Hasta Que El Dinero Nos Separe
Some novelas are so ridiculous they border on comedy. Hasta Que El Dinero Nos Separe falls in that category. This telenovela follows Rafael Medina having to gather money after crashing into Alejandra Alvarez’s car. Alejandra offers him work at her car dealership to pay her back, but soon he begins to fall in love with her. The constant highs and lows keep you wanting more as you get pulled into the twists and turns of their story. This Univision novela is sure to steal your heart.
Available to watch: Univision
Source: Univision
Cuidado Con El Angel
We know how much our mothers (and us too, we have to admit it… )love the heartthrob William Levy, which is why Cuidado Con El Angel is a family must-watch. The novela has Maite Perroni playing Maria De Jesus, an orphan girl who escapes the orphanage only to meet Juan Miguel later in life. Juan is a psychiatrist who helps Maria De Jesus (Marichuy) escape her life as a rebel and get her off the streets. Like any novela, the romance between the two is worth the watch.
Source: Mezcalent
Las Tontas No Van Al Cielo
Are you looking for something filled with drama that will also make you laugh your butt off? Definitely check out Las Tontas No Van Al Cielo. Candy is a woman who found out her husband cheated on her with her sister, leaving her hurt and betrayed. She decides to go with her uncle to Guadalajara and fakes her death. Dramatic? Yeah, just a little. When she finds out she’s pregnant with the ex-husband’s child, she decides to live under another identity and soon meets Santiago. The exact dose of Telenovela drama you need.
Source: lasestrellas.tv
Fuego En La Sangre
It can’t get any more dramatic than this. A novela about three siblings who swear they will take revenge on their sister’s death and kill everyone in the family of the now-deceased man who cheated and lied to their younger sister. Along the way, they each fall in love with the daughters of the man they wanted to take revenge on. Ugh! The ultimate enemies to lovers trope. And to top it off, the novela also brought us the iconic song “El Bombon Asesino” by Ninel Conde!
Available to watch: YoutubeTV
Source: IMDb
Señora Acero
Sara Aguilar is Mexico’s most powerful drug trafficker, who also happens to be a mother willing to do anything to protect her loved ones. Although Sara is the main focus of the first two seasons, the other three seasons revolve around another powerful woman named Vicenta, a coyote who helps immigrant families cross the U.S border. So if you’re looking for Telenovela lawbreakers, this is the perfect show for you.
Available to watch on: Netflix.
novela telemundo GIF by Senora AceroGiphyLa Casa De Las Flores
Although early 2000’s novelas are iconic and well-loved, a recent novela that caught people’s attention is La Casa De Las Flores. It’s a more modern twist to telenovelas and how we watch them but no less dramatic. This hilarious Mexican comedy-drama series tells the story of a wealthy family that owns a flower shop who have to keep up the facade of being a “perfect family” after their secrets are exposed. Plot twists, lies, and ridiculous moments are non-stop but beware, this is not a family-friendly telenovela. The sex scenes don’t leave a lot to the imagination.
Available to watch on: Netflix
La Casa De Las Flores Ay Por Favor GIF by netflixlatGiphy