I don't normally write reviews but I felt it was necessary to review this show for several reasons.
The show is good in general, when rating it as a sitcom. The writing is pretty funny at times and the characters are likeable...at times. HOWEVER...
they stereotype way way too much. It is unfortunate since the purpose of the show is to break with stereotypes.
I am a gay Latina and I cannot relate to Elena's character, the gay teenager. It feels like they tried way too hard with all the characters, specially Elena. They tried so hard to make them relatable that they are stuck with the same stereotypes they are trying to break. For example, Elena's character doesn't feel comfortable wearing a dress, she goes to all the gay rights marches, she makes her family aware of all the proper pronouns of the LGBTQI+ community, all that I think is positive but maybe it would have been more productive if they tried to find another way of introducing these themes, because it honestly just reflects everything that the outside society EXPECTS of lesbians ("tomboy" activist, into video games, doesn't wear dresses, etc.).
Also, as someone who grew up in a Latino household, I don't identify with their interpretation of what a Latino family is. The dynamic within the show only fits into what the idea is of "Latino" families , and I think we have to be careful with these interpretations because, again, they only reinforce labels and stereotypes. SURPRISE..we don't all listen to salsa, and we are in fact not all loud people.
Lastly, as with all the characters, the white characters are also very stereotyped. Schneider is the supposed "typical" white rich guy who lived off his dad's money and went to rehab. Scott, Penelope's colleague is a "machista" white guy who acts like a frat boy, and her other colleague, Lori is the stereotypical blonde ditsy white girl, which in all reflects an unfortunate representation of white people.
I think the show would have done much better if they had tried to shape these relationship and characters differently, and not tried so hard to make them "relatable" and political. Unfortunately, they just feed into stereotypes of Latinos, the LGBTQI+ community, and white people.
Also, as someone who grew up in a Latino household, I don't identify with their interpretation of what a Latino family is. The dynamic within the show only fits into what the idea is of "Latino" families , and I think we have to be careful with these interpretations because, again, they only reinforce labels and stereotypes. SURPRISE..we don't all listen to salsa, and we are in fact not all loud people.
Lastly, as with all the characters, the white characters are also very stereotyped. Schneider is the supposed "typical" white rich guy who lived off his dad's money and went to rehab. Scott, Penelope's colleague is a "machista" white guy who acts like a frat boy, and her other colleague, Lori is the stereotypical blonde ditsy white girl, which in all reflects an unfortunate representation of white people.
I think the show would have done much better if they had tried to shape these relationship and characters differently, and not tried so hard to make them "relatable" and political. Unfortunately, they just feed into stereotypes of Latinos, the LGBTQI+ community, and white people.