First Look at Strangelove from Jorge Xolalpa
Strangelove, the new comedy-drama series created and written by celebrated filmmaker Jorge Xolalpa will be making its way to Amazon Prime, YouTube and VIMEO on September 18th.
The series, which tells the story of four queer Latino friends living and loving in Los Angeles, has garnered comparisons to Sex and the City, Looking and Girls. And while it is understandable why those comparisons were drawn; Strangelove is so much more than that simply because of who is front and center in this narrative. Having a show anchored by four queer, Latin characters is revolutionary and we are here for it!
Besides reflecting the culture and values of Latinos, featuring music and some dialogue in Spanish, the show finds a deeper sense of poignancy knowing that it is partially based on Xolalpa’s experiences as an undocumented person in Los Angeles, having been born in Mexico. So, while the series doesn’t explicitly depict undocumented status, it deeply resonates with his personal journey and that of the broader Latino community. As Xolalpa eloquently puts it, “Although none of the characters are presented as undocumented, it is very much based on experiences I’ve had. Each of the main characters has a piece of me, so this series is coming from my heart.”
Xolalpa, who happens to be a big strapping bear, also appears in the series as Andrew, a building super with all the hot goss. He is joined on screen by the four main characters: Cristian, our twink-loving cubby protagonist with a flair for the dramatic, played by Alexis Vazquez (who happens to be Xolalpa’s husband); David, who is in a long term relationship that has seemingly lost its spark, played by Raury Rolander; Ramiro, the fun and sassy sugar baby looking for a good time, played by Brandon Baez and Manuel, the resident professional and career-driven friend of the group, played by Eduardo Segura.
All four leads give strong performances and have an easy chemistry together which allows the viewer to be drawn in and feel like they are a part of the action. Having the story based in everyday Los Angeles, as opposed to ‘Hollywood’ gives it a fresh and more relatable perspective. And did we mention the sex?! There’s a whole lot of skin to feast your eyes on which is great to see only because it reads as a more authentic story. So many shows drop in queer characters and neuter them to make it palatable for conservative audiences. Young, queer people have sex and Strangelove doesn’t shy away from that or gloss over it. And perhaps more importantly, the sex serves the narrative and is not gratuitous in any way, though you wouldn’t catch this reviewer complaining about it, even if it was.
So, by all means, set those reminders! Strangelove premieres September 18th on Amazon Prime, YouTube and VIMEO, just in time for National Hispanic Heritage Month.
