Summary
This is surprising. Not because this story never had potential, but because it delivered with heart behind it.
This review of Netflix’s Gentefied season 2 does not contain spoilers.
Read the ending explained for season 2.
Admittedly, I’m surprised how much season 2 had an impact on my day. I enjoyed the first installment, but I wouldn’t argue that it was memorable. However, by the time we reach season 2, there is something special and heartwarming about this group of characters.
They all know they have human flaws, yet that doesn’t make them bad people. There is this willingness to embrace the flaws and improve. The family feel of this comedy-drama helps (though I’m starting to believe this isn’t a comedy); the togetherness and wholehearted writing in the script bring a wholesome experience to the audience.
The premise of season 2 is a dark one. While season 1 heavily focused on the dreaded demise of the family business, season 1 puts the spotlight on the immigration system of the USA. Pop, the assumed patriarch of the family, has been picked up by ICE as an undocumented individual, leaving his legal status in limbo. This means that a fractured family has to band together and help him, or he will be deported to Mexico.
This means that Gentefied season 2 explores old wounds between family members that have existed before, but also, future planning and desires are in purgatory. The second season focuses on that limbo, as the characters have to navigate their wants and needs. Expect relationship issues, family drama, new flames, and unearthed secrets. Season 2 is a well-collected mixed bag of stories, but the writers have done well to place them on the arc.
And of course, like season 1, the second part does well to divulge the cultural aspect of the family while also recognizing that the USA is a whole spectrum of different people and communities. ICE and the immigration courts are a sore point of the story, reminding audiences of the stringent laws in place for good, hardworking people facing the system’s pitfalls. There’s a wallowing sadness as we watch a man that has his entire legacy under threat, with little control of the outcome.
This is surprising. Not because this story never had potential, but because it delivered with heart behind it.
What did you think of Netflix’s Gentefied season 2? Comment below.
