Griselda is a tale about a powerful Godmother of Cocaine – Griselda Blanco (1943-2012). A Colombian lady, she dominated a drug cartel in the 1970s-1980s in Miami, United States.
She was the smart, ambitious, violent and ruthless businesswoman (and/or a drug dealer) of that era. No wonder, she created one of the most profitable drug cartels in history.
Trailer of the Griselda (S1/2024) Mini-Series
Summary [official] of the Griselda (S1/2024) Mini-Series
Queenpin. Innovator. Mother. Killer. Griselda is a woman of substance. This limited series comes from the creative minds of “Narcos” and “Narcos: Mexico” series. Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization shows Griselda Blanco’s journey from Medellín to becoming “the Godmother” of Miami’s drug empire. Fleeing from Medellín to Miami, Griselda Blanco (Sofía Vergara) creates one of the most ruthless cartels in history.
Rating of the Griselda (S1/2024) Mini-Series
FM Rating | 3.80/5 |
FM Short Comments | Sofía Vergara (Griselda Blanco) plays the protagonist with lots of drive, effort, dedication, and panache. And her endeavour pays off substantially. She along with the ensemble cast has brought alive the real-life Godmother. We liked this violent crime drama that focuses on the Black Widow. |
Spoiler Free Review of the Griselda (S1/2024) Mini-Series
The introduction
This limited series introduced us to the unbelievable real-life story of Griselda Blanco. A mother of three kids, she escaped the violent drug world of Colombia. But only to land in the United States and emerge as one of America’s highest-earning drug traffickers in the 1970s and 1980s period. She dominated the drug empire with iron hands and raw violence.
Not surprisingly, her various nicknames are apt – La Madrina (The Godmother), The Black Widow, La Dama de la Mafia (The Mafia Lady), Godmother of Cocaine, etc.
We liked her character arc in the show
Born in poverty, she was surrounded by the cruel and violent ways of the world, right from her childhood days. However, she never stopped dreaming. So, she wished to escape her troublesome past life. And then perhaps she wanted to build a life for her kids, where there would not be any financial hardship for her family.
But she chose the illegal and violence-ridden ways. Using her sharp mind and street-smart business acumen, she emerged as the deadly leader of the drug cartel in Miami.
We loved Sofia Vergara as Griselda Blanco
For those who have seen Soia Vergara doing the comedic roles in Modern Family, they are in for the shock of their life. Her dramatic transformation for this character is just too good.
Focus/Bonus Info.: Sofia Vergara wore extensive prosthetics on her face - from around her eyes, to her nose, to her chin - as well as fake teeth - in order to better represent Griselda. She was nervous people wouldn't take her seriously in a dramatic role. Here is the video clip of her transformation on Netflix/YouTube.
In this limited crime drama, the beautiful and charming Sofia Vergara played the lethal and savage Griselda Blanco in the show. On one hand, Griselda is a loving and devoted mother. A dedicated friend for life. On the other hand, she is a violent and vengeful woman. A messenger of death for her foes.
In the end, her luck ran out. The immense power, mindless hubris, suspecting nature and violent ways poisoned her mind excessively. Her drug empire unravelled and disappeared. Not surprisingly, her family members paid a very steep price. Consequently, her violent ways led to her ascent as well as her downfall in life.
We loved the way Sofia Vergara played the challenging character of Griselda Blanco. A brave and intelligent woman who carved her place in a drug world dominated by men.
The recreation of the 1970-1980s period
The show creators have diligently recreated that era when the drug was finding its way into the lives of Americans. The production is good too – the costumes, the set designs, etc. The music of the 1970-1980s era in this series was nostalgic too. As it certainly helped in setting the mood and transporting people to that time.
Focus/Bonus Info.:
The woman that plays Griselda's longtime friend, Carla, is played by Latin singer songwriter and actress Karol G (Carolina Giraldo Navarro) from Colombia.
Some of the scenes in this series were based on real incidents. Even the interesting smuggling operations and the gruesome violent scenes are taken from true incidents.
The conclusion
According to the police reports and the news media, some estimate that Blanco’s kill orders exceed the count of 250. She is suspected of being responsible for over 40 murders in Miami alone. All of these are serious numbers in the crime world. But as the age-old saying goes “the crime does not pay.” And this sounds so true for the biographical life story of Griselda Blanco. She is one more tragic anti-heroine when her deeds catch up with her.
We liked her engrossing crime tale, as it is a perfect show for the marathon watch.
Spoilers Alert – Episode Summary and Ending is shared below
A peek into the Six (6) Episodes of the First and Only Season
Lady Comes to Town (S1, E1) | 52 minutes
Griselda flees Medellín for Miami to make a fresh start. With her sons and a hidden cache in tow, she seizes a chance to establish her own business.
Rich White People (S1, E2) | 56 minutes
Griselda welcomes some well-supplied Medellín associates to Miami, but an enemy isn’t far behind. A night out fuels a bold plan to tap into a new market.
Mutiny (S1, E3) | 59 minutes
After Griselda receives a tempting offer from a big-time supplier, she tries to win over a business rival and earn the trust of the local dealers.
Middle Management | 59 minutes
Griselda hides out in a secure compound and prepares to make her move against the Ochoas. June joins an elite tactical unit targeting drug traffickers.
Paradise Lost | 57 minutes
Griselda suspects there’s an informant in her ranks as June and CENTAC gain ground. A lavish, coke-fueled birthday party descends into chaos.
Adios, Miami | 49 minutes
Feeling pressure from all sides, Griselda gets out of Miami. But with her options dwindling and enemies closing in, can she outrun fate?
The Fate of Griselda Blanco in the end
In the final scene of this mini-series, Griselda is shown sitting on the sandy beach in front of a vast ocean, reminiscing about her children and her life in general.
And then the following texts appear on the screen, to inform us about her fate.
After her release from prison, Griselda returned to Medellin, Colombia. On September 3rd, 2012, she was gunned down by an unknown assassin while exiting a buther shop. She was 69 years old.
Griselda purportedly ended her criminal career. In 2012 she was killed when a motorcyclist gunman shot her while she was departing a butcher shop in Medellín. Her demise replicated the precise type of drive-by assassinations she was believed to have orchestrated in her initial years of involvement in the cartel.
Please note that she is buried in Jardines Montesacro cemetery south of Medellín, the resting place of another cartel kingpin: Pablo Escobar.
Poster of the Griselda (S1/2024) Mini-Series
Key Details about the Griselda (S1/2024) Mini-Series
Genre | Biography, Crime, Drama |
Original language | Spanish & English |
Released | January 25, 2024 |
Duration | About 5 hours 30 minutes in Total |
Seasons & Episodes | Limited Series with One (1) Season & Six (6) Episodes |
Creators | Carlo Bernard, Ingrid Escajeda, Doug Miro, |
Music | Carlos Rafael Rivera |
Cast | Sofía Vergara (Griselda Blanco), Alberto Guerra (Dario), Juliana Aidén Martinez (June), Martín Rodríguez (Rivi), Vanessa Ferlito (Carmen), Jose Velazquez (Uber), Orlando Pineda (Dixon), Camilo Jimenez Varon (Rafa Salazar), Christian Tappan (Arturo), Julieth Restrepo (Marta Ochoa), José Zúñiga (Amilcar), etc. |
Taglines | A Woman of Substance |
Network | Netflix |
Featured Image and Poster of the Griselda (S1/2024) Mini-Series | Pics. Credit: Netflix.