"Queen of the South" is one of USA Network's breakout TV shows this summer, chronicling the rise of main protagonist Teresa Mendoza as the queenpin of a drug cartel. After a good binge-watch, I decided to dig a little deeper into a theme and trends in the show. What is presented, particularly through the eyes of the female characters, is a tale about rising out of their situations. Before I delve into this, I will warn you of potential spoilers!
The three main female characters, Teresa, Brenda, a close friend to Teresa, and Camila Vargas, the current queenpin of the Mexican drug cartel, have struggles throughout the series (so far) that are different but similar in scope. The first indicator would be the title. Although the series, including the original novel and first TV series, is about Teresa, it could also be about Camila's life while living Teresa's dream. She is everything that Teresa will eventually become, but is reaping the pain and risk that will follow as she tries to undermine Epifanio, the co-head of the cartel, and Camila's husband.
Sacrifice is a big theme in the series, considering what the characters have to give up just to survive or be their own person; this echoes mostly through Brenda. Like Teresa, she had a pretty posh and comfortable lifestyle until her drug dealer husband, Chino, is murdered for taking some of Epifanio's product. Not only is her life on the line, but her son Tony is as well, as they try to escape the cartel and to America alive.
In episode 3, Camila has to forego a visit to her daughter due to the drug business in Texas, prompting her daughter's anger for breaking a promise again; Camila's pain as a mother is evident throughout the rest of the episode, humanizing her.
Teresa had to give up her past lifestyle, like Brenda, but was also raped, injured, had to do operations, flip a car, gain Camila's trust, just to get where she currently is in the series. Her dignity, decency, and health had to be thrown away for the sake of survival, and, in the future, power.
The show may have underlying themes of power struggle women have due to a history of being underrepresented, and therefore, underestimated. Teresa's strong will and resourcefulness has not been taken into account as she does what she can to keep herself alive and out of Epifanio's clutches. Camila's plot to ruin Epifanio is largely unnoticed, not only to keep it under wraps, but to use the lack of suspicion to her advantage as she gains traction in Dallas. And Brenda's escape from Mexico, especially with a starving son and little aid, pays off as she is successful; now, she is starting her own drug exchange to provide for herself and Tony, her son.
"Queen of the South" delivers some themes and character development that resonates with the need for sacrifice and the will to overcome obstacles. The series is halfway through, but we still have much to see from these ladies, their tribulations, and how they will grow from it!
