Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Gentefied’ takes one of the most important issues faced by people in the name of re-development. Through its characters, who are based in a place that has the first-hand experience with the subject matter, it aims to serve the plight of the communities that are forced to leave behind their lives. Depicting the realistic struggles of everyday people, it gives the audience the characters to root for, and hope that things turn out for the better for them.
Gentefied Episode 1 Recap
Running a taco shop at Boyle Heights, Erik and his grandfather face problems as their rent is doubled and they are not able to afford the place anymore. The re-development in the area has become problematic for them and Erik is forced to make some tough decisions. Ana, too, has to face the brunt of this by putting her dreams on stand-by and look for a proper job that pays well. Christian wants to take his culinary talent someplace where it will be recognised but has other things to deal with.
Gentefied Episode 1 Review
In its first episode, ‘Gentefied’ sets the ground for the situation that directs the lives of the characters. In the three young people, we find the varied struggles of today’s generation; the string attaching them all is their grandfather.
In Chris, the show gives us a common conflict faced by almost every youngster. He has big dreams, but he feels out-of-place everywhere. At home, he is treated as a person who has lost touch with his roots. The thought of going away and finding a better life for himself somewhere else is received as another attempt to be accepted by white people. Whether or not that’s true doesn’t matter, because he faces prejudice at his workplace as well. He is a fish out of water everywhere, and is searching for something that makes him feel belonged.
Then there is Ana. She is talented and hell-bent at making her mark, but she is forced to find a full-time job. She is forced to keep her dreams on the side-lines and focus on things like paying rent. She has to become more practical, and this how most people lose touch with their dreams. Erik’s problem surfaces from the lack of money as well. He needs to take some responsibility as a father-to-be, and it’s not that he isn’t trying. But the financial problems with the shop couldn’t have come at a worse time.
While they paint a picture of the struggles of the current generation, their grandfather presents the portrait of a man who has given his entire life to one thing, and now, has to watch himself lose it all. It also gives us a glimpse into the ripple effect, where all people in the community are connected to each other, and the problems for one means problem for all. The show proves its relevance by giving us extremely relatable characters caught up in the situation that no one is unfamiliar with. And this is what makes the audience stick around for more.
Read More: Where Was Gentefied Filmed?
