“If I were a man and spent all day at work, I would come home to dinner and I wouldn’t have to take care of kids.”
This dialogue from Thursday’s Widows, now streaming on Netflix, broke my heart.
In a society tilted with prejudices against women, there couldn’t have been a subtler expression to tell the hard truth.
Thursday’s Widows is a new Mexican series, which is dark and suspenseful by nature.
It is based on a published work and owns six episodes for a total runtime of over four hours.
Here is my assessment of the show.
Thursday’s Widows Synopsis
Living in a lavish residential space, five families flaunt their luxurious lifestyles. They have a ritual of weekly meetings on Thursdays, where the husbands have a men-only time out, while the wives enjoy their own gathering.
Since their counterparts don’t accompany them, the wives name their grouping as that of ‘Thursday’s Widows.’
One such meeting of the husbands turns fatal with the advent of chilling events.
Directed by Humberto Hinojosa Ozcariz and based on Claudia Pineiro’s book, Thursday’s Widows stars Omar Chaparro (Tano Scaglia), Cassandra Ciangherotti (Mavi Guevara), Irene Azuela (Teresa Scaglia), Juan Pablo Medina (Ronie Guevara), Zuria Vega (Mariana Andrade), Alfonso Bassave (Gustavo Maldonado), Pablo Cruz Guerrero (Martin De La Luna), Sofia Sisniega (Carla Maldonado), Mayra Hermosilla (Lala De La Luna), Gerardo Trejoluna (Carmen), and Claudette Maille, among others.
What Works for Thursday’s Widows?
Insecure husbands, spoiled brats, and people with high standards of living amid empty pockets. Thursday’s Widows has a captivating premise.
The show explores the lives of affluent families beyond the façade of their sophisticated homes.
While the concept of peeking into the lives of the wealthy is not entirely novel, what truly distinguishes this Mexican creation is that this theme isn’t merely a facet of the story; it’s the very essence of the narrative.
From this premise emerges a chilling tale, laden with an impending sense of doom that keeps viewers perpetually on edge.
The shards of suspense and foreboding are masterfully woven into the fabric of the story.
Moreover, Thursday’s Widows doesn’t shy away from delivering heart-wrenching moments that prompt deep contemplation.
The show deftly navigates a spectrum of themes, from societal commentary to the darker aspects of personal lives, eliciting an emotional response at various junctures.
Furthermore, the narration itself possesses an irresistibly dark undertone, perhaps a reflection of the unfolding tragedy.
The creators skillfully infuse scenes with the perfect background score to enhance the impact of the script’s most poignant moments.
Additionally, the characterization is superb in Thursday’s Widows. A huge credit for this goes to Claudia Pineiro who authored “Thursday Night Widows,” in 2009.
How the scriptwriters of Thursday’s Widows have adapted the characters for a TV show is also commendable.
The fourteen-year gap must definitely have triggered challenges for the writers.
How are the Performances?
An ensemble cast braces the screen to present this Mexican series.
Despite the presence of amazing actors, Omar Chaparro steals the limelight as Tano Scaglia. His distinguishable aura has your continued attention.
Omar’s style, elegance, and his way of handling the screen are admirable factors. Moreover, he ably blends intensity with delayed affability to impress viewers.
Cassandra Ciangherotti sails as Mavi Guevara in Thursday’s Widows. She is restrained, gritty, and the invisible leader of the show, probably because Mavi’s character heads the narration.
Pablo Cruz Guerrero plays Martin De La Luna. His handling of internal distortions is mind-blowing. The way he expresses himself as a depressed, broke, and hopeless man makes his performance special.
All the other actors are brilliant in Thursday’s Widows.
What Doesn’t Work for Thursday’s Widows?
The series exhibits intermittent pacing issues, which can disrupt the flow of the screenplay and diminish the viewer’s engagement.
These slow moments wear away at the adhesive that keeps the audience glued to the screen.
Midway through Thursday’s Widows, a thinning of the plot concept can lead to a sense of predictability, reducing the element of surprise.
The show struggles with maintaining a consistent atmosphere, particularly in its attempt to establish a close-knit circle of friends amidst an aura of impending doom.
The dark ambiance sometimes hinders this endeavor.
One thing I particularly hold against Thursday’s Widows is its inability to convert the chilling setup into a scintillating finale.
You simply don’t get the feeling you expected from the final episode, specifically the end. They did really well to close the story but the execution could have been a lot better.
Should You Stream or Skip Thursday’s Widows?
The series has many intriguing scenes that may give you chills. However, the blemishes are hard to ignore, too.
Still, I would give it a go if you are unaware of the novel Thursday’s Widows is based on.
As I wrap up the review, did you know this is not the first time Claudia Pineiro’s “Thursday Night Widows,” has been adapted to the screen?
The Widows of Thursday was a 2009 film that used the idea in a totally different manner than the Netflix series at hand.
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