A wealthy woman who makes multiple purchases in beautiful boutiques and does not take off her high heels whatever the circumstances… There is a bit of Gabrielle Solis from “Desperate Housewives” in the new character played by Eva Longoria in “The Earth women “. This series starts this Wednesday, June 26 on Apple TV +, and the 49-year-old actress, also a producer, plays the main role.
Gala is the mother of a teenager whose father disappears overnight after confessing to his wife that he had contracted a debt of several million dollars. Pursued by the creditor’s henchmen, the heroine decides to take her mother and daughter on a run to the former’s native lands, in Spain.
The relationships between the heroines, the strength of the series
Filmed in Catalonia and setting its action in a wine-growing village, the fiction adapted from a novel by Spanish author Sandra Barneda benefits from sublime luminous landscapes. This return to basics for Julia, Gala’s mother, is not without problems because it is a land that she had left while pregnant, singled out for her morals considered too light in this easily judged community.
Decades later, it is his daughter and his granddaughter who will in turn suffer the gossip of the residents. Especially since the trio’s first meeting with Amat, the new owner of Julia’s old family home, is quite catastrophic.
The title “La Terre des femmes” refers to the setting of the series where a women’s cooperative produces local wine. It is precisely the relationships between the different heroines that make the strength of the series. Gala must reinvent herself to establish herself in this country where she does not completely master the language. His mother suffers from the beginnings of dementia and sometimes has difficulty putting her memories in order. Her daughter Kate, a trans and lesbian teenager, is also struggling to find her place.
A nice and effective fiction
Full of energy, the fiction never lacks rhythm throughout the six episodes of about forty minutes each. Of course, there are quite a few twists and turns that we can see coming from afar, but overall it remains effective. On the other hand, when the thriller aspect returns with the reappearance of the two crooks ready to do anything to recover the money borrowed from their boss, the scenario gets a little lost. The mixture of tones then has difficulty convincing, even if it is always a pleasure to see Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break”) on screen again, who plays one of them.
The performers are indeed the other great success of the series. Alongside Eva Longoria, Carmen Maura (in the role of Julia) is another light on the board. The one who is one of Pedro Almodovar’s favorite actresses shows a refreshing playfulness, stealing the spotlight from everyone as soon as she appears in a scene. The charm of actor Santiago Cabrera (Amat) also takes its toll. “La Terre des femmes” is therefore a nice fiction to enjoy throughout the summer.
American-Spanish series by Ramon Campos (2024) with Eva Longoria, Carmen Maura, Santiago Cabrera… Episodes 1 and 2/6 (46 and 43 minutes). A section added every Wednesday.
