Although she is best known for her role in Modern Family, Sofía Vergara featured in a crime series in January 2024, Griselda, which became a hit on Netflix. A biographical crime drama miniseries, Griselda follows the story of the Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco (Vergara) and her notorious drug empire in Miami throughout the 1970s and 1980s, detailing the rise of the so-called “Godmother of Cocaine” through six episodes. Sofía Vergara pulled off an impressive makeup transformation for Griselda, and her performance was highly praised by critics, with the Netflix show earning an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sofía Vergara’s crime miniseries follows a trend of countless other true crime TV series on Netflix in recent years, such as 2022’s controversial series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, featuring Evan Peters as the titular serial killer, and 2015’s Narcos, which some of Griselda’s creators had a hand in creating. Despite their similar premises, Narcos’ creator has reaffirmed Griselda takes place in a separate universe. With Netflix continuing to develop highly rated true crime series, Griselda has a lot to compete with, yet the show stands out compared to others due to its female lead and intense story.
Sofía Vergara’s Netflix Original Griselda Debuted Earlier This Year – What The Show is About
Griselda Blanco Was Known As The “Godmother Of Cocaine”
Sofía Vergara’s Griselda premiered on Netflix on January 25, 2024, with six episodes. While the Netflix show made many changes to the true story of Griselda Blanco, Vergara’s Griselda captures how ruthless the real crime boss was. The real Griselda Blanco was not only a prolific drug lord, but it has been speculated that she could be responsible for over 200 deaths (directly or indirectly through her orders), including the death of her first husband, Carlos Trujillo. Griselda follows the “Godmother of Cocaine” after this event, with Griselda fleeing Medellin and making her way to Miami for a fresh start.
Griselda follows the rise of a woman who reluctantly succumbs to the drug distribution industry, which shows a marked deviation from the real-life figure, who had already had a thriving narcotics operation and was an experienced criminal before arriving in Miami. Sofía Vergara portrays a terrifying visage of the drug lord, with Griselda exploring the deaths of people she perceived as threats to her empire, including those closest to her. However, Griselda plays loosely with reality and there are plenty of moments where the show humanizes Griselda, invoking a unique sympathetic look into her character outside of the ruthless killer.
How Sofía Vergara’s Griselda Compares To Other Recent “True Crime” Series
Griselda Holds Its Own In Ratings Against Other Netflix Shows
With such high praise and ratings, it is no surprise that Griselda rivals other true crime shows like it on Netflix. In fact, Sofía Vergara’s Griselda dominated Netflix’s chart in its debut week, becoming the number one show on the streaming service globally from January 22 to January 28, 2024, highlighting an interest in the female-led crime drama. Viewers praised Griselda for its exciting and informative premise in following the real-life titular character and her rise to notoriety in the drug scene, diversifying the usually male-dominated crime genre and providing a new platform for Sofía Vergara outside of Modern Family.
The one show that will compare to Griselda the most is undoubtedly Narcos.
There are plenty of crime shows like Griselda, especially on Netflix, as the service is popular for hit crime dramas following true stories. Netflix hosts shows such as A Confession, The Asunta Case, The Nurse, and Unbelievable, which are all miniseries based on true crime stories. Therefore, Griselda has a lot of competition. Yet, considering it was number one in 90 countries in the first week after its release, and its position at the top of Netflix’s Global Weekly Top 10 TV (English), Griselda holds its own with a fantastic 86% Tomatometer, with many left wanting more by the final episode.
However, the one show that will compare to Griselda the most is undoubtedly Narcos. In addition to some of the names behind the shows, Griselda and Narcos have a lot in common; they both follow the rise and fall of a Colombian drug lord distributing cocaine in America in the 1970s. Consequently, although some felt let down by its lack of historical accuracy, Griselda might be the perfect replacement Netflix crime show after Narcos, especially as there is not much difference in their ratings (Narcos has an 89% Tomatometer). More importantly, Sofía Vergara delivers a fantastic performance in Griselda.
