The most known names of the drug trade include the likes of Pablo Escobar and El Chapo. People think of them as ruthless, cunning and 'kings' of their trade. But what if there were a so-called 'Godmother' (or 'Madrina' in Spanish) of Cocaine too? A woman who went through so much in order to achieve her goals? A woman who even the men of her time feared? Escobar himself famously declared that: "The only man I was ever afraid of was a woman named Griselda Blanco." The new 2024 Netflix show, titled Griselda, starring Sofia Vergara, shows a rather dramatised version of Blanco's life. 

It is evident from the beginning of the 6 episode series that Griselda is a rather cunning woman, having arrived in Miami with her children after fleeing from drug cartels back home in Colombia - whilst managing to also smuggle a kilogram of cocaine, which she uses to establish her drug empire. Using her charm and whit, Griselda manages to seduce men and convince them into buying cocaine from her. 

The show is clearly heavily based on the role of women in male-dominated societies, as June, the only female cop to be seen, also goes through the hardships of having to prove herself to her co-workers, just for being a woman, despite her original and accurate ideas. 

As the series develops, we see the character of Griselda transform into a money-hungry monster, this desire for financial success ends up consuming her, and forces her to sacrifice her family and romantic life. 

The scenery of the show is truly realistic, set in the 70s/80s, it features slick old-style cars, lots of smoking during scenes, as well as floral patterning in a lot of the characters' clothing. It very much effectively achieves a copy of the rustic environment of Blanco's time.