As the year came to an end and all of the holidays came and went, I decided to stroll through Netflix looking for my next binge. I came across a series in the recommendation section that I was not familiar with. It was a series called Las Chicas Del Cable (in English the title translates to "Cable Girls"). Reading the synopsis I was instantly drawn in by the description as it begged of chills, thrills and secrets spilled. I always have been intrigued by series which showcase mystery, suspense and sordid scandals as these kinds of shows provide a fly on the wall voyeruristic view. Pushing play on season one of the series, I truly was not disappointed.
Instantly transported to the 1920s, Las Chicas Del Cable weaves a story about a young girl and boy named Alba and Francisco. They are on a train bound for Madrid to start a new life of love and adventure together. Upon reaching the train station in Madrid the two get separated when someone steals Alba’s luggage. In that moment, the catalyst for her future begins. In running after what has been taken, Alba tries to grab what she believes to be her suitcase and ends up getting caught by the police for allegedly stealing and is taken to jail. It’s there that Alba meets an older con woman who springs Alba from her cell and takes her under her wing. Flash forward ten years. Alba (Blanca Suárez) becomes entangled in a quarrel between her friend and her friend’s boyfriend. The man is holding a gun and as Alba lunges towards him he shoots her friend and both her friend and the boyfriend end up dead. Distraught, Alba sits in the rain clutching her friend’s lifeless body for hours and it is there that the police find her. The arresting officer strikes a deal with Alba, she can rot in prison or she can work for him and steal money from the national telephone company. She reluctantly agrees and sets her plan into motion to land a job there and steal the money while pretending to be an employee.
On her way to take the test to be a phone operator, Alba ends up late after scouting the company safe and finding herself face to face with her past. She knocks into a few other ladies also running late and they end up locked out of the exam. Alba, who is now using the moniker Lidia Aguilar which she stole from another potential candidate, with a little help from another employee who takes a chance on her is able to convince the woman monitoring the test to let all of the ladies in, thus giving them a second shot. Lidia/Alba doesn’t instantly earn a position, but with another assist this time from the telephone company’s director she lands the final position. With all the positions filled and the circumstances stringing them together, the women become friends and their stories begin to weave together.
It is here we meet the ladies that will change Alba’s life. There is Marga (Nadia de Santiago) who is a small town girl coming to the city to earn money to help out her family and start her adult life. Carlota (Ana Fernández) who is the feminist daughter of a prominent colonel who seeks her independence and freedom from her family. Plus, there is their new company ally Ángeles (Maggie Civantos). The group becomes closer as drama at the company intensifies, including a reunion with Alba’s old flame Francisco (Yon González) who happens to be the company director! Additionally, the company owner’s son Carlos (Martiño Rivas) is instantly smitten by Lidia/Alba, but he is a total playboy and Lidia/Alba doesn’t want nor need any distractions from the task she still has at hand, stealing the company’s money. Meanwhile, Marga is walking home from a company party when someone tries to steal her purse. Luckily, a handsome administrator named Pablo (Nico Romero) rescues her purse and he becomes an unexpected paramour for her.
This underrated series isn’t just about romance; it’s entwines heightened tension, danger and intrigue. Lidia’s present intermingling with her past and figuring out how she is going to help herself all while being able to assist her friends is a delicate balance. She masterfully makes it all seem like an art form even when her tough choices end up coming back to bite her. Whatever is put in her path, she perpetually persists! All of the characters are as fierce in their loyalty as they are driven. It’s rare we see so many females in a series that aren’t trying to step on each other’s toes in order to get ahead. These ladies lift each other up and share in one another’s happiness and sorrows. They help pick up the pieces and are a guiding force when trouble comes calling.
Carlota’s storyline in particular resonates and is so relevant to what’s happening right now in our political landscape. She is a strong and independent woman practicing the female empowerment and a woman’s worth that she preaches. Independence, equality and sexual fluidity are some of the most important and significant signifiers of the series. Carlota has a relationship with her longtime boyfriend Miguel (Borja Luna), but also enters into a romance with her coworker Sara (Ana Polvorosa) who broadens Carlota’s perspective on sexuality and love. The three share a polyamorous plotline that balances tears, fears and unconditional acceptance. Carlota and Sara’s relationship is a part of the most incredibly heartfelt LGBT storylines that provides the right kind of representation that needs to be seen just as much in mainstream network programming. Carlota is a bisexual feminist icon and her storyline with Sara is beautifully portrayed and tugs at your heartstrings as much as it fills up your heart with happiness. The two have an undeniable magnetic chemistry with an electrical connection. The scenes between Fernández and Polvorosa are some of the most touching and tender.
I have been absolutely riveted by Las Chicas Del Cable. Season one drew me in instantly with the aching sea of emotions and brilliant bold progressiveness that makes this series so profound and poignant. I was always on the edge of my seat with the roller coaster ride of each impassioned and inspiring episode. Season two completely captivated me with all of the breathtaking powerfully packed portrayals and beautiful, bountiful layers that are balanced between every character and the rich, scandalous super charged heart pounding stunning storylines it showcases. The ladies especially provide some of the most compelling moments that I have ever seen in a series. I am in awe of the bevy of talent, vulnerability, and complexity these wonder women pour into their characters. They leave my jaw dropped and my mind racing in the most exhilarating ways.
The ladies of Las Chicas Del Cable have such depth of talent, especially Suárez who can convey a sea of stirring emotion all through just her eyes alone. The messages expressed in the series of friendship, freedom and fortitude rise above and stand out. One of the lines of the series that has stayed with me says, “You don’t have to explain. We are your friends. We don’t need anything else.” No matter what’s going on in their lives, they drop everything and anything and show their support for one another. It’s through this that they all learn lessons. Marga is able to come out of her shell, Ángeles finds her inner strength to stand up for herself, Sara finds love and unconditional acceptance, Lidia can let her walls down and finds friendship she can trust in, and Carlota finds her eyes and heart even more open than they were.
This series has been so special to me and it has taught me that love leaves a footprint on our hearts and that there is so much in life worth fighting for. These ladies are bold, brave and brassy. In the 1920s this wasn’t how women were viewed, they were meant to be quiet and obedient. These ladies dared to defy and ask for more of what they deserve - equality. The character development throughout Las Chicas Del Cable showcases a courageous and beguiling blend and I am invested in the love and uplifting light that it shines. I can’t wait to pick up with the trysts, tragedies, turmoil and triumphs that season three tangles together.
