WOMEN IN BLUE (LAS AZULES), Apple TV+’s first Spanish-language show, is a thrilling new drama. This 10-episode drama takes place in Mexico City in 1971 and is about a serial killer called the Tlalpan Underdresser who terrorizes the city by killing women and leaving their bodies in horrifying conditions. The city’s women are terrified of her horrific crimes and can’t move. As the city’s mostly male police force tries to catch the killer, the show follows the brave journey of four women who join the brand-new Federal District Police Force to change things and do what’s right.
The Tlalpan Undresser is a scary character in WOMEN IN BLUE. He is a serial killer who kills women and leaves their bodies in a horrible state, which is how he got his name. The story is based on his crimes, which force the new female police officers to prove their worth in a hostile environment. Along with dealing with a lot of sexism and social norms, their search for the Undresser shows how strong and determined they are. But the question remains: Is the Tlalpan Underdresser based on a real serial killer?
IS TLALPAN A REAL SERIAL KILLER?
The scary character in “WOMEN IN BLUE,” the Tlalpan Underdresser, is made up. This character was made to add to the drama and keep viewers interested by giving the show’s main characters a scary enemy. The series is based on real events, like when women were allowed to join the police force in Mexico, but the plot and characters, like the Tlalpan Underdresser, are completely made up by the writers.
The writers of WOMEN IN BLUE got ideas for the story from real events and historical situations. The result is a story that feels real and relevant. Mexico has had a lot of problems with violence against women, and the idea of the Tlalpan Undresser is a made-up version of these bigger problems.
Fernando Rovzar and Pablo Aramendi, who made the show, tried to find a balance between historical accuracy and exciting drama. They agree that the Tlalpan Underdresser isn’t based on a real serial killer, but that the character does represent the fear and problems women had at that time. Rovzar says, “Our goal was to make a villain that would not only drive the plot but also bring out the themes of sexism and the fight for equal rights for men and women.”
The show’s creator, Ana Martínez, has said that the Undresser character is meant to represent the extreme dangers women have faced throughout history and in the present day. Martínez said in an interview, “We wanted to make a villain that embodies the fear and oppression that women had to face.” “While the Undresser himself is fictional, the terror he represents is very real.”
The series mixes different types of stories—thrillers, historical fiction, and crime dramas—to make a story that is very interesting. The main idea of the story is how María goes from being a disappointed housewife to a determined police officer, and the search for the Tlalpan Underdresser is what drives her. The character asks a serial killer in prison for advice, which is similar to how things work in classic thrillers like “Silence of the Lambs.” This gives the story a familiar but new twist.
The character of the Tlalpan Underdresser isn’t based on a real serial killer, but it’s likely that real crimes and the history of Mexico in the 1970s influenced the author. During this time, crime was a problem in Mexico as in many other places, and the police force’s honesty and efficiency were often questioned. By putting a serial killer in this setting, the show can explore these ideas in a dramatic and interesting way.
At the beginning of the story, the city is in a panic because the Undresser is killing people in horrible ways. To take the focus off of the fact that the police haven’t caught the killer yet, the police chief announces that women will be joining the force. This is more of a publicity stunt than an attempt to change things. Here come our four main characters: Gabina (Amorita Rasgado), María (Bárbara Mori), Valentina (Natalia Téllez), and Ángeles (Ximena Sariñana).
María used to want to be a detective but now she is a well-to-do mother whose husband cheats on her. Her sister Valentina is a strong feminist who hates the government openly. The group is completed by Ángeles, a loner but very smart crime solver, and Gabina, a natural-born police officer who goes against her father’s wishes. These women are very good at their training, but the real test comes when they have to do their jobs while wearing blue miniskirts that aren’t practical and with only coins to call for help.
The women’s determination shines through even though they are treated like objects and have to deal with constant sexism. They find one of the Undresser’s victims and, even though they’re not supposed to, start investigating right away. The story shows in great detail the different kinds of sexism they have to deal with, even in their own families. It also talks about harsh laws like Article 169, which let husbands force their wives to quit jobs that were seen as bad for the family.
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