The atmosphere grows increasingly peculiar as three men exhibit erratic behavior, leaving a group of teenagers baffled by their actions. Abruptly, chaos ensues, accompanied by a mysterious sound, and the lights flicker out. To the teens’ astonishment, the men are now lifeless and floating in the water.
In the midst of this enigmatic occurrence, Mavi Guevara (played by Cassandra Ciangherotti) pours her thoughts into a journal, contemplating the lengths to which one would go to protect a seemingly perfect life. She feels compelled to be the sole bearer of the truth because she possesses knowledge that transcends the ordinary.
Mavi’s world revolves around Los Altos de las Cascadas, an exclusive country club community where she not only resides but also sells homes. Several months before this unsettling incident, she is in the process of selling a house to a Spaniard named Gustavo Maldonado (portrayed by Alfonso Bassave), who intends it as a surprise for his wife Carla (played by Sofía Sisniega). However, securing approval from the community’s assembly, comprised of fellow residents including Mavi’s friends Teresa Scaglia (Irene Azuela), Mariana Andrade (Zuria Vega), Lala de la Luna (Mayra Hermosillo), and Dorita Ramos (Elena López Fernandez), proves to be a complex task.
Mariana’s husband, Ernesto (Gerardo Trejoluna), a plastic surgeon, is fixated on altering the appearance of their adopted daughter, Ramona (Sasha Gonzalez), to align with their social status. Ramona, with her casual attire and Doc Martens, starkly contrasts her mother’s expectations. Lala’s husband, Martin (portrayed by Pablo Cruz Guerrero), has distanced himself from his family’s political legacy and seeks financial support from Teresa’s influential husband, Tano (Omar Chaparro), for his gubernatorial campaign. Meanwhile, Mavi’s husband, Roni (Juan Pablo Medina), turned to cultivating cannabis after leaving a high-pressure career. Mavi, disillusioned with her husband’s choices, finds herself drawn to a security guard who frequents her real estate office.
As the story unfolds, Ramona and Juandi (Diego Bernal), Roni and Mavi’s son, embark on nighttime escapades, clandestinely recording peculiar occurrences within the community that people believe are private affairs.
Every Thursday, the women gather to gossip and drink while their husbands engage in domino games. Mavi dubs their group “Thursday’s Widows,” and she confides in Carla about their secret gatherings. During one of these gatherings, Tano challenges the newcomer, Gus, to destroy his cheap watch and select one from Tano’s collection of expensive timepieces.
On December 26, the four husbands reunite, and Tano proposes a macabre challenge: each man must put a gun in his mouth and pull the trigger, all while bubbles float around the pool area. Roni, appalled by the twisted game, walks away, refusing to participate. However, the other three men begin swimming in the pool, and as the lights go out, they are electrocuted. Roni, perched on his balcony’s railing, falls and sustains severe injuries.
The core premise of “Thursday’s Widows” revolves around Mavi, who views herself as highly intuitive—a quality that contributes to her success as a real estate agent. She vows to expose the secrets of the families residing in their secluded country club neighborhood, secrets that may have played a role in the tragic deaths of Tano, Gus, and Martin. However, what remains uncertain is whether the audience can truly invest in these characters and their privileged dilemmas.
While there is an undeniable allure in witnessing the troubles of the affluent, a trend exemplified by successful shows like “The White Lotus,” it is imperative that the characters are crafted in a way that invites empathy and intrigue. Unfortunately, “Thursday’s Widows” falls short in this regard.
None of the characters appear remotely sympathetic or relatable. Even Mavi, the central figure tasked with unraveling the neighborhood’s secrets, harbors her own hidden burdens stemming from her husband’s refusal to conform to the community’s high-pressure career expectations.
Some of the dialogue and interactions in the first episode border on caricature, such as Mariana’s attempts to mold Ramona’s appearance or Teresa’s revenge on Tano through an ill-fated magician performance. These moments, while perhaps intended to inject humor or drama, come across as exaggerated.
Moreover, the lack of transparency regarding the events leading up to the men’s deaths leaves the viewer frustrated rather than intrigued. Holding back key information only serves to detract from the story’s appeal, as it becomes challenging to engage with a narrative populated by characters who lack likability or depth.
