Peacock’s Crime Drama ‘M.I.A.’ Is a Telenovela in All the Best Ways: TV Review

From “Ozark” co-creator, Bill Dubuque, Peacock’s latest crime drama, “M.I.A.,” is a wild and bloody ride focusing on family, vengeance and having the courage to do what’s right.  Set in South Florida, the series follows Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela), who finds herself reeling in the aftermath of a tragedy. Determined to make those responsible pay for her pain, Etta ends up in Miami, intent on taking down the people responsible, one by one. A vast, bloody narrative full of secrets and betrayals, there is a lot happening in “M.I.A.” Though it doesn’t always snap together perfectly — as engaging as the series is, it’s also thoroughly preposterous — the show will definitely keep audiences tethered to their screens.  ​

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“M.I.A.” opens in the Florida Keys at the Tiger Jonze marina. Etta’s parents are pushing her to finally attend college, but the fiery 21-year-old has plans of her own. An adrenaline junkie with lofty goals, Etta feels stifled and underutilized as the tour guide in her family’s boating business. Instead, she covets her brothers’ roles, working alongside their dad to run drugs for a major cartel. Etta swears she’s ready to live life on the edge. However, after a typical drug run ends in chaos and a spray of bullets, she realizes she truly has no idea what her family was dealing with.

Full of guilt and desperate to make those who hurt her loved ones pay, Etta sets out for Miami in search of her estranged aunt and a path forward. What she doesn’t expect is to find a safe haven and a dear friend in Lovely (Brittany Adebumola), a Haitian immigrant seeking her own fresh start, and her cousin Stanley (Dylan Jackson), who is guided by loyalty.

The nine-episode first season is completely entertaining, and works because of its intriguing characters. Etta’s rage is understandable, but her youthful ignorance and compulsive behavior continue to land her in tough spots, frustrating viewers and harming not only herself but also the people closest to her, including Lovely and Stanley. In addition to Lovely, who truly is an angel on Earth, and the kind-hearted, neurodivergent Stanley, this world has an eclectic group of people. Ellais (Alberto Guerra) is a cartel consigliere struggling to adapt to a new regime. Carmen (Danay Garcia), Etta’s aunt, is hesitant to open her home and heart to old wounds. Maribel (Selenis Leyva) is the plastic surgeon who unwittingly becomes a part of Etta’s clean-up crew, and then, of course, there is Lena (Tovah Feldshuh), the motel owner who knows a thing or two about revenge. When the plot begins to go off the rails, leaning into the absurd, it’s the characters in this gritty and glittering depiction of Miami that keep the series afloat.

From the varied menacing cartels to the revelations regarding the fallout between Etta’s mother and her aunt, the twists and turns in the show are endless. In fact, “M.I.A.” begins to feel more like a rogue superhero telenovela than a serious crime drama. In Episode 5, “Fault Lines,” Etta and Lovely are forced to fight for their lives, and what should be an adrenaline-filled, violent sequence becomes a hyper-dramatic horror show. It’s far from the first or last over-the-top scene that will undoubtedly force audiences to suspend a high level of disbelief in order to immerse themselves in this world.

​Due to the size of the cast, the time jumps, and the varied storylines, the series loses a bit of steam in its pacing. Dubuque spends a great deal of time painstakingly explaining Etta’s family dynamics. This takes the totality of “M.I.A.’s” opener, “Revenge,” as well as Episode 6: “Original Sin,” which flashes back to 25 years ago and takes nearly an hour to address a plot point that could have been handled in just a few scenes.

When it’s all said and done, the series manages to tie all of its varied threads together. From shootouts to knife fights and burnings, the series is a buffet of violence and intense thrills. Moreover, with a frustrating yet tenacious female protagonist at the center, the show may undoubtedly get even larger and more outrageous, which might be the very thing keeping viewers tuned in.

“M.I.A.” is now streaming on Peacock. The show’s pilot episode will air on NBC on Thursday, May 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.