Veneno

Adored for her charisma and her free, explicit and fun way of expressing herself, La Veneno gained popularity thanks to her television appearances in the 90s. However, her life and especially her death remain an enigma.

Veneno (2020) is a Spanish national-television biographical drama miniseries created by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, produced by Atresmedia and Buendía Estudios for Atresplayer. Across eight hour-long episodes, it follows the life of La Veneno, the charismatic and outspoken figure who became a fixture of Spanish television in the 1990s, and the enigma surrounding her death. Isabel Torres plays the older La Veneno, Daniela Santiago and Jedet portray her in earlier stages, and Lola Rodríguez plays Valeria, a younger character whose perspective frames the story. Israel Elejalde appears as Pepe, and Sophia Lamar plays Cristina Onassis. The engine of the series is the tension between a woman who refuses to hide her identity and a society eager to consume and dismiss her, with each episode weaving past and present to reconstruct what happened. Its tone is defiant, sardonic and emotionally raw, shifting between glittering celebration of her spirit and a melancholic reckoning with the cost of visibility. Set in Spain across the decades of her rise, the show reads as a queer history lesson wrapped in pop spectacle. Fans of Pose and the Spanish saga Cuéntame cómo pasó will find resonance in its blend of period detail, lgbt history and vivid character drama.

Critics and audiences broadly admired the series as a vibrant, acclaimed portrait of a larger-than-life 1990s television icon, praising its performances and its joyful, unapologetic treatment of its subject.

• Poseshared queer biographical drama about a flamboyant trans icon and the cultural milieu around her
• Cuéntame cómo pasóshared Spanish television drama tradition, 1990s Spanish pop culture, and dramatized life of a public personality
• The Politicianshared true-life LGBT figure portrayal with a focus on fame, identity and marginalization

Created by

Javier Ambrossi, Javier Calvo

Release Date

2020-03-29

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

8.6 / 10 (1432)

What is Veneno about?

A miniseries dramatizing the flamboyant life and enigmatic death of Spanish television icon La Veneno, told through the people who knew her.

What is Veneno like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Veneno as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.

Is Veneno violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Veneno as mild.

What did critics think of Veneno?

Critics and audiences broadly admired the series as a vibrant, acclaimed portrait of a larger-than-life 1990s television icon, praising its performances and its joyful, unapologetic treatment of its subject.

Which shows are like Veneno?

Shows with a similar feel include Pose, Cuéntame cómo pasó, and The Politician.

How long is Veneno?

Veneno: 1 season, 8 episodes.

Is Veneno still running?

No, Veneno has ended.

Where can I watch Veneno?

In United States, Veneno streams on HBO Max.