It is inevitable that comparison with Succession will haunt Galgos (Movistar Plus+). Neither the moment, nor the subject, nor even the aesthetic make it easy that it couldn't be that way. There is also nothing wrong with calling a series Iberian Succession, and this title does not suit Galgos.
Pablo Remón, Lucía Carballal, Clara Roquet and Francisco Kosterlitz's elegant and highly entertaining family/business drama takes the cameras into the bowels of a family of good people. Very good people. The Somarribas are the owners of Grupo Galgo, which specializes in industrial pastries, chocolate and baby food, a brand that has not yet seen its best. The threat of a new sugar law calls many of its products into question, internal corruption comes to light, private labels exert external pressure and the company's oldest factory is in danger.
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Parallel to the business drama, the Somarribas delve into their own family and personal drama. Although the atmosphere is firmly established from the start, it takes a few chapters to fully explode, escalating throughout the episodes and is what really draws the viewer into the story. Perhaps that's why the first chapter is possibly the weakest in this sense. The company needs a replacement at the top who will not live up to expectations and raise concerns and harbored resentments.
Some members of the Somarriba family gathered in the face of a business crisis.
Adriana Ozores, Óscar Martínez, Patricia López Arnaiz, Marcel Borràs, María Pedraza, Jorge Usón and Luis Bermejo are responsible for giving sensible life to this dysfunctional clan of the rich. Rich people are so rich that they can gift sailboats, get married in 19th century palaces, and travel from one place to another on a private plane. The aesthetic finish and the locations in which the series is filmed go hand in hand with the luxury in which they operate, with the production being at the level that the status of the protagonists requires.
Directors Félix Viscarret and Nely Reguera, as well as the series' producers, said that the main difference between Galgos and Succession was the tone. And it's true. Given the cynicism and wild satire in the Roys' scripts and dialogues, viewers of the Movistar Plus+ series find it easier to emotionally connect with the Somarribas, despite their wounds and numerous weaknesses. There is also a touch of black comedy and irony and helps ensure that the film never overwhelms the viewer. Perhaps more episodes will be needed to further develop the family's relationships and personalities (hopefully more seasons to follow their adventures; that's what the plot is all about). But compared to the bad mood of the HBO series, you can even see a compassionate look at the protagonists here. The camera follows them very closely: there are numerous shots in which the camera follows the actors from behind or in the foreground as they walk from side to side. In this way, the viewer walks hand in hand with the character and adopts their perspective, which changes in each chapter so that the full picture of emotions, thoughts and feelings becomes visible. And all accompanied by a captivating soundtrack that rounds off the experience.
In short, Galgos is a good choice if you want to start the year with a more than satisfactory viewing experience. And proof that the rich cry too and that business and family don't mix well.
Adriana Ozores and Óscar Martínez in “Galgos”.
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