Vida made its network premiere Sunday night (for the bingers the entire season is available on the Starz app as of Thursday, May 23rd). For those that don’t have time to binge ‘LLERO will give a weekly recap of the Hernandez sisters and company as they navigate family, business, love, the neighborhood and well Vida!
The episode opens with a bang – the NSFW kind! As Lyn is continuing to indulge in all things her beauty can bring her, which in this case is a sex fueled orgy. On the surface it may seem like Lyn is still in party girl mode, but clearly, she’s still trying to escape/medicate her mother’s passing, ruining a relationship and her newfound status as business owner. At the end of the bacchanal even she seems to realize this and swears off men. Let’s see how long that lasts.
Seems like the other Hernandez sister, Emma is having her own sexual escapades. Instead they are with her former co-worker/mentor. Sort of a farewell BDSM booty call. Rather than a post coital cuddling sesh they talk business and it’s revealed she’s leaving her firm and is “all in” on making the family business work back in East L.A. We next cue to her arriving in Los Angeles, as her cabby tries to talk her up and asks if she is a visitor, she proclaims “I live here now”. Another not so subtle message that she’s 100 on the bar. She also, tells the poor cabbie she will leave him a big tip will he simply shut up and not talk to her.
Upon arrival its straight to work for Emma. First up, a fundraiser for Eddy. She heads to the bar to begin when Nelson (the local snake-in-the-grass developer) reveals to Emma, that Vida and Eddy were never legally married. Nelson knows how to exploit so he drops this intel/bomb to wreak more havoc. Yet another conflict for Emma. If Eddy and Vida were never married she could cut, her out of the bar. Yet, family wise a whole lot of wild-fire could come down on Emma for such a bold move. Emma drops the news to Lyn, who reiterates the nastiness that could ensue. They also, begin to struggle on what to name the bar. Emma has a number of proposed names, but Lyn is clear it should be named after their mother. Emma isn’t having it.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Marisol runs into an old friend form high school who is off to grad school and about to be engaged. The progress and happiness of Marisol’s old friend has her questioning her own life choices. Coincidentally as she arrives home she finds her brother Johnny on the stoop in the same predicament. One only hopes Johnny and Marisol get the happiness they both deserve.
Back at the bar, Emma and Lyn are helping with the fundraiser, Emma gets word about Eddy status in the hospital from the bartender so goes to pay her a visit. But is it really a visit? Or a fact-finding mission to inquire about the marriage? Simultaneously, despite her efforts to integrate into the bar’s regulars Lyn is finding little success and is essentially alienated.
At the end of the episode, Emma brings Eddy home and the two happen upon Lyn, who is chasing around a kitten inside their building. Eddy tells Lyn it’s Don Fulgencio’s cat, and when Lyn goes to return it, she finds him sitting in his chair, dead on arrival. It is this run-in with death that brings Emma to relent and name the bar: Vida.
There begins the journey of these two heroines as they start their vidas as bar owners.
Chingona Level Winner
Every week we will give a shout out to the character operating at the highest of Chingona levels. This week’s winner?
Emma – Hands down. Between the BDSM romp and giving the cabbie a talking down. It’s clear Emma is operating at the highest of Chingona levels.