We all know that these kinds of posts are done nearly constantly. There are about a billion articles entitled "Top Eleven Reasons to Watch Stranger Things" right now, and - don't get me wrong - there are plenty of reasons to watch popular shows. Popular shows tend to be popular because they're good (or in the case of some shows, because they used to be good). However, some shows just get neglected by mainstream media. That doesn't make these shows any worse than the popular ones, but sometimes shows don't reach a large audience because it is not highly available or widely advertised.
"From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series" is one of those shows. Based off the film of the same name and written by the same screenwriters, the series follows the Gecko brothers who are also well-known thieves. The brothers end up in a bar run by the snake-like equivalent of vampires (Culebra), and the rest is history. There are a lot of reasons to watch this show, but I've narrowed it down to the top six reasons.
1. The Female Characters
I may be a little bit biased when it comes to the female characters in this show (due to my undying love for Madison Davenport), but I think they're incredibly bad***. These women can kick butt and take names like no other, but they are also not afraid to be vulnerable. Kate Fuller starts out as young, innocent, church-going girl and at one point ends up taking care of one of the brothers as he comes down from a drug high. Another of the females, Santanico Pandemonium, is a Culebra who escapes from a man that was physically and emotionally abusing her for years. These ladies suffer so much, yet they handle it better than most of the men on the show. You get so invested in their storylines that it's nearly impossible to stop watching, even if it's just for the women (though it's usually not).
2. Incredible Attention to Mythology/Legends
One thing I really appreciate is a realistic story, which this show undoubtedly provides. You may be wondering, "What? Realistic story? It's about Mesoamerican vampires?" Well, you're not wrong. But every single creature that comes into the main plot of the series has some kind of background story, usually provided to the audience by the man they call "the professor." Culebras have an ancient history, specific characters get incredible background stories, and even the most recent addition - Xibalbans - get an explanation as to what they're all about. Not only that, but a lot of the myths and legends that they come up with are based on actual Mesoamerican myths. Xibalba is essentially the Mayan version of Hell. It's incredible to see such well thought out plot, and I haven't found myself questioning any of it because all of the myths seem so believable.
3. Good Ol' Brotherly Love
Who doesn't need copious amounts of brotherly bickering and eventual loving forgiveness? No matter how much they fight, no matter how much they disagree, Richie and Seth will always worry about one another and will always come back to each other. They love each other and would do anything for each other. They would absolutely give up their lives for each other. They disagree a lot, but when it counts they come to a compromise. Seth and Richie look out for each other always, and that kind of bond makes for excellent television. Their bickering is fun to watch, too, because so many people can relate to it. If you have siblings, you know what it feels like.
4. Unbelievable Amounts of Sarcasm & Swearing
It actually gets to the point where you can see the sarcasm. Everyone on this show swears like a sailor, so if you don't like that kind of thing that it's probably not for you. However, if you're the type of person who swears like cuss words are the only words in your vocabulary, you'll probably like this. The swearing and sarcasm make everything feel more natural. All the relationships and the bickering and arguing seem so much more realistic when F-bombs are dropped at least 3 times in one conversation. The show airs on El Rey Network, and they literally don't care about what is said. It's better than HBO, guys. And no weird, unnecessary nudity.
5. The Cast is Full of Fresh Faces
In case you were wondering who to obsess over next, I promise this show is dripping with talent and chock-full of beautiful faces. I mean, look at that smile. Most of the people in this show (with the exception of Wilmer Valderama, who a lot of people know from "That 70s Show") are not very famous. Which means they were most likely cast for their talent, not for their fame and for the money they'll bring in. All of the actors and actresses are so incredibly talented, and you can tell the show means so much to them. If you want a show that has an amazing, humble, beautiful cast, this is the show for you.
6. It's The Perfect Blend of Drama and Humor
Of course, the brothers tend to get most of the humor out of the way. But all in all, every character has some funny moments and dramatic moments. Some characters are used comic relief for a majority of the time (i.e. the professor) and others are very typically serious (i.e. Kate), but most of the time everyone gets their dramatic moments and everyone gets their comedic moments. It's a very diverse show in the way of scripts, and nearly everyone gets to show different versions of themselves throughout the seasons.
If you love what some people term "dramedies," this series could maybe even count under that category in the darkest of senses. Don't be fooled by the dark themes, though, because a lot of the show is funnier than you would think. It makes it more interesting than a lot of shows because the blend of drama and humor is so evenly matched.
