I'm embarrassed to say that Women in Blue passed me by when it first landed on Apple TV Plus in July 2024, but I finally got around to watching it recently, and wow, was it worth the wait.
There aren't many shows on Apple TV Plus that are critically 100% rated on Rotten Tomatoes, but I can see why Women in Blue is one of them.
The show, set in 1971, follows four women as they defy strict social norms to become Mexico’s first female police force, only to discover that it's a publicity stunt to distract the media from a serial killer who is terrorizing their city and killing innocent women.
But, these women are not to be underestimated, and soon they make a pact to bring the killer to justice — and as the body count mounts, they carry out a clandestine investigation under the nose of their chauvinistic colleagues to catch the killer.
The series – also known as Las Azules – was filmed with an entirely Hispanic cast and crew, and each episode focuses on a different character, each of whom has very different reasons for signing up to join the police.
First up is disenchanted housewife Mariá (played by Bárbara Mori), who has found out her husband is cheating on her, and so sets out to join the police to finally fulfil her childhood dream of being a detective. Plus, it doesn't hurt that doing something so out of character finally makes her husband notice her for the first time in years.
Then there is Mariá's fearless younger sister Valentina (Natalia Téllez), who is trying to get her life on track after a series of bad decisions.
Next up we have socially awkward fingerprint analyst Ángeles (Ximena Sariñana) who you will find yourself instantly falling in love with, and then finally, we meet sheltered homebody Gabina (Amorita Rasgado) who wants to follow the men in her family and become a police officer rather than stay at home and help her mother.
As the women proudly report for duty with Mexico City’s police department, they face harsh negativity and are forced to wear impractical miniskirts as their uniform. Soon, the reality of what they have taken on hits when their main duties involve filing paperwork and, on patrol, they’re "armed" with whistles and loose change so they can phone their male counterparts if they spot a crime!
However, this is a group of fearless women not to be messed with, and soon they forge a tight-knit unit and set about showing their male colleagues how it is done as they vow to unmask an active serial killer dubbed "The Undresser".
It's not just the drama that will draw you in, it is the characters and their intricate back stories that will have you hooked from the very first episode. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Women in Blue is on Apple TV Plus now. Here's our list of the best Apple TV Plus shows, which will guide you towards some of What to Watch's favorites.
