There’s an alluring essence about narratives set in Miami. The charismatic nature of a paradise that balances luxury masked as danger. An enchanting destination of beauty that is brewing with havoc under the surface. Peacock’s newest revenge series, M.I.A., feeds into that compelling tension. Emotional reckoning as vengeance mixed with ambition is always a gamble, but there’s no risk without reward. As the episodes progress, fans and audiences will only be able to wonder, “What would I do?”
Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela) is forced into a dangerous underworld with seemingly no one to trust after the death of her family due to their drug-running operations. As she redefines her sense of trust and self-awareness, resilience becomes a prominent theme throughout this neon crime drama addicting series. She vows to avenge the death of her family at the hands of a dozen men, but is the awaiting price of her vengeance worth the cost?
“I think for me it was really about honoring what was on the page, and so much of it was already there. And it really was written in a way that afforded me the space, and it’s a testament to Karen’s leadership and the entire crew that was involved that I felt safe to go there,” Gisela expressed. “I felt like I could be primal and try things, I could experiment, I could be big, I could get messy. It was very visceral, and I’m grateful that the people I was surrounded by afforded me the space to lean in because it’s vulnerable. It’s vulnerable to be like screaming, crying, and throwing up, and people are watching you … it was really special in that way.”
This sentimental conflict has strengthened the series as Etta balances between being a protagonist and a compelling antihero while experiencing all the complex stages of grief. Honestly, throughout the series, fans may even wonder whether there really is a simple right answer, given the intricate complexities and factors constantly at play. Not everything is black and white; there’s definitely a grey area, and healing is not always linear. In this series, Danay Garcia (played as Leah and Carmen) believes audiences will be tested more than ever to choose a side, regardless of their moral compass.
“Being okay when things go out of hand … We’ve experienced a series of unpredictable situations like Covid, so I feel like this show resonates with how you have to be okay with feeling that you have no control over what’s coming,” Garcia explained. “I think they (audiences) are going to resonate with ‘when things come at you, how are you going to respond?’ ‘Are you going to react to the bomb or are you going to wait until you understand where you’re going to position yourself to survive this?’ … How do you operate? What kind of person are you? What do you care about or what do you prioritize? That’s really what they’re going to hopefully get out of it.”
Another prominent theme throughout this drama series is standing on business while maintaining your own sense of identity. With numerous factors constantly pulling you to do or be what society wants, what do you choose? Do you remain true to yourself, or do you succumb to pressure? Marta Milans (played by Caroline) discusses how family dynamics are tested more than ever, with hierarchy threatened in their family crime business and the question of where loyalty lines are drawn.
“Maurice’s character and my character, we talk about this a lot, do they even like each other? Not in a romantic incest way, but in a mental, competitive way,” Milans laughed. “So there’s all this tension that we have. It’s thrilling to be in scenes where he yells at me and tells me what to do; he gets to call the shots because he’s still the older brother. I would get so annoyed when he’d be like ‘this is going to be until I say it’s not!’ and I just had to sit in that fire and bite my tongue. So, I think that family dynamic was very well written, and it was so much fun to play opposite Maurice.”
Miami truly has a heartbeat of its own. Maurice Compte (played as Mateo) wants viewers to understand the city’s romanticized aesthetic of infinite possibilities. This beloved city will always retain its beauty and the prominent desired attraction. As a destination notoriously known to make or break you, this is a great introduction for audiences who love these genres.
“I’m more excited just to have them (audiences) see it and to have them experience what Miami is, what the show is, and what this family dynamic is about. I think that based on what I’ve seen and based on what we put together, I’m very, very confident that people are going to love it,” Compte smiled. “It’s just Miami is a character too, and nobody talks enough about Miami as a character. But it is like our brother, we’re with Miami the entire time, and it’s such a beautifully shot show. Beautifully directed, and there’s so many things to love about the show. I think it’s going to be something enjoyable for people to come home to.”
All 9 episodes of M.I.A. are officially available to stream now on Peacock!
