"With Love" Is the Heartfelt Holiday Rom-Com We All Need

In the first episode which takes place at Christmastime Jorge brings his boyfriend Henry to the Diaz39 annual Christmas Eve party to meet the fam for the first time Lily39s situation is the opposite She had recently dumped her longtime boyfriend amp8211 a man everyone was hoping she would marry and when she realized she made a mistake she unsuccessfully tried to win him back making her even more miserable So Lily turns to Jorgeamp8217s sexy best friend and roommate Nick who becomes more than a onetime hookup Meanwhile the Diaz parents Beatriz and Jorge Sr Benito Martinez are experiencing a bump in the road in their marriageThis episode really sets up the emotional journey that all these characters are about to embark upon Jorge wants to impress and be accepted by his father Henry hopes to be welcomed by Jorgeamp8217s family Lily wants a happily ever after with the man she loves and Nick wants to move beyond his womanizer phase and maybe find quotthe onequot None of their journeys make for smooth sailing as they continue to unfold over New Year39s Eve Valentine39s Day the Fourth of July and Dia De Los Muertos Day of the DeadJorge wonderfully played by Ugly Betty alum Mark Indelicato has a profoundly tender scene with his father He39s worried about introducing him to Henry given how long it took him to accept his sonamp8217s coming out When Jorge tells his father he really wants him to like Henry Jorge Sr replies quotI love who you lovequot It39s a powerful moment that had the tears flowing not just from the characters but from me as well As a queer Latino who is part of a deeply religious and conservative family I know how hard these conversations can be and still are for many LGBTQ people and it was handled so beautifullyIt39s very apparent right from the start that a lot of loving care went into the entire series amp8211 and particularly this storyline CalderonKellett always handles this subject matter with great strength and sensitivity as we saw with Elena39s coming out in One Day at a TimeIn this scene and throughout the series Indelicatoamp8217s performance is magnetic and commanding His character39s big personality sharp attitude and love of quothot gossquot as in quotgossipquot sometimes intimidates Henry endearingly played by Vincent Rodriguez III Crazy ExGirlfriend who is more quiet and reserved driven by his work life and truly headoverheels for Jorge despite not always externalizing it The two perfectly balance each other out I can relate here I39m the Henry in my relationshipJust as big and bold as Jorge is his sister Lily played by Shadowhunters alum Emeraude Toubia She39s all charm and charisma as Lily navigating her rocky love life as she discovers what she wants for herself In true romcom fashion she eventually connects with two handsome suitors Nick played by Desmond Chiam of Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Santiago played by Rome Flynn of How to Get Away with Murder Of course she has to choose one or the other Viewers have already taken to social media declaring TeamNick or TeamSanti How can she loseNick is just as charming as Lily with his loveable jock swagger but he is perhaps the wisest and most levelheaded of the group giving his selfproclaimed sage advice to his friends when they least expect it but unknowingly need it most Chiam plays the selfassured womanizer side of Nick to great effect but he also has quiet impactful moments that have viewers rooting for himLike Henry Santiago is more of a reserved guy doesnamp8217t like parties and keeps to himself He39s another sensitive tough guy remaining very close with his father after the recent death of his mother Santiago isnamp8217t necessarily looking for a relationship but when he crosses paths with Lily it is clearly love at first sightCalderonKellett pulls surprising double duty as creatorshowrunner and a member of the cast She portrays the Diazamp8217s hilarious Tia Gladys who is living her best life without kids or marriage and with plenty of vinoIn a subtle way but to great effect With Love acknowledges the differences in traditions between different Latinx cultures This is something rarely if ever touched upon in American television programs and in my opinion it39s the very definition of quotmeaningful representationquot While the Diaz family is Mexican Santiago and his father are of Cuban descent and celebrate their holidays in different ways As someone of Salvadoran descent with family from Mexico Colombia and Puerto Rico this exploration of differing traditions and celebrations was wonderful to seeWith Love is just as much about independence and selfdiscovery as it is about the pursuit of love and romance as the Diaz siblings family and friends explore what love means to them how it defines them and how much they depend on it for better or worse To recall a classic song it39s what the world needs nowWith Love is available to stream on Prime VideoClick the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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"With Love" Is the Heartfelt Holiday Rom-Com We All Need

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Juan Ayala

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"With Love" Is the Heartfelt Holiday Rom-Com We All Need

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