Based on the Spanish TV series of the same name, Grand Hotel is the story of a multicultural family that runs an exclusive hotel in Miami. It’s also a heck of a lot of fun.
In the age of thought-provoking peak TV (Chernobyl, When They See Us etc…), there’s something to be said for turning off your brain and enjoying a light soapy show that doesn’t require much attention. Grand Hotel won’t drain your emotions like the above-mentioned shows, but it will entertain you if you let it. This juicy dramedy is very much in the vein of Desperate Housewives (although it’s not nearly as brilliantly written or performed) and Devious Maids (same quality). The tone is playful, and predictably packed with scandalous affairs, duplicitous siblings and endless murders.
The show’s cast is definitely game, headlined by the always reliable Demian Bichir and Roselyn Sanchez. The duo does a good job of anchoring the show while making way for a young lineup that includes a charming Denyse Tontze as our strong-willed protagonist. Again, there’s nothing you haven’t seen a million times before, but it gets the job done by putting all the chess pieces in place and bookending the pilot with a solid albeit unspectacular cliffhanger.
It’s also worth noting that one of the show’s executive producers is none other than Housewives’ own Eva Longoria. The actress will soon guest-star on the show and direct a couple of episodes; I’m a huge fan of Longoria so that’s a very promising notion indeed.
Conclusion
With its colorful palette and juicy shenanigans, Grand Hotel is off to an enjoyable start.