Justina Machado stars in Prime Video’s new series ‘The Horror of Dolores Roach’. In this twisted treat, Machado plays the titular character, Dolores, who finds herself entangled in a scheme involving turning humans into pastry filling, reminiscent of the infamous Sweeney Todd. Despite Dolores’ assertion that she’s just like the audience, the viewers might find it hard to relate to her cannibalistic activities.
However, the series does succeed in making Dolores a somewhat sympathetic character. Through dark humor, sick twists, and lively performances, viewers might find themselves unexpectedly rooting for Dolores, who exists in a moral gray area between villain and victim.
The series, created by Aaron Mark, situates Dolores’ story in the larger context of a society hostile to people like her: brown, female, broke, and with a criminal record. While it doesn’t explicitly suggest that cannibalism is the only recourse for the marginalized, it highlights the parallels between the gentrifiers who consume neighborhoods and Dolores and her accomplice packaging those gentrifiers as consumable goods.
However, ‘The Horror of Dolores Roach’ is not a high-minded treatise on social injustice. It focuses more on the outrageousness of its premise than political commentary. Dolores kills out of self-defense or desperation rather than pleasure, and the series delves into her panic and paranoia as she attempts to hide her rising body count.
Justina Machado delivers a versatile performance, seamlessly transitioning from comedy to tragedy to horror. Her chemistry with co-star Alejandro Hernandez is captivating, and they navigate anger, affection, and scorn with intensity. However, the series leaves some aspects of their characters’ motivations unexplained, leaving a sense of unfulfilled potential.
Despite its shortcomings, ‘The Horror of Dolores Roach’ is an entertaining series that keeps viewers engaged. It may not have the urgency of other social commentaries, the depth of serial killer portrayals, or the finesse of genre-bending thrillers, but it goes down easy. Think of it as a sizzling fast-food snack to be enjoyed in one sitting, rather than a lavish five-course meal.