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The first chapter to my new novel Estancia Aldea Norteña is now live, and already getting feedback. A commenter on Archive of Our Own noted: "Lol, so Catalina loves telenovelas! Sounds about right[.]" Yes, when updating Northanger Abbey to modern Argentina, it was obvious: instead of reader of Gothic novels, the protagonist would obsess over the Spanish-language television sensation.
Telenovelas describes the "television novels" that are popular not just in South America but all over the world, from Canada to Indonesia. Each region has their own spin and they've gone through many changes over the years. They're often associated with soap opera storytelling, many include musical numbers, and the entire genre has a reputation for being outrageously dramatic, as this parody video demonstrates.
Argentina has produced a wide variety of shows over the years. I focused on those a young woman in 2007 and 2008 might watch, and found one to introduce readers to Catalina's fandom: Casi Ángeles, or "Teen Angels," considered one of the most successful Argentine telenovelas ever. It spawned a pop band that performed both in and off the show, toured the world, and released a lot of merchandise targeted especially to the young female demographic. Teen Angels also won the 2007 Best Series for Children/Youth award from the Association of Argentine Television and Radio Journalists, and went on to be nominated and win several more honors during its run.
The show setup involved several orphans (the titular "angels") employed by two villains to steal for them, a circus performer with a compassionate heart, and an archeologist pursuing a mystery. There's romance and secrets, twists and turns, a hint of magic, and lots of music. While they express themselves in a more poetic manner, I think the characters of The Mysteries of Udolpho would be right at home.
The entire series is now hosted online to watch on the official YouTube channel. I watched the pilot and at least two more episodes early in my research, which was very useful when pulling stray details for my characters to reference later. It's a very different from my usual tastes but that's part of the appeal for fans. A telenovela, like the novels of a previous generation, is enjoyed for its sake and conventions, and provides viewers an experience that both captivates and surprises in equal measure.
Here is the fist episode, which unfortunately does not have English subtitles. But even without a translation the gist of the characters, their relationships and emotions, shines through. As a hint of what's to come in Estancia, pay attention to the ending party when the romantic leads meet and dance (there may be shades of it in Catalina's future!)