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She hurtled to stardom at a young age, helping define the market for Latin music in the U.S.
Her career was the result of support from, and partnerships and tensions within, her family.
She was charismatic and wildly talented.
Her death was sudden, shocking, and violent.
With time and more distance, a new onscreen Selena could look very different.
It could make her more human.
It could make Selena into a person rather than an icon.
Nor isSelenainterested in any of the things that might make a series about its subject compelling viewing.
Shes not even frustrated or mad.
Then later, shedoeswear the jacket and someone likes it!
Whatever small problem there may have been,Selenaswiftly and anxiously fixes before anyone has a chance to worry.
Feinting in the direction of a conflict only to immediately make everything perfectly happy again isSelenas standard operating procedure.
At one point, Selena maybe almost gets a cold … and then doesnt.
Im not suggesting theres no pathos or complexity in a sparkly bolero.
Her sound needed to be approachable and desirable in many different musical contexts.
Suzette gets a few scenes to be mildly, briefly grumpy.
Like Selenas threatened cold, it doesnt ever matter very much.
I dont begrudgeSelenathe focus on these clearly influential, powerful male family forces in Selenas life.
What else could there possibly be to say about that dynamic?
Nothing much, apparently.
It makes complete sense that Quintanilla would be protective of his daughters story.
The nine episodes released on Netflix this week are only the first half of Selenas story.
It stretches from her childhood to the precipice of megastardom and the beginnings of strain in her family relationships.
Maybe it will be all drama and mess, and Selena will have a chance to scream with fury.
(Although this is a little unfair toSesame Street, which is painstakingly respectful of its audience.)
ButSelenabarely seems to have eventried.
Instead, it doesnt even give its Selena enough humanity to catch a cold.
