As a family dramedy centered on three generations of women, Land of Women is funny and affecting enough to tune into. Longoria proves that she still has the spunk that catapulted her to fame all those years ago in Desperate Housewives, while Bazua and Maura are equally compelling as they both try to reconcile their sexuality and identity. There are times when the show dangerously teeters on Hallmark Movie territory as it hams up the city vs. country theme, but the dialogue is whipsmart enough to save it from that fate. The real fault here is the crime subplot, which pushes the women to flee their homes but is little more than a plot device. It’s neither thrilling nor entertaining and only takes away time from the real stars of the show.

Only a woman could write a character like Amat (Santiago Cabrera) what with his incredible good looks, boundless patience, and domestic talents.