A house isn’t just a building– it’s a space where one can be one’s self, where one can have control over one’s space. Of course, houses can differ between social classes, as the rich often hire househelp, while those less fortunate manage their own, or might not even have one. Their Stories draws its drama from this disparity, as the rich Isabel and Rosa lose control of their assets and have to move to the house where working class Marta and Jasmim live. It’s an interesting dynamic, a twisted mix of gratitude and resentment forged between former employer and employee, and all four leads portray this with the nuance and complexity that it requires. A Historía Delas might literally be hard to search on Hulu, but it’s an interesting story, one that feels unique and real enough to follow.
Four women from different social classes but with a shared past have to live under the same roof.
After her father gets arrested by the federal police, Isabel and her daughter Rosa move into the home of her former employee Marta and her daughter Jasmim, on a reluctant favor.
Aside from the totally unsearchable English title – even on Hulu itself! – what stands out in Their Stories is the reversal of fortunes between the rich Isabel and the working class Marta. This dual-sided peripeteia isn’t something usually used nowadays, less so in Brazilian dramas, but it’s excellently used here to discuss the clash between race and class divides in Brazil’s multiethnic society. Neither side is demonized in the story, even if there’s resentment on both sides, especially as the moms tend to hold a better relationship with each other’s daughters, with Marta having actually cared for Rosa as her nanny, and Jasmim having a tenuous relationship with her mom, as she feels that Marta’s accommodating their guests too much. The drama in the show never feels contrived, and it’s refreshing to see a careful and nuanced approach to this dynamic in A Historía Delas.
This is quite literally a hidden gem. For English-speaking viewers who might be interested in watching, use the Portuguese title “A Historía Delas” instead of its translated English title.
