ABC may have banished Promised Land to Hulu, but I’m glad the streamer allowed the series to finish out its season 1 run.
It may not have been the best show to ever make its way across your screen, but it had so much heart poured into it as it aimed to tell the story of Mexican immigrants coming to the states to follow their dreams and make a better life for their family.
One of the biggest secrets hanging over Joe Sandoval’s head was that he was an “illegal.” He was always so ashamed of being the slur, but he finally acknowledged that there was nothing illegal about setting out to pursue a dream and doing everything in your power to make it happen.
As everyone attempted to take hold of Heritage House, it was the secret that they all attempted to leverage, so it was satisfying to see Joe yank the card from them and own who he was.
It would’ve never came to this moment had it not been for Lettie, who was so fed up with Joe’s behavior — including the employee lockout — that she packed her bags up and left to be with Billy.
When Joe begged her not to go, she informed him that he’s the one that left. In his determination to become the winemaker, Joe lost sight of himself and strayed too far from the Carlos Rincon that she loved all these years.
Her honesty brought him back to himself as he realized that he lost sight of what was really important by always striving for more.
Joe’s present-day journey paralleled his past as he lost Lettie once again and felt his world crumbling around him.
Thankfully, by course-correcting, he was able to make amends with his family, including Lettie, the woman that always had his heart.
While Heritage House was a blessing for Joe, it was also time to close the chapter on it as he accomplished everything he set out to do. He handed over the reins to Veronica while allowing Margaret to buy him out. It was an important gesture because it indicated that the woman who contributed so fiercely to his dream and fave him a family was now ready to shine and realize her own dream of owning the family vineyard and working alongside her kids.
The moment of her standing in the barrel room soaking it all in was such a Scandal moment, I was waiting for Olivia Pope to waltz in with her long stemmed glass and cheers with her.
Margaret was painted with a villains brushstroke, but she was never really the enemy — she was just a woman who loved fearlessly and lost herself in the process. And while she was never above teaching Joe a lesson, she truly loved him, so I’m glad that she never stooped down to outing his big secret.
Joe’s life has always been wrapped up in the vines, so when he Joe hung up the HH hat, he didn’t really know what his next step would be. Thankfully, Lettie had it all figured out, and he accepted a job working at Mateo’s vineyard as a wine maker, which, comes full circle on his promise to Lettie in the vineyard all those years ago when he told her that he would raise the son she was having with Billy.
Lettie has always been torn between the brothers, and while love triangles are so cliche, this one felt different as there was a genuine love radiating from both of them. They both sparked something inside of her to be a better person, but it was more than just a romantic connection — as immigrants, they needed each other to survive.
Through flashbacks, we finally understood that the wedge that forced Billy and Joe to drift apart was Lettie, though, it was also the thing that kept them a family all these years.
Teen Lettie confirmed she was pregnant with Billy’s child — Mateo — which broke Joe’s heart and propelled him to become who he is today, but she was also fully in love with Joe and hated letting him go.
In the present-day, Lettie kissed Billy goodbye as she acknowledged their special relationship while also choosing to stay by Joe’s side this time.
PROMISED LAND – “La Tierra Prometida (The Promised Land)” – In the midst of a battle between Margaret and his own kids, Joe makes a shocking realization. Meanwhile in the past, Joe finally finds a way to defeat Honeycroft, and Lettie makes a tough decision on the season finale of “Promised Land,” MONDAY, MARCH 29, on Hulu. (ABC/Paul Sarkis)
KATYA MARTÍN, ROLANDO CHUSAN
She’ll forever be entertained and conflicted, but it seems that she’s completely content with it.
Carmen’s storyline with her own sangria that she was convinced to sell the an outside company may have been heartbreaking considering she never cared about the money, but it also forced her to step up in ways she didn’t think possible.
Nati definitely misled Carmen, who should’ve trusted her gut and had a third party look over the contract. However, it was an important business lesson, and likely one she’ll never forget.
She’s always strived for independence while asserting herself as a visionary in the family, so when she was throwing herself a pity party, Junior came to remind her that she’s busting at the seams with creative ideas. And while a sangria may be refreshing and on brand, there’s definitely more where that came from. Carmen is entering the seltzer business, you know it!
As for Veronica and Antonio, they got exactly what they wanted while also teaming up with Margaret to bring HH to new heights.
Again, as this is a family show about, it’s fitting that they are keeping it in house and in the family.
Other Notes
- It was nice to see young Joe in action against Margaret’s father as he proved that he knew a lot more about wine than anyone could’ve ever imagined. He has a good palate!
- We still have no idea how Margaret’s father died.
- Whatever happened to Mateo’s wife?
- We also know why Joe hated Mateo all these years as he’s the walking embodiment of his loss and one of his lowest points in life.
- You can’t deport a dream. That’s powerful.
- Whatever happened to Veronica’s estranged husband Michael? Who were the “dogs” he was referring to?
- The views were stunning, and I think that’s what I’ll miss most about the show!
While there were some great well-rounded and full-circle moments, one of my biggest grips with the series is that there were so many loose ends or storylines that were started but went nowhere. The constant back-and-forth between timelines was effective, but at times, it almost felt like the writers lost sight of the story they were trying to tell.
If the series were to snag a second season, which I doubt, I’d love for it to find its focus a bit more.
That being said, this a great way to wrap up in order to leave it as a limited series. Everyone got their happy ending, and the audience got an inspiring tale about to importance of following your dreams even when the stakes are stacked against you.