By Michael S. Malone
Two extended families, one on the Tijuana side and the other on the San Diego side of the Southern border, dream, struggle, and cope within a divided, but connected, world.
Hour-long Series | Drama
Think of Modern Family
meets Dallas.
Synopsis
Two countries. Two cities. One Community.
Based upon the book, El Tercer País (“The Third Country”) the story revolves around the San Diego-Tijuana border and its transformation in the 21st century to a global model of successful bi-national culture and commerce.
The centerpiece of the series are two extended families, one mostly of Mexico, the other mostly of the United States, encompassing three generations and a cross-section of border life (relationships, investments, medical tourism, education, and commerce). The series will be created and written by two teams, each from their respective side of the border. It will also be bi-lingual, with subtitles in the appropriate language, to maximize distribution.
The Tijuana family is the Arguellos, led by matriarch Maria Escheverria-Arguello, a widow and owner of the famous Tijuana restaurant, Estrellita, which she founded with her late husband 35 years before. Maria is an important figure not only in Tijuana, but also in cross-border relations with San Diego. In creating the restaurant, she and her late husband made some shady deals with the Tijuana Cartel that are threatened to be exposed.
The San Diego family is headed by Patriarch, Dr. Karl Sessions an orthopedic surgeon who lives in Chula Vista, with a clinic there specializing in sports injuries. Two days a week, the doctor journeys to a Tijuana medical tourism facility. On one of those days, he also donates his time to performing corrective surgery at a clinic for indigent children in Tijuana. The other day is available for personal and private activities (including his mistress). He is married to Dorothy Sessions, a major figure in the San Diego Junior League and heavily involved in local charities. Yet, she has never been to Tijuana for fear of crime.
The series opens with the wedding of an offspring from each family and takes place in Friendship Park, which lies directly on the border. The location was chosen because several members of the Arguello family are not allowed to cross the border, while several members of the Sessions family are not willing to cross into Mexico.
Script
Bible
