Moving to a sleepy wine town in sunny northern Spain may sound like a dream. But with no money, a missing husband and a criminal gang on your tail, it quickly becomes a nightmare in Land Of Women. Eva Longoria stars as Gala, a New York socialite forced to flee when her husband makes a dodgy investment. She travels with her elderly mother Julia (Carmen Maura) and teenage daughter Kate (Victoria Bazua) to the tiny town Julia fled 50 years ago, having pledged never to return.

The series lives and dies on its quirky array of strong female characters across the generational divide. Without the vengeful gang of wine-making grandmothers, free-loving bar-keep and all the smalltown lesbians, Land Of Women would just be about another middle-aged lady finding herself on holiday. But it’s hard not to love a story about women surviving against the odds.

Maura’s Julia is a particular treat. Perhaps unfamiliar to UK audiences, she is a certified legend in Spain. Her career as a comedic and dramatic actor has spanned six decades, and here it’s easy to see why. As Julia she wears her battle with dementia lightly, flirting with anything that moves within a five-mile radius. But quickly we learn this is all a coping mechanism against her failing health and mysterious past. Maura’s timing is so sharp, she can make you laugh or cry right on cue. Land Of Women is a satisfying watch which is much more than meets the eye. Come for the twists and turns but stay for a genuinely sweet story that ages like fine wine. 

Land Of Women starts on Apple TV+, Wednesday 26 June.