For more than thirty years, the fictional character of Carmen Sandiego has been thieving her way around the world. First popularized in video games and later on wildly successful children’s game shows, the character never needed much depth, only a snide personality and cheeky wit. Gina Rodriguez manages both parts of those classic personality traits, but her portrayal of the infamous thief in the new Netflix series is also intimate and sympathetic, offering us a look at Carmen’s troubled past. The performance is real and nuanced, giving Carmen a depth not seen before.
