Based on the podcast from Gimlet, the drama follows "Magic Hands" Dolores Roach (Machado), who is released from prison after 16 years and returns to a severely gentrified Washington Heights with $200 and the clothes on her back. With her boyfriend missing and her family long gone, Dolores reunites with an old stoner buddy, Luis, who gives her room and board and lets her give massages for cash in the basement under his dilapidated storefront, Empanada Loca, the only remnant of her former life. When the promise of her newfound stability is quickly threatened, Dolores is driven to shocking extremes to survive, and in the face of unexpected professional success, Dolores and Luis become dangerously symbiotic, and Luis must unleash his own peculiar predilections.
In addition to Machado, the drama stars Alejandro Hernandez, Kita Updike and K. Todd Freeman.
Podcast creator Aaron Mark wrote the pilot, which was directed by Roxann Dawson. Mark will serve as co-showrunner alongside Dara Resnik for the first season. They will produced with Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Jason Blum, Chris McCumber, Jeremy Gold, Dawn Ostroff, Mimi O'Donnell and Justin McGoldrick. Blumhouse Television, GloNation Studios and Spotify will produce.
"After eight years living with the indomitable Dolores Roach in multiple forms, I could not be more thrilled to be bringing her to life on television with this powerhouse team," said Mark.
"We at Amazon Studios fell in love with this story along with everyone else as the podcast captured listeners," added Marc Resteghini, Head of Development, Amazon Studios. "We couldn't be more excited and fortunate to be working with such world-class creatives to bring Dolores Roach to screen in what is sure to be a captivating series."
