Television viewers can check out new projects from UC Riverside Professor Patricia Cardoso, who directed episodes of two new drama series that aired this spring on Netflix and The CW. 

Cardoso, a professor in the Department of Theater, Film and Digital Production, has directed films such as “Real Women Have Curves” (2002), “Lies in Plain Sight” (2010), and “El Paseo de Teresa” (2017). She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

Her most recent projects include directing an episode of “The Society,” a series executive produced by Marc Webb (“500 Days of Summer), which debuted on Netflix this month. This action thriller takes place in a community where people mysteriously vanish, leaving teen residents to forge their own society in order to survive. 

Cardoso also directed an episode of “In the Dark,” for The CW. Written by Yael Zinkow (“Bones” and “Girls Are Assholes”), follows a visually impaired woman (Perry Mattfeld) as she tries to solve her friend’s murder.  Cardoso’s episode aired in late April. 

“The Society” and “In the Dark” are two very different shows, designed for different audiences, Cardoso said.

“At the same time, they have the common denominator of having a thriller/mystery element in them,” Cardoso said. “My approach is always to tell the best story I can tell, using as much visual storytelling as possible, and working with the actors to create characters that are dimensional and truthful.”

Last year, she worked with Ava DuVernay to direct an episode of “Queen Sugar” for the Oprah Winfrey Network. She also previously directed an episode of “Tales of the City,” an adaptation of Armistead Maupin’s novels.  She joined UCR in the fall.