A Collider feature argues that Zoe Saldaña's most affecting performance came not from Avatar or her Oscar-winning role in Emilia Pérez, but from the Netflix drama From Scratch. In the eight-part series, Saldaña plays Amy, an aspiring artist who falls in love with an Italian chef while studying abroad, in a story exploring love, family and grief. The piece makes the case for viewers to revisit the show as a showcase of the actress's range before her Academy Award win.

From Scratch is based on the memoir of the same name by show creator Tembi Locke and also stars Eugenio Mastrandrea as Amy's love interest Lino, alongside Keith David and Kellita Smith as her divorced parents, Hershel and Lynn. The article highlights how the series places Amy at the centre of family tension, romantic upheaval and professional struggle, giving Saldaña scope to portray a wide emotional range across the eight episodes.