(Photo by 1091 Media / courtesy Everett Collection. MIDNIGHT FAMILY)
Before sound systems and hand-held screens, there lived one 19-inch TV per household. Bisabuelas, abuelos, tías, madres, primos, hermanas, y hasta vecinos had to agree on appropriate programming for all generations. Appropriate being subjective here. Telenovelas clásicas such as Laura Guzmán… Culpable and later, the beloved Thalianovelas (we coined it first!), were family staples that sparked dinner conversations and season-long crushes. Leading men Eduardo Captetillo, Fernando Carrillo, and Carlos Vives also starred in many of my dreams. Not at the same time, mind you.
Some TV series reached Latin audiences across the globe — a remarkable feat in the pre-streaming era. Take, for example, the Chilean-originated variety show, Sábado Gigante hosted by “Don Francisco,” that captivated audiences for 53 years. I grew up watching the show in Puerto Rico, and all the way here in California, Rotten Tomatoes Bilingual Curator, Darla Chavez, was also tuning in. She adds: “Sábado Gigante was an integral part of my childhood and a core memory with my family. Watching it meant that I got to stay up late with my parents while I witnessed the chaotic hilarity brought on by El Chacal (not the Cuban Reggaeton artist, but the man dressed as an executioner that would blow a trumpet to eliminate singing contestants) or the iconic interview segments with celebrities like Selena.” We both agree that in hindsight the show may have been a tad sexist, but hey, it spanned the continent and reached the Caribbean, and we’re still talking about it!
Perhaps even more popular across Latin America and Spain were Roberto Gómez Bolaños’ El Chavo and El Chapulín Colorado. Every time anything by Chespirito came on, we assembled in front of the magical box with rabbit ears and two worn channel dials that bathed us in cathode rays. The hugely popular Mexican series aired for almost 50 years, was broadcast in over 20 countries, and remains “an iconic pillar of Latino pop culture,” as TM-approved critic, Carlos Aguilar, wrote for RT. Carlos said it best, so I’ll only add, ¡Síganme los buenos!
Narrative stories continue to evolve and expand as Latin talent creates and becomes increasingly involved in mainstream productions. Today, luminaries like Eugenio Derbez (Acapulco), Tania Saracho (Vida), Julio Torres (Fantasmas, Los Espookys), and Eva Longoria (Telenovela) bring us memorable stories that continue to foster a strong sense of community, authenticity, and identity. Streaming has further bridged puentes across nations and we now have first-row access to many TV shows, old and new. Dom Pembleton, also a Bilingual Curator in our team, recommends recent series such as Women Wearing Shoulder Pads and What We Do in the Shadows, adding that “it has been a wonderfully niche, dark, and funny corner of the tv-verse, thanks in part to Harvey Guillén’s portrayal of Guillermo de la Cruz. As a Mexican, queer, and plus-sized character who also happened to be the descendent of Van Helsing, watching Guillermo go to bat for his quirky vampires has been invigorating, heartbreaking, and fulfilling.” Dom and Darla, who are very much en la onda when it comes to the critical reception of television shows, have helped contribute to this list, and we are so excited to share some of our favorite shows that span over seven decades. We’d love to hear which ones you think are Hot! [Ivette García Dávila]
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