It is for good cause that “The George Lopez Present” has turn out to be so iconic within the 20 years because it first premiered. It has turn out to be a shared piece of popular culture, conjuring nostalgia and pleasure. It aired on community TV for six seasons and drew in tens of millions, which continues to be nearly extraordinary for a present with a predominately Latinx solid coping with Latinx points. We are the era of the cancelation in spite of everything.
A large portion of that viewers was Latinx — round 14 %, on the time. “The George Lopez Present” is unquestionably for us — with in-jokes stemming from cross-national teasing, the occasional Spanish, and nods to la cultura like our love of baseball together with a few of the actual struggles that include being Latinx and residing within the States. However it is usually a present with mainstream ambitions. The Lopez household rock all of the mainstays of white, US sitcom households — the good suburban home, the mother who does not (at all times) work, the 2 children, the canine, and the upwardly cell financial prospects. This positioning certainly made them extra relatable to their Anglo viewers members, inviting cross-ethnic viewing.
They’re an American household that occurs to be Latinx, and the present is cautious to deal with every of its characters, and their Latinidad, with dignity.
However after all, the Lopez relations aren’t white (though a few of the actors are). They’re an American household that occurs to be Latinx, and the present is cautious to deal with every of its characters, and their Latinidad, with dignity. George, Angie, Carmen, and Max are relatable, goofy, and flawed folks. Their major points are household ones, elevating the children as greatest they will, supporting one another, and rising collectively and individually. Now, there are occasions when “The George Lopez Present” fell into stereotypes. Season 4’s “George’s Excessive Makeover: Holmes Version” involves thoughts. George will get some outdated mates (together with one performed by Danny Trejo) to assist him rework his storage, pays them in beer, and jokes about how “lazy” they’re. The writers’ room joins in on the “joke” with the Chicanos’ workmanship being so shoddy as to get condemned. Clearly, that isn’t reflective of who we’re with 13 % of Latinos working development within the US and doing a rattling good job of it.
However the occasional misstep apart, “The George Lopez Present” typically makes us proud. For one, it is simply so good. I used to be laughing out loud watching it on Peacock, even in spite of everything these years. And it is surprisingly touching, mining advanced points with coronary heart and sensitivity. I consider George’s combined emotions and quest to reunite along with his estranged father. That is a reasonably heavy topic for a sitcom, particularly to hold throughout a complete season. However “The George Lopez Present” does it proper, discovering the humor within the scenario along with the center. Consider Constance Marie’s Angie calling all of the “Manny Lopezes” within the cellphone e-book (this was pre-Fb) and sharing their numerous preoccupations and occupations. However there may be additionally George’s character struggling along with his feelings and his mom who lied to him about his father all these years.
The specificity issues — it reveals that we’re not a monolith and that our tradition is as wealthy and fascinating as anybody else’s.
It is a profitable mixture, this occasion of a sitcom’s character’s humanity. That is the formulation we see within the profitable heirs to “The George Lopez Present,” like “Abbott Elementary” — placing folks of colour within the middle and letting them be full, sophisticated, hilarious people. “The George Lopez Present” will get a variety of mileage out of the household’s Los Angeles house, George’s Mexican-American id, and Angie’s Cuban background. The specificity issues — it reveals that we’re not a monolith and that our tradition is as wealthy and fascinating as anybody else’s.
This yr, we’re getting a brand new Lopez present, starring George and his real-life daughter Mayan Lopez in “Lopez vs. Lopez.” I am hoping it continues the custom of valuing its characters’ humanity and its market success. Hopefully, in one other 20 years we’ll be wanting again on it with nostalgia in the identical means we do “The George Lopez Present.”
