From Selena: The Series to The Intimate Story of Isabel Allende to Santa Evita, a growing wave of Latino biographical series is achieving remarkable success and bringing to the forefront the stories of some of the region’s most influential figures. Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo (Chespirito: Not Really on Purpose) revives the legacy of celebrated Mexican comedian Roberto Gómez Bolaños, one of the most versatile and legendary artists in Latino television.

Inspired by the autobiographical book, Sin Querer, Queriendo: Memorias, published in 2006 and directed by Rodrigo Santos (Belascoarán) with Julián de Tavira (Like Water for Chocolate) and David Ruiz “Leche” (Who Killed Sara?), the series chronicles the personal and professional life of its protagonist, including his childhood antics, his struggles in the television industry, and the creation of his iconic characters. With equal parts humor and drama, this touching tribute is sure to capture the attention of generations who appreciated El Chapulín Colorado, El Chavo del 8, and El Doctor Chapatín. The eight-episode series will air every Thursday from June 5 through July 24 on HBO née Max.

The Story Behind the Myth

Born on February 21, 1929, in vibrant Mexico City, Roberto Gómez Bolaños, known artistically as Chespirito (“Little Shakespeare”), left a profound cultural imprint in Ibero-America and around the world. To the uninitiated, Chespirito was a master of white (aka accessible and innocent) humor, a champion of family and social comedy, and an ambassador of Latin American entertainment.

Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo traces the career of Gómez Bolaños from his humble beginnings as a scriptwriter in show business, to his rise to stardom between the 1950s and 1980s. Beyond the comic genius, the series also explores the intimacies of his family life, the start of his controversial love affair with Florinda Meza, and the countless sacrifices he made to achieve his artistic goals. “We talk about an ordinary man with six children, who struggled to get to where he got to. But he is also a person who managed to change television forever and this had to be portrayed,” Rodrigo Santos told Geek and Life.

This story begins in 1981 with an adult version of Gómez Bolaños (Pablo Cruz Guerrero), who has already positioned himself as a leading figure in comedy and is touring with “the neighborhood of El Chavo del 8,” enjoying notable success throughout the continent. In this context, Gómez Bolaños struggles with his own identity and his closest relationships. From there on, the plot weaves through different stages of his past, as a younger version of the artist (Iván Aragón), moves away from a career in mechanical engineering to work on developing advertising scripts and, later, ventures into radio and television. Of course, like most things in life, the road to making it is much more winding than it may seem.

In its first chapters, Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo captures its subject’s celebrity, without sacrificing his humanity. The series is concerned with unraveling the essence of the man behind the vinyl antennae and green plaid cap, and it certainly succeeds in doing so. Much of the credit goes to the 41-year-old lead actor, Cruz Guerrero (Luis Miguel: La Serie), who does a convincing job of recapturing man’s many mannerisms and idiomatic games.

Cruz Guerrero’s Chespirito is accompanied by his blood family and his television family. On one side is his strict mother Elsa Bolaños (Karina Gidi), his first wife Graciela Fernández (Paulina Dávila), and his six children. On the other side, there is the motley group of accomplices with whom he used to make television – María Antonieta de las Nieves “La Chilindrina” (Paola Montes de Oca), Angelines Fernández “La Bruja del 71” (Andrea Noli), Ramón Valdés “Don Ramón” (Miguel Islas); for rights issues, Florinda Meza is portrayed as Margarita Ruiz (Barbara López), and Carlos Villagrán “Quico” as Marcos Barragán (Juan Lecanda). The cast, in general, delivers very committed performances and stands out for its visual fidelity.

Written and executive produced by the comedian’s children, Roberto Gómez Fernández and Paulina Gómez Fernández, Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo delves into the experiences that shaped Chespirito’s creative vision, while it also explores themes such as the artist’s irreverent spirit, his rise to fame, the pressure of success, and his resilience in the face of adversity. In particular, it highlights the power of white humor and social comedy.

So, Should I Watch It?

Although it has a certain fawning tone, Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo is the kind of bittersweet and hopeful series that comes in handy now and almost always. Whether you’re a fan of Chespirito or unfamiliar with his world, this is a story well worth knowing. As Brenda Victoria Castillo, executive director of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, told  THR, “We have so many Latino legends in our history, and it’s time the world sees who we are, how diverse we are, and what we’ve accomplished.”