Chespirito Not Really On Purpose Review Episode 1 (No Spoilers)
Lee este texto en español – Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo, ¿Vale la Pena? Reseña Sin Spoilers
Read my review of the Episode 2: HBO Max Chespirito, Episode 2 Summary. Origins of Chespirito nickname (“Shakespearito”)
Table of Contents
Introduction
The incredible anticipation generated by “Chespirito: Not Really On Purpose”, the new HBO Max Original series, has been overwhelming. In this first episode review (spoiler-free), I write about the character building, tone, atmosphere, and of course, the nostalgia for those of us GenX Mexicans who actually grew up watching Roberto Gómez Bolaños at least once a week. Many are searching for chespirito show 2025 or chespirito series max, and this is the production they’ve been waiting for.
I offer an honest review so you can decide if this drama, written by Roberto Gómez Fernández based on Chespirito’s autobiography, is for you. If you’re looking for a chespirito not really on purpose review or a chespirito review, my article aims to provide you a clear perspective from a Mexican hardcore fan.
First Impressions: Tone and Atmosphere
So I watched the very first episode, “Cobbler, Stick to Thy Last”, in Spanish. Actually I watched the HBO MAX trailer in English before switching it to the original language (Latin American Spanish… if you’ve ever heard “Spanish from Spain” dubbing, surely you’ll understand this distinction). And the English sounds pretty good! I wouldn’t mind watching the episode once again, but now dubbed in English, so I can tell you my sincere opinion. This chespirito hbo max production really makes an effort for international audiences.
From the very first minutes, “Chespirito: Not Really On Purpose” immerses us in a nostalgic atmosphere. The first episode addresses part of his childhood as one of three brothers, raised by a single mother. Or maybe it was a young widowed mother? We don’t know yet for sure (unless you google it – oh yes I did!). This initial chespirito: not really on purpose episode (season 1, episode 1) sets the stage for the entire narrative. It’s said there’ll be 8 episodes in total.
It’s worth clarifying here that the series, like most autobiographical series about Mexican artists, doesn’t aim to recount historical facts exactly as they happened. This isn’t a documentary: it’s a work of fiction (loosely?) based on real events. So, it’s not specified whether Chespirito’s father passed away or if he abandoned the family (the mother asks Roberto not to be “irresponsible, like your father”). This chespirito criticism regarding historical accuracy is something to keep in mind, as it’s a fictionalized account.
Character Building and Introduction
The Character analysis in this inaugural episode is key. The first sequence, which was used for one of MAX’s (recently re-rebranded back to HBO MAX”) promotional trailers, shows the actors from the first phase of El Chavo del 8 (“The boy from number eight” or “The kid from number eight”) preparing to work. Many are excited to see graciela chespirito hbo (a funny query I found on my Google Search Console) and other characters come to life.
I say “the first phase of El Chavo del 8” because I was born in 1979 and my generation practically watched every single Televisa and Imevisión TV shows during our childhood. I didn’t have the chance to watch the original El Chavo cast: Quico (Carlos Villagrán), Don Ramón (Ramón Valdés), the four (or more?) Patys, and La Chilindrina (María Antonieta de las Nieves) used to have long ponytails and a light green dress.
No. I watched the show later, in its second phase. La Chilindrina changed to short pigtails (once in kindergarten, as you can see in the above picture, my late grandmother dressed me up with la Chilindrina’s fake glasses and makeup freckles) and a red and green dress with a touch of yellow. Without Don Ramón and without Quico, but with characters like La Popis (Florinda Meza) with two pigtails (she originally wore ponytails with a bow).
The 1980s Televisa TV show was simply called Chespirito and included numerous sketches such as: El Chavo —The Boy / The Kid of Number Eight—, El Chapulín Colorado —The Red Grasshopper—, Los Caquitos —The Little Thieves— (Botija, El Chómpiras, La Chimoltrufia), Los Chifladitos —The Little Crazies— (Lucas Tañeda and Chaparrón Bonaparte), El Doctor Chapatín —Dr. Chapatin—, El Gordo y El Flaco —The Fat and the Skinny—, and so on.
If I recall correctly, I used to watch the TV show with my late grandmother every Friday night on channel 2, maybe before “Cachún cachún ra ra” (a famous but not so famous 80s TV show). And eventually, the show focused solely on the Los Caquitos segment and their adventures working at a hotel where La Maruja also worked (the only adult joke in the show I can recall… it took me decades to understand it, lol). This chespirito not really on purpose review aims to highlight these connections to our collective past as lots of people still use phrases in Spanish like “no hay de queso, nomás de papa”..
The character introductions were exceptional. The most accurate comment I read on social media was about the incredible resemblance between Andrea Noli and Angelines Fernández, “La bruja del 71” —The Witch of 71—. The Horacio Gómez (the famous “Godinez” from The Kid of Number Eight) character was the only actor who doesn’t really resemble to Roberto’s brother.
And regarding the actors, it was a pleasant surprise to see Macarena García in the role of young Graciela Fernández, Chespirito’s first wife. We’ll be eager to see how her story unfolds in chespirito: not really on purpose episode (season 1, episode 2) and beyond.
Plot Development and Initial Conflicts
One dumb criticism I read on Twitter / X is that the first episode is an excellent example of “self-improvement.” Well, so what? Roberto grows, just like everyone does; he starts working (like everyone), he falls in love (like everyone), and he decides to pursue his dream (like everyone a few).
The main conflict is about being an obedient son, a “useful” young man with a stable job, or being the “rebel” who abandons everything to seek the impossible: making people laugh. Not fame nor wealth: he was just looking for laughs.
The narrative is agile and dynamic, using flashbacks that keep the viewer’s attention. Also on Twitter / X, I read a criticism from someone who “didn’t understand the flashbacks,” which seems pretty ridiculous considering that every single flashback indicates the current place (Mexico City) and the year.
In this first episode, “Cobbler, Stick to thy Last” (Zapatero a tus zapatos) we go from Roberto Gómez Bolaños’ childhood in a middle-class family in Mexico City (in Mexico they’d be “lower middle-class” as they can’t afford that new household appliance called TV), to his young adulthood as a factory worker, to his arrival as a writer at an advertising agency, and the beginning of the television fame that marked millions of Mexican and Latin American childhoods, just like mine. The chespirito: not really on purpose series truly shows this journey.
Technical Aspects: Direction, Cinematography, Soundtrack
The production quality is impeccable. The costumes, the hairstyles, the ever-present tobacco cigarette. The cinematography with cheerful colors, the Mexico City’s old buildings from the 50s, the cars. And regarding the soundtrack, I’ll just mention the mambo dance!
Episode 1 Verdict (No Spoilers)
My first impression is:
I loved it.
Period.
It’s no wonder the episode is already the most viewed in the top 10 on Max. It landed as number 7, but I’m pretty sure every single episode (there’ll be 8, and I guess it’ll be 1 season and that’s it) will reach the number 1 spot. The strong chespirito hbo max performance indicates its popularity. Even if they don’t like the series, or even if they don’t like the original TV show, people are watching the HBO MAX original production.
I won’t reveal any plot details, because there’s nothing more annoying than visiting Instagram just to read that your (now former) friend complains about “who didn’t get to sit on the Iron Throne” in Game of Thrones… But I will say that the Chespirito Not Really on Purpose series met my expectations. Right from the start, it pays a heartwarming tribute to our so called Mexican Shakespeare. The general chespirito review online seems to be positive for people who know what’s a flash forward and a flashback.
Is it worth watching? Absolutely.
Have you watched the first episode yet? Leave your comment below!
Share this spoiler-free review if you found it helpful.
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Main cast
Guests: María Antonieta de las Nieves & Édgar Vivar.
Andrea Noli: Angelines Fernández
Arturo Barba: Rubén Aguirre
Barbara López: Margarita Ruíz (Florinda Meza)
Eugenio Bartilotti: Édgar Vivar
Ilian Emilio Gallea Ballesteros: Roberto Gómez Fernández
Jesusa Ochoa: Graciela Gómez
Jorge Luis Moreno: Horacio Gómez Bolaños
Macarena García: Graciela Fernández (Joven)
Miguel Islas: Ramón Valdés
Nina Rubín: Marcela Gómez Fernandez
Óscar Narváez: Raúl “Chato” Padilla
Pablo Cruz Guerrero: Roberto Gómez Bolaños
Paola Montes de Oca: María Antonieta de las Nieves
Paulina Dávila: Graciela Fernández
Roberto Gómez Fernández: Francisco Gómez Linares
Read my analysis on the Quixotization of Sancho Panza and Sanchification of Don Quixote.
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