El Chavo del 8: An Unexpected Legacy in Chespirito Not really on purpose Episode 4
Lee este texto en español: El Chavo del Ocho en Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo episodio 4
Read the review for episode 1, episode 2, and episode 3 here.
Table of Contents
The latest installment of Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo, titled “Es que no me tienen paciencia” (It’s Just that you Have No Patience for Me), plunges us into the fascinating genesis of one of Mexican television’s most beloved shows: El Chavo del Ocho. This chapter unveils the origins, the creative process, and the challenges Roberto Gómez Bolaños, Chespirito, faced in bringing the endearing characters and the neighborhood’s universe to life.
The episode cleverly intertwines three timelines: Roberto’s childhood in Guadalajara in 1936, his television career in Mexico City in 1971, and Acapulco.
The narrative begins with young Roberto saying goodbye to his mother, who sends him to live with his aunts and uncles for a year. This period of his childhood becomes an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the future creator.
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Building a Cast and a Universe
The plot transports us to 1971, a crucial moment for Chespirito. We see him facing the departure of important figures like Rubén Aguirre and Sergio Peña, which leads him to a creative crossroads. However, Roberto remains firm in his vision: he doesn’t seek to replace his actors but to find new talents who adapt to his particular style.
One of the most revealing moments is when Roberto, in a jump to his childhood, shows us how his personal experiences transformed into iconic elements of El Chavo del Ocho. We observe him taking notes from children’s games in the park and a peculiar balloon seller, elements that would later shape the neighborhood’s universe. The discovery of his old child’s hat symbolizes the birth of his iconic child character.
The search for his ideal cast is another central point of the episode. Roberto rejects the idea of hiring renowned actors, opting for those he considers “good actors.” This is how we are shown the process of discovering Edgar Vivar, whom he sees in a commercial, and the incorporation of Margarita Ruiz, who already had acting experience. The arrival of Angelines Fernández to the team is also shown.
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Challenges and Unforgettable Moments
The chapter doesn’t shy away from the obstacles Chespirito had to overcome. We see the resistance of Joaquín Vargas and Mr. Treviño to the lack of budget for a new set and Treviño’s skepticism about the cast, whom he considers “globally unknown.” Despite these pressures, Roberto remains true to his vision, even going so far as to characterize himself as the troublesome child for the role of El Chavo.
The creation of the neighborhood set, including the famous barrel, is presented as a process full of details and memories from Roberto’s childhood, such as the time his uncle would hide from the rent collector, and the image of a child playing with a balero (cup-and-ball toy).
The episode also briefly touches on the interpersonal dynamics between the actors and Roberto’s family, as shown in Acapulco in 1978 and the tensions between Margarita and Graciela. However, the main focus remains the arduous and passionate path that led to the international consecration of El Chavo del Ocho.
“Es que no me tienen paciencia” culminates with the exciting first day of filming El Chavo del Ocho, leaving us with the feeling of having witnessed the foundations of a television phenomenon that would transcend borders and generations.
My Personal Opinion:
I loved it. I simply loved the series; you can tell it’s made with all the love. My eyes welled up at the end of the episode when the filming of the first chapter of El Chavo del Ocho began.
Florinda Meza, Roberto Gómez Bolaños’ widow, has supposedly come out to deny facts presented in the series: that Roberto was already successful, that he didn’t need to jump a fence, that there was no antagonist, and so on.
But we must remember: it’s a fictional series based on real events, not a documentary with historical truth.
It continues to strike me, regardless of the recent massive “funa” (a word that doesn’t exist in the RAE) against Florinda Meza, where she has been compared to Karla Panini, Ángela Aguilar, and even Yoko Ono herself, that the series, so far, has not portrayed her negatively. On the contrary: in today’s episode, it’s implied that Roberto was smitten with her from the moment he met her, while she (or Margarita) was oblivious.
It was just revealed on Facebook that Roberto Gómez Fernández, the series’ screenwriter, criticizes his father’s infidelity when he married Krystel Padilla, his ex-wife Jessica Coch’s best friend. I didn’t know that one, and in fact, I almost fell backward when I saw that the man has already had four!!! marriages (Kim Bolívar and Chantal Andere). Roberto, at least, settled down with Doña Florinda…
