Chespirito series review episode 5: The purchase of Channel 8
Read my posts about episode 1, episode 2, episode 3, and episode 4 here.
Lee este texto en español: La compra del Canal 8 en Chespirito Sin querer queriendo episodio 5
Table of Contents
The Purchase of Channel 8
The fifth episode of “Chespirito: Not really on purpose” titled “He Who Laughs Last…”, available online on HBO MAX, shows us in the television business of the 1970s in Mexico, with a central focus on the purchase of Channel 8 and the already famous Chespirito. The narrative jumps between 1972 and 1978, getting us into the evolution of Roberto Gómez Bolaños’ career and his challenges.
Ernesto Figueras’ Ambition
The episode begins in Mexico City in 1972, with the cast of El Chavo del Ocho about to record their TV show . The competition at Canal Alfa (Channel 2 from Televisa in real life) craves Channel 8’s success, and its owner, Ernesto Figueras (Emilio Azcárraga Milmo “El Tigre Azcárraga”), obsessed with the idea of having Chespirito in his company, tells to Pepe Jamaica: “If you can’t create talent, then bring it in”.
Ups and Downs at Channel 8
Chespirito’s situation at Channel 8 becomes unstable. Luis de Llano Palmer, instead of attracting Chespirito to Canal Alfa, joins Channel 8. Peña arrives to announce the cancellation of Roberto Gómez Bolaños’ show; however, Chespirito gets not one but three weekly programs: “El Chavo del Ocho” (The kid of the eight / The boy of the eight), “El Chapulín Colorado” (The Red Grasshopper), and “El Ciudadano Gómez” (Citizen Gómez). Gómez Bolaños’ influence grows in television, and in Channel 8 he enjoys absolute freedom.
Offers and Loyalties
Figueras’ offers a tripled salary and abonus, but Chespirito is loyal. The cast, with the exception of Margarita, fears betrayal, while Rubén Aguirre tries to convince Roberto to take the opportunity. Chespirito refuses to break his contract with Channel 8, Pepe Jamaica warns this decision could “be the end of his career”. Roberto signs a contract renewal for 60 more weeks.
Personal and Professional Conflicts
Personal conflicts affected the team. Acapulco in 1978 reveals friction especially with Marcos, who seeks opportunities outside Mexico. And Graciela questions Chespirito’s feelings for Margarita.
An Unexpected Outcome
The death of Ernesto Figueras Legorreta (Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta) among with the intervention of figures like the then President of the Mexican Republic, Luis Echeverría Álvarez, culminates in the resolution of the main conflict. The episode closes with Figueras, unable to hire Chespirito, buying Channel 8 outright. This consolidates Chespirito’s position and his team.
What happened in real life?
Canal Alfa: Telesistema Mexicano (Televisa). Canal 8: Televisión Independiente de México
“Channel Alpha” in Chespirito’s series: Sin Querer Queriendo
In the series, “Channel Alpha” is the representation of Telesistema Mexicano, the largest television conglomerate in Mexico. The character of Ernesto Figueras in the series, the owner of Channel Alpha, is clearly inspired by Emilio Azcárraga Milmo, known as “El Tigre Azcárraga”.
Telesistema Mexicano operated channels 2, 4, and 5, and was the competitor of Televisión Independiente de México (TIM), the company behind Channel 8.
Channel 8 in real life
Televisión Independiente de México (TIM) launched in the late 1960s and was more innovative and with greater creative freedom than Telesistema Mexicano. Roberto Gómez Bolaños, “Chespirito”, started in Telesistema Mexicano (Channel 8 / Canal 8) with shows like “Los Supergenios de la Mesa Cuadrada,” which would eventually lead to “El Chavo del 8” and “El Chapulín Colorado.”
The merger between Channel 8 and Telesistema Mexicano
Telesistema Mexicano did not buy Channel 8; instead, they merged. This gave rise to what is now known as Televisa (Televisión Vía Satélite, S.A. de C.V.) on January 8, 1973.
The merger was the result of presidential orders, economic pressures, and the need to consolidate TV in Mexico. It is said that it was a strategy to create a single dominant company, so talents and content were under the Televisa umbrella. Successful Channel 8 programs, such as Chespirito, migrated to Channel 2.
This consolidation gave Roberto Gómez Bolaños an even larger platform to reach millions of homes.
El Tigre Azcárraga did try to “steal” Chespirito
Emilio Azcárraga Milmo, owner of Telesistema Mexicano after the death of his father, Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta, did attempt to bring Chespirito and his cast from Channel 8 to his TV channel.
Azcárraga Milmo sent executives to offer Roberto Gómez Bolaños a tempting contract, with a higher salary and favorable conditions. However Chespirito remained firm in his loyalty to Channel 8 and his team.
The situation changed with the merger of Telesistema Mexicano and Televisión Independiente de México (TIM), which operated Channel 8, to form Televisa. The uncertainty about the future of Chespirito’s programs on Channel 8 led him to approach Emilio Azcárraga to negotiate.
In the end, his programs migrated to Channel 2 of the newly formed Televisa. Although it is not detailed the exact raise he had been offered, Chespirito and his cast became part of Mexico’s largest television station.
The “Chespirito” show became one of the most profitable in television history, generating billions of dollars for Televisa over the years.
My Personal Opinion
I love this series. I love details like the special effects used to make El Chapulín Colorado (The Red Grasshopper) appear smaller when taking his Chiquitolina pills.
At the beginning of the episode, there’s a recording of El Chavo del Ocho, and I find it notable that they used the original musical piece “Marcia Alla Turca” by Ludwig Van Beethoven. Chespirito was sued for using Jean-Jacques Perrey’s “The Elephant Never Forgets” without paying royalties.
It’s incredible to me how such a beautiful series, which has subtly addressed personal issues, has provoked such a massive hatred towards “la vieja chancluda” (the old flip-flop lady), aka Chespirito’s second wife (Florinda Meza). The fault lies not in the series, but in the herd mentality that believes to have the moral right to cancel today a person for whatever they did or said decades ago. That, to me, is nothing more than cyberbullying by anonymous masses who create and share memes (the apotheosis of collective gossip) about it because, otherwise, what would the average Mexican do over the internet?, learn differential equations online?
