Top 7 Latino Sitcoms That Make You Feel Represented
One of the best feelings is having a sitcom that can make a Latino feel seen with cultural insiders and simple visual representation. Here is our list of top ten sitcoms that gave Latinos the platform for representation.
1. Chico and the Man (1974-1978)
With a four-season run, the show followed the optimistic Chico Rodriguez, a Mexican and Puerto Rican worker that becomes very close with an Anglo widower, Ed Brown in East Los Angeles. The sitcom, starring Freddie Prinze, was the first U.S. television series to be set in a Mexican-American neighborhood.
2. George Lopez Show (2002-2007)
This comedy sitcom was centered around the life of fictional character George Lopez, played by George Lopez. He juggles working at the Power Brothers factory and raising his two kids along with his wife, played by Constance Marie and mother played by Belita Moreno.
3. Jane the Virgin (2014-present)
The hit series is actually a loose adaptation of the Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen. With Gina Rodriguez playing Jane Villanueva, the CW series has developed in its now five seasons, winning over 30 awards. The sitcom follows Jane, a 23-year-old Latina virgin who unintentionally becomes pregnant after insemination.
4. ¿Qué Pasa, USA? (1977-1980)
Taped in front of a live studio in Miami, Florida, ¿Qué Pasa, USA? was America’s first bilingual comedy. Translating as “What’s Happening, USA?” the show centered around a Cuban-American family living in Little Havana neighborhood in Miami demonstrating them coping to their new country and language.
5. Ugly Betty (2006-2010)
This sitcom, starring America Ferrera, is based on the Colombian telenovela, Yo soy Betty, la fea. Produced by Salma Hayek, the sitcom follows Betty Suarez, who has landed a prestigious position with a fashion magazine. Throughout its four-season run, the sitcom won two Golden Globe Awards and Outstanding Comedy Series among other awards.
6 One Day at a Time (2017-2019)
Netflix adopted this sitcom which is based on Norman Lear’s 1975-1984 sitcom, also named, One Day at a Time. The show is centered around a Cuban-American single mother raising her kids with the help of her mother. Through the three seasons, it tackled topics such as mental illness, homophobia, immigration and racism that Latinos in the United States face.
7 East Los High (2013-2017)
With a full Latino cast, East Los High is a teen drama that centers around a group of teens in their final years of high school. It is Hulu’s first and only series with an all Latino cast and was filmed in East Los Angeles. Filled with plot twist and anticipation, the four seasons entailed storylines that you had to follow.
Are you familiar with these shows? Which one of these Latino sitcoms is your favorite? What are some other shows that made you, as a Latino, feel represented? Let us know in the comments below!
