RIACHO DOCE, a/k/a Riacho Dulce has been playing since early 2000 across North America through Telemundo, the No.2 free Spanish language Network in the US. It will probably last until early 2001, if the telenovela runs its usual programming course. Here we are, 10 years later, and the series is almost a classic. What a difference a decade makes. It was a good, groundbreaking telenovela at the time, offering a rare glimpse at life in Brazil's more remote areas, usually ignored by the big productions. For that alone and educating the public in the traditions of the area, it was remarkable. The performances were not bad either. Now, in retrospect, this hour long five times week "soap opera" boasts a stellar cast of what became legendary actors in Brazil, including Vera Fischer, and the incomparable Fernanda Montenegro, in a wonderful typically regional character. If you understand Spanish, don't miss it. The synchronization (that's dubbing in all other languages but English) is outstanding. Spanish and Portuguese are very close anyway. But the synchronization is so well done you wouldn't probably notice. Unless you were Brazilian and heard all the most famous actors speaking in very neutral Latin American Spanish. Check it out.
