El Chapulín Colorado, alongside El Chavo del Ocho, by the same creator (Roberto Bolanos), is one of the most beloved sitcoms in Latin America. Both shows ran from 1973 to 1979 and were very popular in the region. They were regularly repeated on free Latin American TV channels from the 1980s until the early 2000s.
El Chapulín Colorado is a parody of american heroes. Each episode, "el chapulin" is called upon to save someone from a villain, such as a pirate or a gangster. The cast is brilliant, his characters generated a number of popular catchphrases during its run. The show is family friendly, with easy jokes, and remains entertaining to this day. In its best moments, Bolanos' work can be compared to that of Mel Brooks in America. El Chapulín Colorado parodied the universe of heroes, like Get Smart, the spy movies or Young Frankenstein, the classics of the horror genre.
Some classic episodes, such as "Al que de Plano le Tomaron el Pelo Fue a Sansón" (1974), "Cuento de brujas" (1976) or "Erase Un Hombre A Una Nariz Pegado" (1978)", could also be a success worldwide, if they hadn't faced the obstacle of being a production from a third world country in the 70's. They are original, light entertainment and still funny.
Despite this, the show also has its flaws. In its seven seasons, El Chapulin faced internal problems, with actors leaving, which took away some of their beloved characters. Roberto Bolanos (the creator of El Chavo and El Chapulin) used to re-record some stories several times. So we have "episode x" version 1973, or 1974, with few changes. Other stories aren't as inspired, usually when episodes overdo the slapstick comedy. The frantic pace of production, El Chapulín ran for 260 episodes in seven years, undermined the show's consistency.
El Chapulín Colorado, alongside El Chavo del Ocho, though inconstant and with some flaws, is one of the most beloved Latin American sitcoms.
