Los Colorado

The Weight of the Mallet: Domesticating El Chapulín

There’s a specific kind of sadness in slapstick; these heroes take the hits so we don't have to. For half a century, El Chapulín Colorado was the red-suited face of well-meaning failure. But in the 2026 series *Los Colorado*, Roberto Gómez Fernández has handed his father’s creation something scarier than any space monster: a family life. It’s an odd, effective choice. Instead of just another reboot, the show brings the legend down to earth, literally and metaphorically domesticating him.



The look of *Los Colorado* is restless. It pulls from high-energy modern animation but holds onto that stagey, physical humor from the old live-action days. I had my doubts, but seeing Chapulín in motion changed my mind. The Huevocartoon team gave his anxiety a strange, bouncy quality. When he face-plants, there's a real weight to the cartoon physics. The stakes have shifted, too; it’s not just about rescuing Chaotic City anymore, it’s about making it to his daughter Lina’s school play. Dinner time is as urgent as a supervillain. *Milenio's* Critic Álvaro Cueva suggested this rivals top-tier US or Japanese animation, and while that’s a high bar, the craft here is genuinely impressive.



The voice acting is what really grounds the whole thing. Jesús Guzmán is back as the hero, carrying a massive legacy on his shoulders. Back in 2008, the original creator Roberto Gómez Bolaños—Chespirito himself—allegedly told Guzmán he was entrusting him with the character's voice. That respect shows, but Guzmán isn't just mimicking the past. He adds a layer of weary, middle-aged rasp. There’s a scene where Chapulín is trying to be a father to his son Bobby while fighting off a shapeshifting mustache, and the way Guzmán flips between 'stern dad' and 'total meltdown' in seconds is incredible. It’s physical comedy for the ears.



I’m not sure if the mix of superhero tropes and domestic sitcom will hold up forever—it really comes down to how much you enjoy that kind of genre collision. There are moments where the family drama, like Susana’s struggling food business, feels shoehorned into the action scenes. But then again, maybe that messiness fits. Being a parent is its own disaster zone. You’re just swinging your Boinky Bopper and praying you don't break anything. *Los Colorado* manages to take a 70s icon and find a stressed, human heart inside the costume. It’s funny, obviously. But mostly, it just left me wanting to give my dad a call.