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Casados con hijos (Married with Children) also known as Familia Argento (Argento Family) is an Argentinian adaptation of the American sitcom Married... with Children. It originally aired between April 12, 2005, and December 28, 2006, on the Telefe Channel.

As of 2023, the series is available to watch on Netflix.

It is the third MWC remake from Latin America and the second Spanish language version, following the Columbian version.

Background[]

Almost all the episodes (especially the first ones) are adaptations of MWC episodes, although with their Argentinian twist and adding in new elements, making them longer and noticeably different than the original. Even so, there are some 100% original episodes later on.

Some of the noticeable changes were made to reflect the modern time and/or adapting to Argentinian culture, such as:

  • Changing the characters' names to Spanish based names.
  • Emphasizing fútbol (soccer) over American football, wrestling, and softball. Bowling is featured in the adaptation of "Peggy Turns 300".
  • The use of businesses and modern technology that did not exist during MWC, such as cordless phones, flip phones, digital camcorders, cyber cafes, DVDs and computers with webcams.
  • Using cuss words in Spanish that would not have been allowed on MWC, such as "Puta Madre" (Motherfucker, Son of a bitch or Holy Shit, depending on context), or "Mierda" (Shit). "Culo" (Ass / Asshole) is also used, though in Argentinian Spanish, depending on context, it is typically considered inoffensive and is closer to "butt". Similarly, "pendejo" / "pendeja" (lit. pubic hair) is used, though in Argentina, it is said towards young immature people, akin to "brat". (in other Spanish speaking countries, it can be equal to calling someone an asshole, bitch, or jackass). In one episode, Maria Elena yells "¡Chinga tu madre!" (lit. "Fuck your mother", usually translated as "Go fuck yourself" or "Fuck off") after defeating her Mexican opponent in a vodka drinking contest. In one episode, (Recursos Inhumano) when Pepe and the kids start to rap in the kitchen, Paola switches to English and says "What's up, Motherfucker".
  • Instead of the 1965 Ford Mustang that Al and Steve bought to fix up, Pepe and Dardo buy a 1972 IKA Torino.
  • Instead of returning The Little Engine that Could, Pepe has to return the book El Lazarillo de Tormes
  • Instead of the song "Anna (Go to Him)" by Arthur Alexander, the song that Pepe is searching for is called "El tren de las 16" ("The 16 o'clock train" or "The 4 p.m. Train") by the Argentinian hard rock band, Pappo's Blues. Oddly, the album that Pepe bought is Volume 3, while the track is on Volume 2.

Specific episode changes include:

  • In the adaptation of "Johnny Be Gone", instead of fixing a Radio Controlled car, Pepe tries to fix what appears to be a video game system for Coqui, but gives up after learning that he and Moni won't make it to the closing. Additionally instead of Marcy's attempt to find a "power dress" that was popular in the 1980s, Maria Elena wears a Chinese dress, which was a popular trend among western women during the early 2000s.
  • In the adaptation of "Impo-Dent", instead of Bud and Kelly fighting over the last of the Tang before Al shows them "Tang Wipe", Coqui and Paola fight over a chocolate candy bar, forcing Pepe to reveal his hidden stash of jamón cocido (cooked ham) and pancito (bread roll) to make a ham sandwich. Also, instead of Peggy returning home after eating the "Slam Dunk Breakfast" at Kippy's, Moni describes a breakfast that consisted of several kinds of dishes such as croissants and salami sandwiches.
  • In the adaptation of "You Better Shop Around (Part 1)", the family stay at a hypermarket (a.k.a. supercenter) instead of a grocery store. Also the story takes place in winter, with Pepe buying a heater that blows up in the house instead of Al buying a 1940s air conditioner.
  • In the adaptation of "Movie Show", the movie posters are a mixture of films from the late 1990s and early 2000s, such as the American films, Scream 3 and Music of the Heart (retitled as Música del corazón), Argentinian films La Vengaza and Peligrosa obseesión and the Spanish film, No debes estar aquí. The plot is also changed to where Moni and the kids try to sneak food in and Pepe arriving late, only to end up stuck in the wrong theater and is forced to watch an art film while trapped in-between several gay couples.
  • In the adaptation of "Nooner or Later" instead of the kids waiting to see the fictional band, Burned Beyond Recognition, they are trying to the see the American thrash metal band, Megadeath. Coqui is wearing a shirt with the cover art for Countdown to Extinction, and later, Pepe is wearing a shirt with the artwork for The World Needs a Hero. Ironically, Moni comes down wearing a shirt for a different band, Iron Maiden.
  • In the adaptation of "Kelly Knows Something", the training montage is shorter. The board that Pepe uses features Argentinian athletes Manu Ginóbili (who was playing in the US for the San Antonio Spurs), a boxer and an image of Maria Elena. Unlike the MWC version where the board features Marcy and Al draws a line to connect her to a chicken egg, Pepe draws several lines from Maria Elena to a tree with a noose and quickly makes a gesture of her choking from the noose.
  • In the adaptation of "Al on the Rocks", Pepe ends up working as a regular bartender at a gay nightclub. Later, he, Coqui and Dardo dress up as members of The Village People and perform their song, "Y.M.C.A.", which eventually leads to a brawl.
  • In the adaptation of "Hi I.Q.", due to Paola not being in the episode, the "idiot party" concept is removed and instead, the episode focuses on Pepe building a wooden stool from scratch with the help of Dardo and Coqui. He later receives help from Jesus Christ.

The dialogue and episode titles also feature words, idioms and phrases that are unique to Argentinian Spanish, making it stand out among the other Spanish language versions. Specifically, some of the titles are references to Argentinian songs, idioms, soccer clubs or movie titles.

This adaptation is easily one of the most successful and popular due to the fact that it lasted 212 episodes and is still airing in reruns.

Changes During the Second Season[]

The show was originally slated to end after one season with 137 episodes, due to it not originally reaching the ratings that the studio desired. Yet, the show gained more popularity in reruns about a year after it ended, with newer viewers seeing the show for the first time. Due to the outcry from the public, a second season was created, which the cast was not expecting. It also meant that the entire set had to be rebuilt, as it was already disassembled and the soundstage was already being used for other shows. The rebuilt set adopted a lighter color palate and had a more tidy appearance, looking more like a wealthy middle-class house. Additionally, the show's microphones, that were sometimes visible in the first season, were now better hidden.

The opening credits were changed from the cartoon version of the characters in Season 1 to live action clips from the first season with each of the actors being credited in the respective spots.

Another major change was adjusting the looks and personality of several characters. Most notably, Pepe's personality and attitude was tone down, making him less aggressive towards women and not insulting them as much. His fashion was also updated to make him look more middle class. Also, Moni was given a more bold personality. Another major change was giving Dardo a more comical and liberated attitude in contrast to his more serious personality in the previous season. This specific change was done to keep the show and character in line with the American version when Marcy's husband changed from Steve Rhoades to Jefferson D'Arcy beginning in Season 5.

Additionally, Luisiana Lopilato, who played Paola, had less screen time in this season, as she was already acting on a soap opera. As such, her character's disappearance later on is explained as her going to modeling school. Though, her character does make an appearance in the final episode, much to the surprise of the cast and audience.

Similar to how the final episode of season 1 ended, with the entire cast coming out and taking a bow as the audience is shown standing and applauding, the ending of the first episode of season 2 does the same exact thing to welcome them back for another season. Likewise, at the end of the final episode, the entire cast and production crew come out and embrace each other in front of the audience.

Specials[]

In 2020, during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the main cast reunited via video teleconference for a new story. In the 4 part special, Moni, who was visiting her mother in Santa Fe, and is forced to quarantine there, calls Pepe to let him know and tells him how much she misses him. The couple continue to talk in the second episode, while in the third episode, they are joined by Paola and Coqui who are in separate parts of the Argento residence. In the forth special, Pepe talks with Dardo, who is now living in Paris and explains that things have not been going well with Maria Elena before being cut off.

In 2022, an additional special was filmed, with Moni now back home (though all four Argento members are still talking via video teleconference), and the kids asking her about empanadas. The special concludes by revealing that tickets for the stage adaption of the show will be on sale soon.

Stage Play[]

Due to its successful run on television, it was later adapted into a stage play. Although plans for it had started as early as 2018 and was originally slated for release in mid-2020, it did not premiere until 2023 (after several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

While the main cast reunited, one noticeable absence besides Violetta the dog (who had passed away several years earlier), was Erica Rivas, who played the neighbor, María Elena Fuseneco. Rivas claimed that she was let go after she asked for changes in the script, with regard to jokes about the physical appearance of a female character, feeling that it should not be the actual punchline. This lead to the writers labeling her as a "Feminazi", while the production company stated that she was let go due to "artistic differences".

In a 2023 interview, Guillermo Francella, who played Pepe, said that Rivas was demanding changes to the script and requesting that more current topics and feminists ideas be put into it to show how much the world has changed for women since the show ended in 2006, as well as include more female writers to make it happen. He and the rest of the cast had tried to talk to her about the changes, feeling it would change the theme of the show significantly, and that Francella did not want to make changes to his character in order to accommodate Rivas' new feminist take on Maria Elena, but it eventually reached a standstill. Rivas has continued to express her disappointment about being let go from the stage play and labeled a "Feminazi".[1][2]

Despite the delays and Rivas no longer involved, the play was considered a success, having a two-month long run to a sold out audience each night.[3]

Story[]

The series revolves around the story of a dysfunctional lower-middle-class family, the Argentos (Argentinian Bundys), and their upper-middle-class neighbors, the Fusenecos (Argentinian Rhoades / D'Arcys), as they try to survive in Bajo Flores, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, with the father's low income, the mother's eccentricities, and the clumsiness of their two children.

Characters[]

Argento Family[]

  • Pepe Argento - The patriarch of the family, husband to Moni, father of Coqui and Paola. He currently works at a shoe store inside a mall, dealing with rude customers while being paid a low wage. In the 1980s, he was a promising athlete, having played in the amateur division for Racing club and was about to make his professional debut in the Argentine Primera División. The moment was short lived though, as his girlfriend (and future wife), Moni, interrupted the game by running onto the middle of the field to confess that she was pregnant (all of which being a lie). The surprise announcement forced Pepe to leave the stadium with her, and to withdraw from football forever. After that, he married Moni, had two children and from there his life became a living hell.

    Like his MWC counterpart, Al Bundy, he hates his low wage job, blames his family for the problems in his life and wishes that he was still single and playing professionally. He is also believes that women ruin a man's life once they get married and set out to destroy his life and dreams forever, using Moni as his example. He is a very rude, insensitive, and selfish person who does not think of anyone but himself. He also has to resort to stealing or borrowing things from the neighbors without returning them due to his low salary (as well as Moni and the kids taking most of his money). Also, like Al, he is usually unlucky in most cases and often has to deal with people messing up his name. When things go extremely bad for him, and he is driven to the point of insanity, his body starts to convulse as the theme song to Jaws play, before going after his family and neighbors.
  • Moni Argento - The matriarch of the family. Wife to Pepe and mother to Paola and Coqui. Like her MWC counterpart, Peggy Bundy, Moni is a housewife who is too lazy to cook and clean and sexual dissatisfied with her husband. Instead, she chooses to lay around and watch telenovelas (soap operas) and teleoferta (home shopping channel), as well as the daytime talk show, Susana Giménez (the Argentinian equivalent of Oprah Winfrey). In the rare instance that she cooks, it ends up leading to the other Argentos or the neighbors getting violently ill. Other times, she would promise to make Pepe a meal, only to back out at the last minute. Moni always wants to have sex with her husband, something that Pepe always refuses to do due to the lack of interest and hatred he has for his wife. In the rare instances that they do, he is unable to last more than 3 minutes at most.

    Her fashion sense is also like Peggy's, consisting of bold make up, bracelets and necklaces, and brightly colored clothes. Though in contrast Moni is blonde and has somewhat messy hair that Pepe teases her about. Her catchphrase is "Cafécito" (lit. "Little Coffee")
  • Paola Argento - Born in 1988, she is the oldest child and only daughter. Like her MWC counterpart, Kelly Bundy, Paola is the most clumsy of the family. She acts and behaves even more childishly that Kelly, as she lacks tact and wisdom and does not know how to write, say or read most of the words well. When her clumsiness gets people into trouble, she is called "tarada" ("Retard" or "Moron"), especially by her brother. At times, she is quite aware, such as when she engages in some kind of discussion with her brother, where she often appears as having more life experience, mainly in the sexual realm, although, she is actually naïve on the subject. During the second season, the character is not featured as much, with Pepe explaining that she has gone to modeling school. (In reality, the actress who played Paola was busy filming a soap opera). Nevertheless, Paola returns in the finale as a surprise to the cast and audience.

    Paola's fashion changes throughout the show, but is typical of young women's fashion during the mid 2000s, consisting of printed t-shirts or tank tops, hoodies, denim low rise jeans or a skirt with leggings or fishnet tights. She is also a big fan of American pop star, Britney Spears.
  • Coqui Argento - Born in 1990, he is the youngest child and only son. His first name, Alfio, was in honor of Alfio Basile, former player and coach of Racing Club, which shows his father's fanaticism for football. His nickname, "Coqui", is a diminutive for "Coco", the same nickname as Basile. Much like his MWC counterpart, Bud Bundy, Coqui desires to be with women, but has no luck with them. His constant failures in the dating world makes him the butt of jokes for his parents and sister. Like Bud, he attempts to hook up with his neighbor, Maria Elena, several times, but fails. By the end of the series, he had sex a total of two times: his first being with the girlfriend of his cousin Jaime and the other time with Barbara Bush, the daughter of then-U.S. President George W. Bush. (though the actress playing her resembles Barbara's twin sister Jenna Bush)

    Though in contrast to Bud, Coqui is significantly dumbed down, speaking and acting like a young child, despite being a teenager (around 15-16 years old). He often clings onto his parents and refers to them as "papucho" and "mamucha" (terms of endearment for parents used in Argentinian Spanish). Though, when things go wrong or he ends up doing something that hurts the family in the long run, his father usually rebukes him by calling him "boludo" ("Dumbass" or "Moron" in Argentinian Spanish).

Fuseneco Family[]

  • María Elena Fuseneco - The Argento Family's new neighbor. Wife to Dardo, Moni's newest friend and Pepe's arch nemesis. Serving as the show's equivalent of Marcy Rhoades, she works at the same bank as her husband. She is obsessed with Dardo to the point where he feels that she is stalking him, while also bragging to the Argentos how great her relationship is with him. She is smug, haughty and usually highlights the things she has or how she is superior to other people. She also has a very explosive and unstable personality, along with having fits of hysteria. When angered enough, she will screech and yell at the top of her lungs and even demonstrates a homicidal tendency, as she will sometimes come out of nowhere armed with a rifle and had even threatened to shoot Dardo, Moni and Paola at different times.

    In the second season, María Elena claims to have a daughter called "La Nena", who does not actually exist; despite having a sexually active life with Dardo, they never had children. She is a bit of an alcoholic, often pulling out a flask or small bottle of alcohol out randomly and chugging it down. Her alcoholism caused her to crash her car into the Argento's garage ("Il morto que ladra") and also helped her get into a vodka drinking contest, beating out nearly all of her opponents.

    She mentioned in one episode that she was named after Argentinian poet and author, María Elena Walsh.

    María Elena is supposedly a friend of Moni, although many times she makes assumptions about her marriage and her life beforehand, which often generates discussions between the two. Moni usually calls her "Yegua" (lit. "mare" or female horse, a slang term in Argentina to describe a woman who is aggressive or inconsiderate, though it can also refer to an attractive woman). She passionately hates Pepe and all of the things that he enjoys, leading to them constantly clashing and Pepe insulting her.

    Similar to how Al would insult Marcy by saying that she looks or acts like a chicken, Pepe's way of insulting Maria Elena and her appearance usually involves him calling her "cara de..." (lit. face of...) or "carita de... (lit. little face of...), with words and phrases that imply she has a round and unattractive face. Among the numerous insults, some of these include:

  • cara de pascualina (an Italian quiche/pie that is popular in Argentina)
  • cara de torta frita (a flat, round sweet bread that is fried and coated in sugar)
  • carita de tapa de inodoro (toilet seat cover)
  • cara de pandereta (tambourine)
  • cara de hamburguesa en mal estado (rotten hamburger)
  • cara de queso de campo (country cheese, a type of unpasteurized cheese)
  • carita de pizza de anchoa (anchovy pizza)
  • carita de huevo tirada de un piso veinte (egg dropped from the 20th floor)
  • cara de tapa de empanada (empanada dough when it is flattened and shaped into a circle prior to being filled and folded over)
  • carita de ruleta de kermés (roulette wheel at a fair)
  • cartia de alfajor (a confection popular in Argentina and Uruguay, consisting of two round cookies with different sweet fillings between them)
  • carita pepona (papier-mâché doll)
  • cara de provoleta (Provoleta cheese, an Argentinian variant of provolone cheese)
  • carita de OVNI (UFO)
  • carita de girasol (sunflower)
  • carita de tapita de gaseosa sin premio (soda bottle lid without a prize)
  • carita de aro de hula hula (hula hoop)
  • carita de circulo central (center circle (in a football/soccer field))
  • carita de galleta con chicharrón (a type of pastry made with the solid bits of pork left from lard rendering)
  • carita de pan casero (homemade bread, usually made in a round / bowl shape)
  • cara de pizetta individual (individual sized mini pizza)
  • carita de rodaja de papa (potato slice)
  • carita de moneda (coin)
  • carita de long play (referring to a Long Play (or LP) vinyl record)
  • cara de globo terráqueo (terrestrial globe)
  • carita de papa frita acanalada (crinkle-cut potato chip/crisp)
  • carita de panqueque (pancake)
  • carita de vaquita de san antonio (lit. "Cow of San Antonio", referring to Coccinellidae or "ladybugs")
  • cara de circunferencia (circumference)
  • carita de plato hondo (soup bowl/dish)
  • cara de palangana (basin / bowl. It can also be used to call someone an idiot or airhead in Argentinian slang)
  • carita de bruja de cuento infantil (children's story witch)
  • carita de grande de anchoa (big anchovy)
  • carita de torta (cake)
  • carita de rosca de pascuas (A ring shaped cake that is typically served during Easter in Argentina)
  • carita de cascarudo (Dibloderus abderus or "horn beetle" that is found in Argentina, though the females do not have the horn)
  • cara de corcho de damajuana (lit. "Lady Jane Cork", referring to a cork used to seal a demijohn, a large glass vessel with a wide body and small neck that is used for transporting liquid or fermenting alcohol)
  • carita de durazno en almíbar (peach slice in syrup)
  • carita de balón número cinco (Number 5 ball, referring to the standard size ball used in professional soccer/football)
  • carita de tapón de ducha (shower drain stopper)
  • cara de bombón alicorado (lit. tipsy chocolate, "alicorado" is a Spanish term unique to Argentina and Columbia, used to describe someone who is tipsy or mildly drunk without others noticing their drunken state [1])
  • carita de plato volador (flying saucer)
  • carita de estrella de David (Star of David)
  • Dardo Fuseneco - The Argento Family's new neighbor. Husband to Maria Elena and Pepe's newest friend. This character soon established a friendly relationship with Pepe and always acts as his faithful friend, so much so that he sometimes even ignores his wife. In several episodes, Pepe manipulates Dardo easily by comparing his friendship with that of Lennon-McCartney. Like his MWC counterpart, Steve Rhoades, he is of upper middle class status, with his fashion and lifestyle showing this, as well as his refined speech and serious tone. Though, unlike Steve, Dardo is muscular and athletic, as he is seen shirtless and demonstrating his athletic abilities in several episodes.

    He also has some traits of MWC character Jefferson D'Arcy, most notably having slept with multiple women before his marriage (which Pepe seems to envy him for) and also being easily manipulated to join Pepe. Following his separation from Maria Elena during the first half of season 1, he goes around and sleeps with prostitutes. Upon learning this, Maria Elena goes berserk and hunts him down; at one point, she tracked him down to the luxury hotel that Pepe and Moni were also staying at and with a rifle demanded that he come out. Eventually the two reconcile and get remarried at the Argento residence several episodes later.

    In the 2023 stage play, it is revealed that he and Maria Elena had divorced while in living in Paris, France following the series finale. Dardo decided to move back to Argentina with his new soon-to-be wife.

Cast[]

Casados-con-hijos argentina

Actor Role Original
Guillermo Francella Jose "Pepe" Argento Al Bundy
Florencia Peña Mónica "Moni" Potrelli de Argento Peggy Bundy
Luisana Lopilato Paola Argento Kelly Bundy
Darío Lopilato Alfio "Coqui" Argento Bud Bundy
Violeta the dog Fatiga Argento Buck Bundy
Érica Rivas María Elena Caradagián de Fuseneco Marcy Rhoades
Marcelo de Bellis Dardo Fuseneco a mix between Steve Rhoades and Jefferson D'Arcy, but with more traits from Jefferson than Steve

Episodes[]

Main article: Casados con Hijos (Argentina)/Episodes

Trivia[]

  • A year prior to Casados con Hijos being filmed, Florencia Peña and Guillermo Francella both appeared in the series, La Niñera, the Argentinian adaptation of the U.S. sitcom, The Nanny. Coincidentally, the same year that La Niñera ended, Fernando Larraín and Carmen Gloria Bresky from the Chilean adaptation of MWC, Casado con Hijos (Chile), appeared in the Chilean adaptation of The Nanny, La Nany. The series would be followed by Casado con Hijos during its last few episodes.
  • Luisiana Lopilato and Darío Lopilato, who play siblings Paola and Coqui Argento, are also brother and sister in real life. Though in contrast to their television counterparts, Darío is the older sibling.
  • The show's opening and closing theme song, "Muy Casados" (Very Married) was inspired by the song "Mr. Pinstripe Suit" by the American band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

External Links[]

References[]

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