HBO Max axes Gordita Chronicles after one season as it moves away from family programming
HBO Max has said adios to 1980s-set Latinx comedy Gordita Chronicles as it shifts its attention away from family programming.
"Live-action kids and family programming will not be part of our programming focus in the immediate future, and as a result, we've had to make the very difficult decision to end Gordita Chronicles at HBO Max," a spokesperson for the streamer said in a statement to EW.
Gordita Chronicles told the story of Cucu Castelli (Olivia Goncalves), a 12-year-old Dominican girl coming of age in Miami. Creator Claudia Forestieri based it on her own experiences growing up in a Latinx family in the United States. All 10 episodes of the comedy dropped on June 23.
The show also starred Diana Maria Riva, Juan Javier Cardenas, Dascha Polanco, Savannah Nicole Ruiz, and Noah Rico.
Laura Magruder/HBO Max Olivia Goncalves in HBO Max's 'Gordita Chronicles'
"The series earned critical acclaim and a loyal following, and we are proud to have worked with creator Claudia Forestieri and our two powerhouse executive producers, Eva Longoria (who also masterfully directed the pilot) and Zoe Saldana, to bring Cucu's journey to the screen," the HBO Max statement said. "We thank them and the talented cast and crew for creating such a heartfelt, groundbreaking show that connected deeply with a very important demographic."
"We are heartbroken by the larger programming changes at HBO Max that will not allow our special show that is Gordita Chronicles, show-run by Latinx comedy powerhouse Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz, to have a second season at its original home," Longoria and Saldana said in a joint statement. "As producers and storytellers who are continually seeking out the authentic and original stories that highlight our community's joy and talent, we are so proud to have worked on this piece of magic. We continue to be blown away by the overwhelmingly positive critical response coupled with our growing audience numbers, which prove that viewers recognize the importance of this show's existence and the crucial space it is filling for Latinx content in the media landscape."
On Friday, Forestieri tweeted, "Cucu needs a new casa, people."
Cucu needs a new casa🏡people... *sigh*
#gorditaneedsanewcasa #gorditachronicles
HBO Max Pulls Back On Live-Action, Kids & Family Programming, Triggering ‘Gordita Chronicles’ Cancellation; Latinx Comedy Will Be Shopped https://t.co/M0WQaHWf2e via @Deadline— Claudia Forestieri (@PlanetClaudia) July 29, 2022
A #SaveGorditaChronicles hashtag soon popped up, with other showrunners hitting social media to show their support. Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson tweeted her wish that Gordita Chronicles will find a new home.
Really enjoyed the show. Hope it finds a new home soon!
— quinta brunson (@quintabrunson) July 30, 2022
One Day at a Time showrunner Mike Royce weighed in on Instagram, writing, "Here is the sad state of television today — this show came out 34 days ago, got great reviews... and was just cancelled. Gordita Chronicles will be trying to find a new home, and deservedly so."
Royce has experience with this particular heartbreak, having seen One Day at a Time scrapped by Netflix in 2019 after three seasons. Pop TV picked it up and aired a fourth season in 2020 before ultimately canceling it.
While HBO Max's kid-friendly Head of the Class reboot only made it to one season, the streamer is sticking with teen fare for now. The Gossip Girl revival has been handed a second season, and Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, HBO Max's next-generation take on Freeform's seven-season hit, premiered this week.
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