El Mariachi. Is It Just Another Novela?

Sony TV has produced “El Mariachi” series based on the Robert Rodriguez picture of the wandering music man of Mexico, on the small screen.

Based on the 1992 Rodriguez pic of the same name, the El Mariachi is a one hour TV drama series that airs across the Sony Television network across the region. In Costa Rica, it airs every night, from Monday to Friday, at 7pm and 11pm on AXN.

The series is in Spanish. Most north Americans (norties) discard the series of two reasons: one, the obvious, it is not in English and the second, that they think is just another “novela”, the Spanish term for “soap opera”.

You see, Spanish language novelas air at night in stark contrast to the American soaps that air daytime. So it is easy to think that it is a novela.

El Mariachi is a series. Just like “Breaking Bad” and “Dexter” are/were series.

“Staying true to the story, we are producing the series in Mexico shooting in magnificent locations and utilizing some of the country’s best talent”, said Angélica Guerra, SPT SVP and managing director, production, Latin America and U.S. Hispanic.

Like the ’92 film and its 1995 sequel Desperado with Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, the TV series will follow the exploits of Martin Aguirre, a musician at war with the drug cartels over honour, love and revenge. Actor Iván Arana will play Aguirre, with Street Kings and Borderland’s Marta Higareda as Celeste Sandoval and Julio Bracho as Fernando Sandoval.Marta Higareda

If you are looking for more, in the words of the mafiosos on the Sopranos, “forget about it!”

IMDB has little to nothing. A search on Google brings up old stories of production and little of the series, its stars, etc. etc. Frustrating, because I used to pulling out my iPad while watching television or a movie to learn about all the stuff that serves for nothing.

I recommend you catch it. BUT BE WARNED, the series is addictive. With five new episodes a week and about twice that on repeats (in the same week), to the great music, the characters, the acting and the realism you won’t be able to change the channel.

And if that isn’t enough, for the guys there are the hot women: Marta Higareda, Pricila Lepe and Marcela.For the ladies, there is Ivan Arana and Julio Bracho to drool over. For both it provides an insight into “machimos” and “latina sexyness”.