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Bio-series take the small screen by storm

TV series based on real-life idols are a hit in Mexico and Latin America

File photos/EL UNIVERSAL & Juan Carlos Polanco/Netflix
23/05/2018 |11:31
Redacción El Universal
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It's almost a decade since cartel shows arrived to conquer the small screen but they've lost their supremacy since the arrival of biographic series .

Thus far, over 13 programmes have been produced, telling the story of several celebrities, most of them singers.

Juan Gabriel

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was the trail-blazer, not only because it introduced the genre but also because it showed audiences were interested in knowing the details of the lives of their idols.

“Until I Met You” achieved high rankings. Moreover, the production had several platforms: Telemundo, TNT, TV Azteca, and Clarovideo. For the Ajusco company, it represented an increase in ratings, managing to surpass Televisa .

During its initial run, there were over 2.3 million viewers , on average, per episode.

However, episode 13 (the last, aired in August 2016) matched the death of the singer. That night, viewership reached the 12 million people.

In order to compete with the life of “Juanga,” Televisa decided to do the same but with singer Joan Sebastian .

Almost a year after his death (2016), producer Carla Estrada presented “Joan Sebastian Forever”, starring José Manuel Figueroa, the first-born son of the singer, in the leading role.

This Mexican phenomenon is a hit in Latin America. In Colombia, singers have also been depicted as the stars of Tv shows, as is the case with Group Niche and Galy Galeano, although they have received mixed criticism.

In Mexico the list has grown. The lifes of Celia Cruz , singer Paquita la del Barrio , José José , Julio César Chávez , Lupita D'Alessio , Luis Miguel , and Joaquín Guzmán Loera, “El Chapo .”

Currently, there are two series on production: "The Secret of Selena", based on the life of Selena Quintanilla, starring Maya Zapata as the main lead, and the one based on the life of Silvia Pinal, played by Itatí Cantoral.

In production, there are several others series, such as the ones based on Pedro Infante, María Félix, Mario Moreno (Cantinflas), Roberto Gómez Bolaños (Chespirito), and Alejandra Guzmán.

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