The Brothers García is an American teen sitcom created by Jeff Valdez, Mike Cevallos, and Gibby Cevallos. It was among the first projects of Sí TV, an effort to produce programming featuring Latino characters that are aimed at a diverse audience.[1] The series was billed as the first English-language sitcom to have an all-Latino cast and creative team.[2] It aired on Nickelodeon from July 23, 2000, to August 8, 2004. After the show, Sí TV launched its own cable-television network.

The Brothers García
GenreTeen sitcom
Created by
Starring
Narrated byJohn Leguizamo
Theme music composerRick Kocor
Composers
  • Diego De Pietri
  • Rick Kocor
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes52 (TV film included)
Production
Executive producerJeff Valdez
ProducerDebra Spidell
CinematographyCarlos González
EditorJeffrey Scott Runyan
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time22 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNickelodeon
ReleaseJuly 23, 2000 (2000-07-23) –
August 8, 2004 (2004-08-08)
Related
The Garcias

In 2021, co-creator Jeff Valdez announced that he had obtained the rights to make a sequel series. The reboot, titled The Garcias, was ordered by HBO Max and is controlled entirely by Valdez's company, New Cadence Productions.[3]

Plot

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The series follows the life of the Mexican American García family, as narrated by the adult version of one of the family's sons, Larry. Larry recounts his life alongside George, Carlos, and Lorena (his two brothers and fraternal twin sister, respectively), and the way they deal with everyday problems such as school, work, growing up, and all living in one house in San Antonio, Texas.

The series is about boys being boys, with Larry, George and Carlos Garcia putting brotherly love to the test. The Brothers Garcia makes television history as the first English language sitcom with an all Latino cast, directors, and producers. From his funny, now adult perspective, Larry Garcia recalls his quest as an 11-year-old to fit in with his older brothers (13-year-old athletic Carlos and George, a 12-year-old walking encyclopedia) and to express his individuality, despite the attention-getting behavior of his fraternal twin sister Lorena. Ray is a proud father who works as a history professor and his wife Sonia works as a strict hairdresser from an in-house salon who always attempts to make her kids the best they can be. The show is narrated by John Leguizamo as the voice of Adult Larry.

Cast

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Main

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Recurring

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Episodes

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
17July 23, 2000October 8, 2000
213April 21, 2001August 4, 2001
315March 3, 2002June 9, 2002
417June 21, 2003August 8, 2004

Season 1 (2000)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Best Laid Plans"Mike & Gibby CevallosStory by : Jeff Valdez and Mike & Gibby Cevallos
Teleplay by : Jeff Valdez
July 23, 2000 (2000-07-23)
22"Love Me Tender"Georg Stanford BrownStory by : Jeff Valdez and Luisa Leschin
Teleplay by : Jeff Valdez and Luisa Leschin
July 30, 2000 (2000-07-30)
33"The Right Stuff"Virgil FabianStory by : Jeff Valdez
Teleplay by : Jeff Valdez
July 30, 2000 (2000-07-30)
44"No Hablo Espanol"Mike & Gibby CevallosStory by : Jeff Valdez and Luisa Leschin
Teleplay by : Jose Rivera and Jeff Valdez
August 6, 2000 (2000-08-06)
55"A Hunting We Will Go"Mike & Gibby CevallosJeff ValdezAugust 27, 2000 (2000-08-27)
66"A Day in the Life"Linda MendozaStory by : Jeff Valdez and Ruben Gonzales
Teleplay by : Jose Rivera
September 3, 2000 (2000-09-03)
77"Bad Hair Day"Joe MenendezLuisa Leschin and Jeff ValdezOctober 8, 2000 (2000-10-08)

Season 2 (2001)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
81"Love is Very... Confusing"Jeff ValdezJose RiveraApril 21, 2001 (2001-04-21)
92"Meal Ticket"Mike & Gibby CevallosShelly LandauApril 28, 2001 (2001-04-28)
103"Lotto Bucks"Linda Mendoza KahleLuis SanteiroMay 12, 2001 (2001-05-12)
114"Big Winner"Ted LangeLuisa LeschinMay 12, 2001 (2001-05-12)
125"But Football is a Religion"Joe MenendezAbraham Alfonso BrownMay 19, 2001 (2001-05-19)
136"You Go Girl"Mike & Gibby CevallosShelly LandauJune 2, 2001 (2001-06-02)
147"Larry's Curse"Matt CasadoJosefina LopezJune 9, 2001 (2001-06-09)
158"Over Extended Family"Joe MenendezLuisa LeschinJune 16, 2001 (2001-06-16)
169"Cold Turkey"Isabelle Mejias foxJose RiveraJune 23, 2001 (2001-06-23)
1710"The Student Buddy"Jeff ValdezGary RosenkranzJuly 7, 2001 (2001-07-07)
1811"The Sub"Matt CasadoStory by : Jeff Valdez
Teleplay by : Abraham Alfonso Brown
July 14, 2001 (2001-07-14)
1912"The Crib"Virgil FabianJeff ValdezJuly 28, 2001 (2001-07-28)
2013"Band on the Run"Virgil FabianSilvia CardenasAugust 4, 2001 (2001-08-04)

Season 3 (2002)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
211"Piece of My Heart"UnknownUnknownFebruary 10, 2002 (2002-02-10)
222"School Daze"Joe MenendezSilvia CardenasMarch 3, 2002 (2002-03-03)
233"Tamale Follies"Virgil FabianLuisa LeschinMarch 10, 2002 (2002-03-10)
244"West Side Stories"Carlos LaCamaraAbraham Alfonso BrownMarch 17, 2002 (2002-03-17)
255"Brother's Keeper"Mike & Gibby CevallosGary WilsonMarch 24, 2002 (2002-03-24)
266"Maybe Baby"Henry ChanShelly LandauMarch 31, 2002 (2002-03-31)
277"Don't Give Up Your Day Job"Salvador CarrascoEd EvansApril 7, 2002 (2002-04-07)
288"Space Race"Virgil FabianGary WilsonApril 14, 2002 (2002-04-14)
299"Hot Today, Chili Tomorrow"Mike & Gibby CevallosAbraham Alfonso BrownApril 21, 2002 (2002-04-21)
3010"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"Mike & Gibby CevallosGary RosenkranzApril 28, 2002 (2002-04-28)
3111"When the Cat's Away"Carlos GonzalezMichael AjakweMay 5, 2002 (2002-05-05)
3212"Don't Judge a Book By its Cover"Tony PlanaJeff Valdez & Shelly LandauMay 19, 2002 (2002-05-19)
3313"When the Time Comes"UnknownUnknownMay 26, 2002 (2002-05-26)
3414"Mama's Friend"UnknownUnknownJune 2, 2002 (2002-06-02)
3515"Use Your Head"UnknownUnknownJune 9, 2002 (2002-06-09)

Season 4 (2003–04)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
36
37
38
1
2
3
"Mysteries of the Maya"Jeff ValdezJeff ValdezJune 21, 2003 (2003-06-21)
394"New Man on Campus... Sorta"Mike & Gibby CevallosSilvia CardenasJune 29, 2003 (2003-06-29)
405"New Tunes"Joe MenendezShelly LandauJuly 6, 2003 (2003-07-06)
416"Novelathon"Tony PlanaLuisa LeschinJuly 13, 2003 (2003-07-13)
427"Right Place, Right Time"Mike & Gibby CevallosAbraham Alfonso BrownJuly 20, 2003 (2003-07-20)
438"Big Break"Joe MenendezCary OkminJuly 27, 2003 (2003-07-27)
44
45
9
10
"Sisters Garcia"Mike & Gibby CevallosSylvia Cardenas, Shelly LandauSeptember 7, 2003 (2003-09-07)
4611"Models, Inc."Carlos LacamaraGary RosenkranzSeptember 21, 2003 (2003-09-21)
4712"It Was Fun While It Lasted"Elizabeth PenaAbraham Alfonso BrownOctober 5, 2003 (2003-10-05)
4813"Two Left Feet"Carlos GonzalezGigi NewOctober 12, 2003 (2003-10-12)
4914"Drive Me Crazy"Jose Luis ValenzuelaAbraham Alfonso BrownOctober 19, 2003 (2003-10-19)
5015"The Spin Zone"Tony PlanaStory by : Jeff Valdez
Teleplay by : Abraham Alfonso Brown
November 2, 2003 (2003-11-02)
5116"Moving On Up"Alfonso RiberioCary OkminNovember 16, 2003 (2003-11-16)
5217"Carmen De Lovely"UnknownUnknownAugust 8, 2004 (2004-08-08)

Broadcast

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Reruns aired on "Nick on CBS" from March 13 to September 11, 2004. Reruns on The N ran from April 7 until May 23, 2008.

Sequel

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A sequel series to The Brothers García, consisting of ten episodes and titled The Garcias, aired on April 14, 2022. The original six main cast members reprise their roles in the sequel.[3]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result
2001 Young Artist Award Best Family TV Comedy Series The Brothers García Won
Best Performance in a TV Series: Young Actor Age Ten or Under Alvin Alvarez Won
Best Ensemble in a TV Series Alvin Alvarez, Bobby Gonzalez, Jeffrey Licon, and Vaneza Pitynski Nominated
ALMA Award Outstanding Director of a Comedy Series Joe Menendez Won
Outstanding Actor in a New Television Series Alvin Alvarez Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a New Television Series Ada Maris Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Comedy Series Mike Cevallos and Gibby Cevallos Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Comedy Series Virgil L. Fabian Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Comedy Series Linda Mendoza Nominated
Outstanding Television Series The Brothers García Nominated
2002 Humanitas Prize Children's Live-Action Gary Rosenkranz Nominated
Young Artist Award Best Ensemble in a TV Series Alvin Alvarez, Bobby Gonzalez, Jeffrey Licon, and Vaneza Pitynski Nominated
ALMA Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Series Maria Canals-Barrera Won
Excellence in Make-Up in Television and Film Mark Sanchez Nominated
Outstanding Children's Television Programming The Brothers Garcia Nominated
2003 Imagen Awards Best Children's Non-Animated Programming The Brothers Garcia Won
2004 Imagen Awards Best Children's Non-Animated Programming The Brothers Garcia Won

References

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  1. ^ Levin, Gary (September 9, 2003). "Hispanics Finally Break the TV Barrier". USA Today.
  2. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9th ed.). Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. p. 189 Retrieved July 24, 2024..
  3. ^ a b Littleton, Cynthia (April 30, 2021). "'The Brothers Garcia' Reboot Lands Series Order from HBO Max (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
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