El Chavo del Ocho: Difference between revisions

* '''La Chilindrina''': A mischevious girl, who lives to get some advantage from others, even the adults. Identifiable by her twin pigtails, her glasses and her freckles. Mocked for her short height, and the fact that she is less pretty than other girls her age (and her attitude makes her looks worse). Named after a "freckled" Mexican pastry. By far the smartest kid in the show.

* '''Don Ramón''': A widower, Chilindrina's father, and laziness personified. Always owes 14 months of rent. Survives by doing odd jobs, which rarely last more than one episode. The [[Designated Victim]] of Doña Florinda, often makes El Chavo pay for it. Mocked for his very thin body, and his ugliness. Probably the character that most interacted with El Chavo, and their situations together are a source of much of the show's humor. Played by Ramón Valdés, one of a group of sibling comedians(along with El Loco Valdés and [[Tin Tan]]), Don Ramón is possibly the show's most popular character along with El Chavo and La Chilindrina.

* '''Sr. Barriga''': The owner of the "vecindad", and often the [[Only Sane Man]] in the madness of the neighborhood. He is always, ''always'' hit by El Chavo, usually when arriving. A fat man, who is mocked for his obesity. His last name, ''Barriga'', means "belly" in Spanish.

* '''Doña Clotilde "la Bruja del 71"''': An [[Maiden Aunt|old spinster]], whose sense of fashion got stuck in the twenties. Lusts intensely after "[[Trrrilling Rrrs|Don Rrrrrrramón]]", but it goes unreciprocated. Her nickname, "The witch of (house) Number 71", alludes to the kids' perception that she is an [[Wicked Witch|evil witch]]. This, and her bad habit of [[Deathbringer the Adorable|naming her lap dogs with demonic monikers]], only contributes to the confusion, leading to [[Three Is Company]] moments.

* '''Jaimito the mailman''': An old mailman, often too tired to do his work. He was given a bicycle by the post office that hired him, which makes his work harder because he can't ride a bicycle and can't let his employers know it. Took Don Ramón's place in the later years. Initially sweet-natured and mildly senile, he eventually took on Don Ramón's less sympathetic characteristics when he became his [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute]].

 

 

The show has been too difficult to translate, due to the nature of its very regional humor. The only exception is Brazil, where the show was renamed ''Chaves'' and got [[Woolseyism|an over the top translation]].

 

 

The show is considered to be quite possibly the most beloved and successful comedy show in Latin American history; it's literally IMPOSSIBLE to go to any country in Latin America where this show was not shown. Part of its success was based on the social status of the characters: they were working poor who tried to make the best out of their lack of money and tried to lead decent, happy lives in spite of it. This attitude was embraced by the poor masses of Latin America, making the show a success. It was also successful for being a comedy show that was appropriate for all ages, yet still maintained a level of sharpness and sophistication that did not insult any audience.

Recently, ''El Chavo'' got an [[Animated Adaptation]] where, for first time, the kids are actually shorter than the adults. La Chilindrina does not appear here either, due to copyright disputes from her actress who owns the rights.

 

* [[Abhorrent Admirer]]: Doña Clotilde

* [[Abuse Is Okay When It Is Female On Male]]: [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in many episodes.

* [[An Aesop]]: Many fans of the show take Don Ramón's teachings by heart. Two famous examples: "Good people should love their enemies" (this touched even Doña Florinda's heart, go figure!), and "[[Cycle of Revenge|Revenge is never complete]]; [[There Is No Kill Like Overkill|it kills the soul and poisons it]]" (it's kind of like Gandhi's "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind").

* [[Animated Adaptation]]

* [[Artifact Title]]: The "del Ocho (8)" part of "El Chavo del Ocho" was there merely to promote the fact that the show aired on Canal 8 (Channel 8). At some point, [[Channel Hop|the show moved to Canal 2]] and the series title was shortened to "El Chavo", but the character was still mentioned with his "last name" in the show and an [[In Universe]] reason was given that it meant he actually lived in the (never seen) Apartment 8, rather than the barrel he uses as hideout. In syndication, the title is always "El Chavo", yet the show is still most commonly known by the full name.

* [[As Himself]]: The actors have often commented how Don Ramón was pretty much Ramón Valdés without a stable income.

* [[Beach Episode]]: A two-part special.

* [[Big Gulp]]: Don Ramón, when he's really scared, or whenever Chavo says something that strikes an emotional nerve.

** He once even did this ''to himself''.

** Whenever Profesor Jirafales begins the lesson at his class, the students will invariably make noise and refuse to pay attention. Then, the good teacher will always have to utter "Silencio. Silencio. '''''[[Punctuated for Emphasis|¡¡¡SI-LEN-CIO!!!]]'''''" (Silence... Silence... '''''SI-LENCE!!!''''')

* [[Economy Cast]]

* [[Evil Matriarch]]: Doña Florinda is a mild version, more of a [[My Beloved Smother]] technically speaking... but truly terrifying when seriously pissed.

** [[The Hero]]- Chavo

** [[The Lancer]]- Quico

** [[The Chick]]- Popis

** [[The Sixth Ranger]]- Godinez and Pati

** [[The Lancer]]: Dona Florinda

** [[The Big Guy]]: Senor Barriga

* [[Girlish Pigtails]]: All the female "kids", but most notably La Chilindrina.

** Averted with Patty, who wears a ponytail.

** In [[Latin America]] Sr. Barriga also provides the voice of [[Ratatouille|Auguste Gusteau]] and [[Up (Animation)|Dug]]

* [[Hit Me Dammit]]

* [[Human Hummingbird]]: El Chavo gives a nice live-action interpretation of the trope whenever he's excited about something.

* [[Hypocritical Humor]]

* [[Impoverished Patrician]]: Doña Florinda (outright stated) and Doña Clotilde (heavily implied).

* [[Insane Troll Logic]]: ''Why do you keep talking when I am interrupting?''.

* [[Maiden Aunt]]: Doña Clotilde

* [[Malaproper]]: most of the characters, but El Chavo is the most notorious of the bunch.

* [[Meaningful Name]]: Señor Barriga (y Pesado) = Mr Belly (and Heavy), to a very fat man.

* [[Mickey Mousing]]: Used sparingly.

* [[Temporary Substitute]]: Whenever Chespirito restaged a script and one of the major actors had left the show, he simply subbed in one of the other characters, even if it resulted in some unusual personality shifts. Some of the characters basically become permanent substitutes, like Ñoño and Popiz.

* [[Throw It In]]: Many bloopers made it to the final edit. Sometimes this was because they were funny or the cast used them to their advantage. In one episode, after a typical confrontation with Dona Florinda, Don Ramón angrily throws his hat, and it accidentally goes through Dona Florinda's door just as it closes. Don Ramón continues his snit fit but briefly pauses to knock on the door until one of the other actors lets him in to retrieve it. ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV55VE9iOH8 See it here.]) No one breaks character, which makes the scene funnier than if it had gone as planned. Other times, production problems that should have caused a stopdown didn't. There is one early show where a loud thunderstorm is obviously going on outside the studio, and yet no one mentions the frequent thunderclaps that can be heard over the dialogue.

* [[Tomboy and Girly Girl]]: Tomboy Chilindrina and Girly Girl Popis. Tough Dona Florinda and mushy Dona Clotilde.

* [[Trademark Favorite Food]]: tortas de jamón (ham sanwiches) for El Chavo (despite him being a [[Big Eater]] in general), gigantic lollipops for La Chilindrina and Kiko.

* [[The Smart Guy]]: Profesor Jirafales

* [[Transplant]]: Profesor Jirafales originated in an early Chespirito sketch, "Los supergenios de la mesa cuadrada".

** Its written for, at least in Portuguese, is "[[Perfectly Cromulent Word|Chinfurínfula]]".

* [[Tsundere]]: Chilindrina, type B.

** Doña Florinda, Type A. She's [[Almighty Mom|harsh and outspoken]], but adores Kiko and the mere sight of Jirafales makes her go all mushy.

* [[Un Canceled]]

* [[Uncanny Family Resemblance]]: A major Chavo trope. Almost all the characters have a relative played by the same actor. There was even an attempt to have Chilindrina play her own guardian, Doña Nieves, after Don Ramón left.

** Also, who he lives with at apartment #8 (the barrel is just his "secret hideout").

* [[Unresolved Sexual Tension]]: Usually it's between Profesor Jirafales and Doña Florinda; however, on a few occasions, they've shown that Don Ramón would be all too ready to let Florinda have her way with him, if she were willing.

* [[Widow Witch]]: Averted. The one who looks like a witch is a spinster, and the actual widow is young (well, kinda) and just ill tempered.

* [[Wouldn't Hit a Girl]]: The reason Don Ramón doesn't fight back when Doña Florinda slaps him. That and, good luck trying to explain to Profesor Jirafales she's not defenceless. Don Ramón once put a bucket over his head to protect himself from being slapped by Doña Florinda and Professor Jirafales punched him in the gut for this.

* [[You Look Familiar]]: Godines was technically a recurring character, but still unimportant enough that actor Horacio Gomez appeared as other characters once or twice.

* [[Your Mom]]: Doña Florinda to Don Ramón after slapping him for doing X to Quico: "Next time, go X your grandma!"