“This Fool” Canceled by Hulu After Two Seasons
"This Fool" covered issues including toxic masculinity, gang rehabilitation programs, and Cholo culture
This Fool -- Season 2 -- "This Fool" is an irreverent, cinematic half-hour comedy set in working class South Central Los Angeles. After Julio's job and love life blew up at the end of last season, this season, new roommates Julio and Luis embark on finding new careers and romances with the help of Minister Payne, Chef Percy and other former Huggers. Luis (Frankie Quinones), Minister Payne (Michael Imperioli) and Julio (Chris Estrada), shown. Credit: Hulu | Courtesy
Latinx shows are few and far between and with such limited representation in Hollywood, it’s shows like Gentefied, Jane the Virgin, and One Day at a Time that indicate progress. Among those was the half-hour comedy This Fool, written and executive produced by Mexican American comedian Chris Estrada, who the series was loosely based on. It was just announced that the series was canceled by Hulu after two seasons, The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reported. This cancellation is a result of low ratings according to THR and among a slew of other cancellations at Hulu. Despite the low ratings, This Fool was certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 100 percent for both seasons and had a devoted following of fans. It was praised for not stereotyping gangsters or the Latinx community and providing an authentic portrayal of life in South Central LA.
Estrada reacted to the series’ cancellation in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “Thanks to the fans who watched both seasons of This Fool, posted about it, & recommended it to others. It truly means a lot. Hopefully the show will live on to be a classic comedy that is rewatched & discovered by new viewers. Thank you”
This Fool follows 30-year-old Julio Lopez (Estrada) who still lives with his family in South Central Los Angeles and is in an on-again/off-again relationship with his high school sweetheart (Michelle Ortiz). He works at the nonprofit Hugs Not Thugs, a gang rehabilitation center that supports formerly incarcerated people get back on their feet. His older cousin and former gang member Luis (Frankie Quiñones) is released following eight years in prison and joins the program. The cast of This Fool includes Michael Imperioli (The White Lotus, Goodfellas), Laura Patalano (Mosquita y Mari, Gentefied), and Fabian Alomar.
“Latinos and Blacks living side-by-side together. I wanted to (portray that) not necessarily for righteous reasons, but to be honest to my experience. I want to be honest about who I grew up with, who was around me, who my neighbors were, how sometimes we got along and sometimes maybe we didn’t get along,” Estrada previously told Latino Rebels.
The series dealt with a lot of real-life issues within the community with a touch of comedic flare including toxic masculinity, mental health, and cholo culture in Los Angeles. This Fool is noted for its portrayal of the experiences of former gang members in rehabilitation as well as those who work in these nonprofits that the show is inspired by like the Los Angeles-based, Homeboy Industries.
The series’ cancellation comes as a shock but is not a surprise at all. In recent years, there has been a slew of cancellations of Latinx-centered television shows. Shows like One Day at a Time (Netflix), The Gordita Chronicles (HBO), Vida (Starz), Gentefied (Netflix), and Diary of a Future President (Disney +) that are unapologetically Latinx in their casting and tackling of topics have all been canceled. This pattern of Latinx shows getting axed is worrisome for representation of Latinxs in media and what this means for the future of Latinxs on television. Regardless of the genre or streaming platform, Latinx representation and talent is being cut short by these decisions. And, This Fool has now been added to the long list.
Both seasons of This Fool will remain available to stream on Hulu.
