‘Acapulco’ Recap: ‘Pilot’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Enrique Arrizon and Fernando Carsa as Maximo and Memo in Episode 101 of ‘Acapulco’ – ‘Pilot’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

More often than not, stories about chasing one’s dream or stories that harbor a rise to the top, involve the United States of America and the pursuit of the American Dream and it makes sense as to why. After all, America is the land of promise and has helped so many find their dreams and find prosperity, and the USA is of course, a nation of immigrants. So, it makes sense that America would be the setting in a story for people to dream big and achieve. But what we often forget, is that not every dream starts with America in mind. For not everyone can make that voyage and not everyone is immediately thinking about leaving family behind to become a business owner in the good ol’ US of A.
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No, some folks, have dreams in their own hometown and have specifics they want to accomplish there, and we simply don’t hear about those enough. Well, that is until Apple TV+ brought out a brand-new show a few years back. For Acapulco made its debut in 2021 and it truly offers up a different kind of story about dreams. For it is a tale told through the younger eyes of a successful man named Maximo, who had quite the dream in the ‘Pilot’. For this young man wanted nothing more as a boy than to work at Las Colinas. A popular resort in his hometown of Acapulco, Mexico, one that brought riches and joy to the town legend, Don Pablo, and well… one proud day, Maximo got his wish and found his way into the world of Las Colinas and well, his time in the resort with his buddy Memo, is where we will spend most of our time in this journey, and this simple plot accomplishes so much from a storytelling standpoint.

For starters, it gives us a refreshing look at how dreams are universal. Because they don’t have to involve America and making the voyage there. Sometimes… they are right in our backyard and sometimes, they aren’t grandiose and that’s not a bad thing or something to look down upon. For dreams are dreams and they call to us in their own way. The important thing is we understand what it will take to achieve them and the sacrifices that are necessary in having them. Because they will exist, and they will give us pause and all of that is set up wonderfully in this story. But while it is amazing to begin a journey about dreams that takes place elsewhere in the world and doesn’t involve a teary montage featuring the Statue of Liberty, there’s more wonder to be found here.

After all, this is a story that takes place in Mexico, which means we the audience are immersed in Mexican/Latino culture and spend time with Mexican/Latino people and that’s magnificent. For Mexican/Latino culture is woefully underrepresented in television and film, as are Mexican/Latino people, and both are often treated with disrespect and stereotype when featured in popular media. But here, the culture of Acapulco and its wonderful people are properly showcased, and this episode even features little vignettes regarding traditions in the home, and some of the conflicts present generationally in the 1980s. Not to mention, there’s Spanish to be heard everywhere and clearly, there will be opportunities for the show to explore the great clash between American culture and Latin American culture and former’s influences in Mexico, alongside explorations on appropriation.  

But what matters most, is that Latino people are the focus of this story, and that’s what we need more of, and all of this brings together, a delightful and wonderful premiere. One that immediately grabs hold of you because it features such a unique story. One that is refreshing, trailblazing, nostalgic and downright funny. Because at its core, this series is also a comedy and the wondrous cast and their performances here, enhance the laughter and well, in the end, this writer is straight up hooked on this journey and ready to follow, Maximo, as he chases his dream and immerses himself in the challenges and the pratfalls that accompany that grand pursuit. Until next time.

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