‘Lopez vs Lopez’ Recap: ‘Lopez vs Pilot’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

LOPEZ VS. LOPEZ -- "Pilot" Episode 101 -- Pictured: (l-r) George Lopez as George, Mayan Lopez as Mayan -- (Photo by: Casey Durkin/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Lopez vs Lopez’.
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There is a prevailing belief that the family unit in Modern America, still resembles its structure from many, many years ago. Wherein every household featured a hard-working father and mother, the latter of which stayed home to keep a suburban homestead neat and clean for the 2.5 children that also lived under that roof. And of course, they’d go to church together weekly and have dinner at seven o’clock promptly every night. Which is an image that really does make it seem as though Norman Rockwell froze what family life would be like in the United States of America for all time, in his world-famous Saturday Evening Post painting. But alas, that belief is woefully incorrect and that image, no longer resembles family life in America.
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Because now, American suburban life features people from all walks of life and all the religions of the world and there isn’t always just a mother and a father. Sometimes two dads or two moms run the household, or parents that are gender fluid and/or non-binary. And sometimes, both parents split up and take turns raising their children because marriage isn’t forever anymore and that in turn brings forth new challenges for families as the years roll along since divorce can lead to estrangement and bad blood. Which is why it is always a wonderful thing to discover television shows and movies and stories in general… that showcase all of that. So that the old guard of thinking can quietly fade away into memory and the true reality of family life can step to the forefront of American thinking, and recently, an important show in this vein made its debut on NBC.

For Lopez vs Lopez is a show that explores not only what the modern American family unit looks like in our country, but the real challenges they face and how generational divides and old and outdated ways complicate healing. And it accomplishes such feats, by immediately introducing us to Mayan and George Lopez. A father and daughter that lost touch after George and Mayan’s mother, Rosie, split, and this duo are now trying to reconnect. And when we catch up with them in ‘Lopez vs Pilot’, Mayan and George are in the midst of their reconnection and that is where the show dives deep into modern family dynamics. In part because we learn that Mayan has a boyfriend named Quenten and they had a son named Chance, and since Quentin is Caucasian, they are a mixed family. Which also reflects our modern world, and the struggles that Mayan and George endure in trying to find common ground and to have a healthy relationship at last, is what brings forth deeper commentary and observations on modern family life.

After all, we come to learn that George wasn’t there for a fair chunk of Mayan’s life, reflecting how some parents are indeed absent from their children’s lives these days when a family splits and how hard reconnection and reconciliation can also be. Because both Mayan and George struggle to find common ground and they also fight often over how she should live her life and how he should live his own, as well. Speaking to the generational divide that exists in our world and how difficult communication can be in a family that never really communicated in the first place. But where this series shines, is that it takes the time to explore how we fix those problems and find ways to connect, and that’s essential to add to a series like this since it offers so many searching for something similar, a better way and a way forward and the wonder of this premiere, doesn’t end there.

Because we’d be remiss to not point out, that this fascinating plot offers more than just modern family commentary and observation. For this is also an opportunity to explore the Latino and Latinx experience in America and Latino culture and George’s fight to not adapt with the times and not open up to his daughter, accomplishes that. For something that is not discussed often regarding Latino culture, is the toxic masculinity that is present often, the kind that features the behavior that George exhibits here. Since pride and machismo are prized heavily by Latino and Latinx men and nothing is allowed to dent that pride. And this pilot deserves a round of applause for pointing out that this exists and that it can be shed and overcome in the name of something better. And that additional commentary and everything we’ve discussed, make this a poignant and important premiere. One that is brave and bold and funny as well, since all of this is explored through brilliant humor that lets the lesson stick and truly, this pilot compels one to continue the journey. So, we can see what other realistic concepts and slices of everyday Latino life this wondrous series is going to send our way. Until next time.

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