HBO Max has given a 10-episode order to “The Garcias,” a sequel to the family comedy TheBrothersGarcia that aired on Nickelodeon for four seasons from 2000 to 2004
The series hails from New Cadence Productions, the banner headed by “Brothers Garcia” co-creator and executive producer Jeff Valdez and Sol Trujilo. Production is scheduled to begin in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico in June.
ViacomCBS owns the original “Brothers Garcia.” Valdez was relentless in pursuing the right to mount a sequel because he sees clear demand for an unabashedly family friendly series about a family that happens to be Mexican American. More urgently, there is the sad fact that the representation of Latinx stories, talent and creatives in mainstream TV hasn’t increased much since “Brothers Garcia” bowed more than 20 years ago.
Valdez is serving as showrunner, with “Brothers Garcia” alum Joey Gutierrez in the role of head writer. The actors have never stopped running in to fans of the original series and those who have found “Brothers Garcia” episodes in unauthorized form on YouTube and other platforms. The series ran 50 episodes, plus a 90-minute 2003 telepic “The Brothers Garcia: Mysteries of the Maya.”
The Garcias of San Antonio were comfortably middle class. In the present day, one of the Garcia children has hit it big in the new economy lottery, which makes the lengthy stay in a seaside mansion possible.