Summary
- This Fool is a Hulu comedy series set in South Central LA that offers an authentic view of the coexistence of African Americans and Latinos.
- The show follows the adventures of cousins Julio and Luis, providing a hilarious yet introspective look at their lives and relationships.
- With its commitment to specificity and willingness to push boundaries, This Fool stands out as one of the funniest shows on Hulu, resonating with a specific crowd and earning rave reviews.
This Fool is what many comedy enthusiasts believe streaming comedies should be. Partially inspired by real-life events and stand-up of star (and co-creator) Chris Estrada, Hulu’s This Fool has been billed as the perfect irreverent humor insight series set in working-class South Central LA. This Fool may seem tough on the outside, but deep down, it is a good-natured comedy not afraid to dive deep into themes of maturation versus maintaining child-like humor and hope.
This Fool is a Hulu comedy series set in Los Angeles’ southern central district and follows what seems at first a stereotypical couple of cousins named Julio and Luis. At the onset of season two, both gullible cons are on to new – and ever-more ridiculous – adventures. What makes This Fool unique? The unexpected show offers a rare yet extremely authentic inside view of South Central, mining wit and satire from the under-represented coexistence of African Americans and Latinos in LA.
It’s Like ‘Mr. T’ Said…
There’s no reason to pity This Fool, which resoundingly succeeds as an unsentimental comedy about community and family and what a pain they can be. Rotten Tomatoes, for once, loves this series and is in sync with hard-core fans as well as casual viewers. It’s easy to see why This Fool is legitimately one of the funniest shows on Hulu.
Hitting home in particular with the ‘left-behind’ crowd still recovering from the pandemic, This Fool starts with 30-year-old underachiever Julio Lopez, who lives at home with his mom and is constantly castigated by his high-school girlfriend. The brilliance of this plot thread is that it is simultaneously hilarious and introspective while never feeling preachy or belittling toward anyone who perhaps made a few wrong decisions in life.
This Fool’s main humor, however, is anchored by the amusing ‘odd couple’ dynamic between cousins Julio and Frankie.
I Was Born In South LA
Featuring some of the same producers of the upcoming Miguel Wants to Fight, This Fool is beginning its second season with an auspicious flare! Ten full episodes are scheduled for release on Hulu – a streaming platform that got extremely lucky having filmed and finalized post-production duties for This Fool before the ongoing writers and actors strike.
The main gist of season one consisted of Julio (who still lives at home with his mother, grandmother, and other siblings) working at the “Hugs Not Thugs” program, ostensibly helping to rehabilitate former criminals. While training a recruit on the job, Julio’s ex-girlfriend Maggie steals his car. This is the instigating factor that jump-starts the series, following Julio as he picks up his cousin Luis from prison via the bus.
This Fool has a lot of heart and humor, solidifying itself as one of this year’s funniest comedies, mixing the South Central Estrada wanted to show as he experienced it in childhood: multiracial and working-class. On top of the realistic portrayal of LA in the late 80s / early 90s, Estrada managed to fit in Santeria and other near-supernatural occurrences he experienced in a humorous context while growing up.
Spicy Ambiguity
The finale of season one finds Maria explaining that someone has an evil eye, and she warns Luis and Julio that they both need to be ritually cleansed. This plot demonstrates a desire to impress, and the show has big ambitions. This Fool has a great visual sense with a cinematic edge and a distinct, unique voice.
The subtle social cues exist within This Fool that would resonate with a very specific crowd, for instance, the inclusion of Ronald Reagan in the show. Former President Reagan granted amnesty to many undocumented people, and there is a certain level of respect and admiration for him from even the most liberal Latinos, Latinas, and those in the Latinx community who were able to stay in the U.S. because of him.
This is not to say the show is perfect, as This Fool contains an episode in which Luis beat boxes, and Maggie puts on silly baby voices, seemingly irritating the audience. Meanwhile, a subplot involving a billionaire couple descends into some rather dark territory. The humor in this particular outing doesn’t match up with the show’s tone, and feels too eager to please occasionally. But that’s the exception, not the rule.
Ultimately, what makes This Fool a great show is its commitment to specificity and willingness to ‘go there.’ Many fans were reminded of the first time they watched It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and seeing Julio, Luis, Maggie & Co. as characters to laugh with instead of at (especially when they’re acting like pendejos). This Fool will not disappoint, so before binging season two, don’t forget to catch up on This Fool‘s first season.
