Primos (TV series) explained

Genre:
Creator:Natasha Kline[1]
Voices:
Theme Music Composer:Alana Da Fonseca
Open Theme:"Primos Main Title Theme"
Composer:Jim Lang
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:1
Num Episodes:10
Executive Producer:Natasha Kline
Producer:Philip M. Cohen
Editor:Andrew Sorcini
Runtime:22 minutes (two 11-minute segments)
Company:Disney Television Animation
Network:Disney Channel
Last Aired:present

Primos is an American animated television series created by Natasha Kline and produced by Disney Television Animation that premiered on July 25, 2024 on Disney Channel.[2] [3]

Synopsis

The series centers around a large Mexican-American family living in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Hacienda Hills. Told through the diary of eccentric 9-year-old Tater Ramirez Humphrey, the series centers on her as she discovers the "it factor" that makes her special alongside her cousins who moved in with her for the summer.[1]

Voice cast

Main

Tater's cousins

Recurring

Guest

Shorts

A Piece of My Mind

These shorts primarily focus on Disney Channel characters meeting their various creators and learning how the concept of their shows were created.

Chibi Tiny Tales

Shortly after the series premiere, Primos joined the Chibi Tiny Tales series.

Production

Development

On November 3, 2021, it was reported that Natasha Kline, a long-time storyboarder and character designer,[6] is developing an animated series titled Primos for Disney Television Animation (DTVA).[1] The series was inspired by Kline's childhood summers living with her cousins alongside her extended Mexican-American family and she wanted the lead characters to also be of Mexican-American heritage due to the lack of Mexican-American representation on television during her childhood.[1] Meredith Roberts, a senior vice president at Disney Television Animation said the series bears the "authentic voice" of Kline and "her family's culture and values", saying the series will be aimed at kids and families.[7] Edward Mejia, a DTVA executive, oversaw the series.[8]

On June 15, 2022, at the 2022 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, it was announced that the show's first season would have an order of 30 episodes. Philip Cohen was announced as series producer.[9] [10] In March 2023, Kline told Animation Magazine that the series was inspired by an adult short she had created for an Upright Citizen's Brigade stand-up comedy show in 2017, was inspired by Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes, and said she loved working with the show's crew, praising their "intense passion, drive, and talent".[11]

On July 8, 2024, the series' official trailer was released.[12] [13] The series airs half-hour episodes that are divided into 11-minute stories.[14]

Release

Primos premiered on Disney Channel on July 25, 2024, and the first nine episodes of the series were added to Disney+ the following day.[2] [3] The first two episodes were also uploaded to YouTube on July 25.[2] [15] [16]

Reception

Pre-release

On June 13, 2023, the series' opening sequence was released by Disney Branded Television.[17] [18] It received criticism on social media, including from Mexicans and other Latin Americans. Some criticized it for being similar to Nickelodeon's The Casagrandes.[19] [20] [21] Other viewers argued that the opening sequence had various negative stereotypes, complained that the names of some characters and the setting were too stereotypical, and that the Spanish grammar in the opening sequence was incorrect.[22] [23] [24] Also criticized was the use of a "yellow tint", a technique used in some American media to establish a sense of "otherness" in Mexican settings.

Online criticism continued following social media posts made by Tater's voice actress Myrna Velasco, including a comment on Instagram where she said critics of the Spanish used in the show were "grammar nazis"[21] [25] and a story in which she described the Spanish language as being "forced upon Latin American people" by Spanish conquistadors.[26] [19]

In an interview on June 16, 2023, Kline said the series is based on her personal experiences of growing up with a multicultural Mexican-American family in Los Angeles in the 1990s, being bicultural, biracial, and said that the project's relatability attracted well-known individuals like Melissa Villaseñor. She also stated that Tater doesn't speak Spanish, which is why her grammar is incorrect; emphasised the importance of cousins in her life; and stated that the art style showcased the environment in L.A. She additionally hoped the series would make people proud of their roots.[27]

Later, the name of the fictional town was changed from Terremoto Heights to Hacienda Hills, as the original name drew criticism for alluding to the earthquakes common in the region. The name of one of the characters was changed from Cookita to Lucita, as the former is similar to a vulgar term in several dialects of Latin American Spanish. As a result of online criticism, the series premiere was delayed several times.[28] Changes were made to emphasize that the show is set in Los Angeles[3] and not in Latin America.

Post-release

Sarah Rasmussen of Plugged In said that while Primos highlights the joys and new perspectives that family members can bring, the series also has its flaws, saying it generally praises family relationships that the characters sometimes behave rudely towards each other and authority figures.[29] Tony Betti of Laughing Place gave Primos a grade of four out of five, praised the show for its humor and relatability, especially for those from large, multicultural families, complimented the diversity among the characters and said the series manages to be a distinct and entertaining addition to Disney TV Animation.[30] Fernanda Camargo of Common Sense Media rated Primos three out of five stars, said the show depicts positive messages and role models such sharing and teamwork, and acknowledged the diverse representations among the characters, but noted the presence of stereotypes.[31] David Kaldor of Bubbleblabber gave Primos a score of 7/10 and noted that each segment typically begins with Tater feeling overwhelmed or attempting to escape her family's chaos, but she eventually bonds with her cousins through shared experiences. Kaldor suggested that this format will likely continue and expressed a concern that this approach might become repetitive over time, while remaining optimistic about the series' potential for growth.[32]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Disney Greenlights Animated Family Comedy 'Primos' From Natasha Kline. Deadline. Cordero. Rosy. November 3, 2021. November 3, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20220101022129/https://deadline.com/2021/11/disney-animated-comedy-series-primos-natasha-kline-1234866563/. January 1, 2022. live.
  2. Web site: Milligan. Mercedes. Disney TV Animation's 'Primos' Sets Premiere Date & Voice Cast. Animation Magazine. June 26, 2024. June 27, 2024.
  3. Web site: Brown. Tracy. Natasha Kline's 'Primos' is an ode to childhood summers spent with her cousins. Los Angeles Times. June 25, 2024. June 25, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240625151309/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2024-06-25/natasha-kline-primos-disney. June 25, 2024. live.
  4. Web site: Balaga. Marty. Disney Unveils Animated Series at Annecy, Teases 'Magicampers' and 'The Sunnyridge 3' (Exclusive). Variety. June 13, 2023. June 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230617183005/https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/magicampers-the-sunnyridge-3-disney-1235642369/. June 17, 2023. live.
  5. Primos: Season 1 Fact Sheet. Disney Branded Television. June 23, 2024.
  6. Web site: Kline. Natasha. About. Natasha Kline. March 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230302043633/https://natashakline.tumblr.com/about. March 2, 2023. live.
  7. Johnson . Cecila . November 3, 2021 . Disney Branded Television Orders 'Primos,' an Animated Comedy Series About an Extended Multicultural Mexican American Family . . . Disney General Entertainment Content . July 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220208181242/https://www.dgepress.com/disneybrandedtelevision/pressrelease/disney-branded-television-orders-primos-an-animated-comedy-series-about-an-extended-multicultural-mexican-american-family/ . February 8, 2022 . live.
  8. Web site: Behzadi. Sofia. Disney Television Animation Ups Douglas Bensimon & Edward Mejia To VP Current Series. Deadline. July 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220725142849/https://deadline.com/2022/07/disney-television-animation-promoted-douglas-bensimon-edward-mejia-vp-current-series-1235074918/. July 25, 2022. live. Among the titles he's overseen are...the upcoming Kiff and Primos for Disney Channel.
  9. Web site: Pederson. Lise. Disney Reveals Animated Series Slate at Annecy Festival (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. June 15, 2022. July 25, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220712065759/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/disney-annecy-1235294867/. July 12, 2022. live.
  10. Web site: Lang. Jamie. New Series 'The Doomies,' 'Dragon Striker' Lead Packed Disney TV Slate. Cartoon Brew. June 16, 2022. March 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20221130083308/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/studios/disney-animation-dragon-striker-doomies-annecy-217689.html. November 30, 2022. live.
  11. Web site: Rising Stars of Animation 2023. Animation Magazine. March 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230308205637/https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/03/rising-stars-of-animation-2023/. March 8, 2023. live. March 8, 2023.
  12. Primos Official Trailer NEW SERIES @disneychannel. Disney Channel. YouTube. July 8, 2024. July 8, 2024.
  13. Web site: White. Abbey. Disney's 'Primos' Creator and First Trailer Reveal New Animated Series Celebrating Her Diverse Multicultural Family (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. July 8, 2024. July 8, 2024.
  14. Web site: Adams. Timothy. Disney Announces New Animated Series Primos. ComicBook.com. November 3, 2021. July 25, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20211107125340/https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/disney-new-animated-series-primos/. November 7, 2021. live.
  15. Web site: Primos First Full Episode NEW SHOW! Summer of Tater / Summer of Primos @disneychannel. YouTube. Disney Channel. July 25, 2024. July 26, 2024.
  16. Web site: Primos Full Episode NEW SHOW Ep.2 Summer of Quehaceres / Summer of La Muñeca @disneychannel. YouTube. Disney Channel. July 25, 2024. July 26, 2024.
  17. Web site: Lang. Jamie. Disney Presents Packed TV Slate With Loads Of New Trailers And Images. Cartoon Brew. June 15, 2023. June 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230615135946/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/series/disney-tv-animation-lineup-annecy-229724.html. June 15, 2023. live.
  18. Web site: Dar. Taimar. Disney unveils details and theme song for PRIMOS cartoon. ComicsBeat. June 13, 2023. June 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230613221520/https://www.comicsbeat.com/disney-animated-primos-theme-song/. June 13, 2023. live.
  19. Web site: Rodríguez. Andrés. "Racista" y "llena de estereotipos": 'Primos', la serie animada de Disney que ha molestado al público latinoamericano. "Racist" and "full of stereotypes": 'Primos', the Disney animated series that has upset the Latin American public. El Pais Mexico. June 16, 2023. June 17, 2023. https://archive.today/20230616211732/https://elpais.com/mexico/2023-06-16/racista-y-llena-de-estereotipos-primos-la-serie-animada-de-disney-que-ha-molestado-al-publico-latinoamericano.html. June 16, 2023. live. es.
  20. Web site: Disney hace enojar a mexicanos con su nueva serie 'Primos'; acusan racismo. Disney makes Mexicans angry with its new series 'Primos'; accuse racism. Aristegui Noticas. June 15, 2023. June 17, 2023. https://archive.today/20230617043954/https://aristeguinoticias.com/1506/cultura/disney-hace-enojar-a-mexicanos-con-su-nueva-serie-primos-acusan-racismo/. June 17, 2023. live. es.
  21. Web site: Martínez. Valerie. El bochorno que Disney pudo evitar y tiene indignados a los latinoamericanos. The embarrassment that Disney could have avoided and has Latin Americans outraged. Yahoo! vida y estilo. Yahoo!. June 16, 2023. June 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230617043855/https://es-us.vida-estilo.yahoo.com/el-bochorno-que-disney-pudo-evitar-y-tiene-indignados-a-los-latinoamericanos-161510158.html. June 17, 2023. live. es.
  22. News: . Jun 16, 2023 . "Primos" la nueva serie de Disney que Latinoamérica NO quiere . "Primos", the new Disney series that Latin America does NOT want . es . El Capitalino . June 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230617180831/https://elcapitalino.mx/entretenimiento/titulares-entretenimiento/titular-3/primos-la-nueva-serie-de-disney-que-latinoamerica-no-quiere/ . June 17, 2023 . live.
  23. Web site: Arrieta . José . June 14, 2023 . ¿Por qué está causando polémica "Primos", la nueva serie de Disney? . June 17, 2023 . Why is "Primos", the new Disney series, causing controversy? . El Heraldo de México . es . https://web.archive.org/web/20230615201230/https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/espectaculos/2023/6/14/por-que-esta-causando-polemica-primos-la-nueva-serie-de-disney-514173.html . June 15, 2023.
  24. Web site: Bermudez. Justin. Disney's 'Primos' Gets Un-Warm Welcome To The Family. Latin Times. June 17, 2023. June 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230617181824/https://www.latintimes.com/disneys-primos-gets-un-warm-welcome-family-544863. June 17, 2023. live.
  25. Web site: Rojas . Por Diego . Estereotipos latinos ¡Al infinito y más allá! . infobae . es-ES . 17 June 2023.
  26. Web site: Fernández . Óscar . Racismo. Primos; la nueva serie de Disney que estereotipa a la comunidad latina . Racism. Primos; the new Disney series that stereotypes the Latino community . . June 26, 2023 . es . June 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230627030210/https://www.laizquierdadiario.com/Primos-la-nueva-serie-de-Disney-que-estereotipa-a-la-comunidad-latina . June 27, 2023 . live.
  27. Kline . Natasha . Michael Sandoval . Exclusive: Creator of Disney Channel's Primos Natasha Kline . Muse TV . June 16, 2023 . June 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230619012403/https://www.musetv.net/exclusive-creator-of-disney-channels-primos-natasha-kline/ . June 19, 2023 . live. The interview is here
  28. Web site: Álvarez . Rafa . "Primos": esta es la razón oficial del retraso en su estreno y producción. TVLaint . 27 June 2024 . es . 3 June 2024.
  29. Web site: Rasmussen . Sarah . Primos . 2024-08-06 . . en-US.
  30. Web site: Betti . Tony . July 27, 2024 . After A Bit Of Family-Style Chaos "Primos" Is A Fun And Heartfelt Animated Series . 2024-08-06 . LaughingPlace.com . en-US.
  31. Web site: Camargo . Fernanda . Primos TV Review Common Sense Media . 2024-08-06 . . en.
  32. Web site: Kaldor . David . July 26, 2024 . Review: Primos "Summer of Quehaceres; Summer of La Muñeca" . 2024-08-06 . Bubbleblabber . en-US.

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