El Comandante (TV series)
{{short description|Colombian biographical TV series (2017)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = El Comandate poster.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| alt_name =
| genre = Telenovela
| creator =
| based_on =
| developer =
| writer = {{Plainlist|
- José Luis González
- Juan Andrés Granados
- Versalia Cordero
}}
| screenplay =
| story = Moisés Naím
| director = {{Plainlist|
- Felipe Cano
- Henry Rivero
}}
| creative_director =
| starring = {{Plainlist|
}}
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme = "Vida sagrada" by Fonseca{{cite web|title=Fonseca canta tema oficial de la serie El Comandante (Video)|url=http://noticiaaldia.com/2017/01/fonseca-canta-tema-oficial-de-la-serie-el-comandante-video/|website=noticiaaldia.com|access-date=19 January 2017|language=es}}
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = {{Plainlist|
- Colombia
}}
| language = Spanish
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 102
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Andrea Marulanda
- Luis Eduardo Jiménez
}}
| producer =
| editor =
| location =
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime =
| company = Sony Pictures Television
| budget =
| network = RCN Televisión
| first_aired = {{Start date|2017|1|30}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2017|7|7}}{{cite web|last1=Rojas|first1=Laura|title='El Comandante', gran estreno lunes 30 de enero|url=http://www.canalrcn.com/el-comandante/noticias/articulo-video/el-comandante-gran-estreno-lunes-30-de-enero-5874|website=canalrcn.com|access-date=21 January 2017|language=es}}
| related =
}}
El Comandante ({{literal translation|The Commander}}, {{IPA|es|el ko.mãn̪ˈd̪ãn̪.t̪e|lang}}) is a Colombian television series created by Sony Pictures Television.{{cite web|title=Vida de Hugo Chávez será relatada en la serie "El Comandante"|url=http://www.el-carabobeno.com/vida/articulo/126631/Vida-de-Hugo-Chvez-ser-relatada-en-la-serie-El-Comandante|website=el-carabobeno.com|access-date=23 May 2016|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510103248/http://el-carabobeno.com/vida/articulo/126631/Vida-de-Hugo-Chvez-ser-relatada-en-la-serie-El-Comandante|archive-date=10 May 2016|url-status=dead}} It is based on the life of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Rafael Chávez Frias.{{cite web|title=El Comandante: la serie de Sony Pictures basada en la vida de Chávez|url=http://www.noticierodigital.com/2016/05/el-comandante-la-serie-de-sony-pictures-basada-en-la-vida-de-chavez/|website=oticierodigital.com|access-date=23 May 2016|language=es}} It stars Andrés Parra as the titular character.{{cite web|last1=Rojas|first1=Laura|title=Andrés Parra interpretará a Hugo Chávez en una nueva serie de TV|url=http://www.enter.co/cultura-digital/entretenimiento/andres-parra-interpretara-a-hugo-chavez-en-una-nueva-serie-de-tv/|website=enter.co|date=6 May 2016 |access-date=23 May 2016|language=es}}
Plot summary
El Comandante is a story inspired by the life of Hugo Chávez, a man of humble origin who, at only 44 years old and against all odds, became the most powerful and controversial Latin American leader of his time. During his rule he controlled at will the largest oil reserves on the planet, challenged the First World and managed to shake the continent as nobody else.
The production narrates the fictional story of a man and a country, inspired by real events, incorporating elements and characters of fiction as his comrades fighting, the spies who wanted to kill him, the women who accompanied him in his career and the members of the opposition, to offer an account of suspense and action, of politics and romance.
Cast
- Andrés Parra as Hugo Rafael Chávez Frias
- Gabriela Vergara as Marisabel Rodríguez de Chávez
- Stephanie Cayo as Mónica Zabaleta{{cite web|title=Stephanie Cayo será una incisiva periodista en serie sobre Hugo Chávez (VIDEO)|url=http://www.elpopular.pe/espectaculos/2016-12-26-stephanie-cayo-sera-una-incisiva-periodista-en-serie-sobre-hugo-chavez|website=elpopular.pe|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}
- Julián Román as Carlos Uzcátegui
- César Manzano as Manuel Centeno
- Sheila Monterola as Antonia Salcedo
- Jimmy Vásquez as Willy Manzanares
- Albi De Abreu as Cristóbal Iturbe{{cite web|last1=Zambrano|first1=Iván|title=Albi de Abreu: "Chávez fue el cáncer que resultó de las malas políticas"|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/television/albi-abreu-chavez-fue-cancer-que-resulto-las-malas-politicas_74719|website=el-nacional.com|access-date=11 January 2017|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113160902/http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/television/albi-abreu-chavez-fue-cancer-que-resulto-las-malas-politicas_74719|archive-date=13 January 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Albi de Abreu obtiene papel en la serie "El Comandante"|url=http://correiodevenezuela.com/espanol/albi-de-abreu-obtiene-papel-en-la-serie-el-comandante/|website=correiodevenezuela.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}
- Marianela González as Daniela Vásquez{{cite web|last1=Ortiz López|first1=Jhosman|title=primicia.com.ve|url=http://www.primicia.com.ve/placeres/dos-criollos-estaran-en-el-comandante.html|website=primicia.com.ve|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204005551/http://www.primicia.com.ve/placeres/dos-criollos-estaran-en-el-comandante.html|archive-date=4 February 2017|url-status=dead}}
- Paulina Dávila as Isabel Manrique
- Natalia Reyes as Carolina Jiménez
- Vicente Peña as Ángel Saavedra
- José Narváez as Iván Fonseca
- Viña Machado as Carmen Rondón
- Jorge Rengifo as Yuckson
- Duban Prado as Máikel
- Jeanette Lehr as Adelaida de Chávez "Mamá Laida"{{cite web|last1=Vargas|first1=Cristian|title="Agarren sus alpargatas que lo que viene es joropo" Nuevo adelanto de "El Comandante"|url=http://www.diariocontraste.com/2016/12/agarren-sus-alpargatas-que-lo-que-viene-es-joropo-nuevo-adelanto-de-el-comandante/#|website=diariocontraste.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}
- Jimmy Vásquez as Willy Manzanares
- Francisco Denis as Fernando Brizuela
- Franártur Duque as Ángel Saavedra, young{{cite news|title=¡Exclusiva! Lo que nos dijo el amigo de Chávez en la serie "El Comandante" tras censura (+Video) - Caraota Digital|url=http://www.caraotadigital.net/entretenimiento/exclusiva-lo-que-nos-dijo-el-amigo-de-chavez-en-serie-el-comandante-tras-censura-video/|work=Caraota Digital|date=2017-02-01|access-date=2018-10-23|language=es-ES|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329141949/http://www.caraotadigital.net/entretenimiento/exclusiva-lo-que-nos-dijo-el-amigo-de-chavez-en-serie-el-comandante-tras-censura-video/|archive-date=2019-03-29|url-status=dead}}{{Citation|title=2001 entrevista El Comandante|date=2017-02-18|url=https://archive.org/details/guidoalbertovillamizar_gmail_2001|access-date=2018-12-26}}
Production
The production is based on an original idea by the Venezuelan writer and columnist Moisés Naím and the direction is by Felipe Cano (Lady, la vendedora de rosas, El laberinto de Alicia) and Henry Rivero (film En coma). The librettos are by José Luis González, Juan Andrés Granados and Versalia Cordero.{{cite web|title=La historia de Hugo Chávez llega a la TV en 'El comandante'|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/entretenimiento/cine-y-tv/rcn-estrena-serie-sobre-hugo-chavez/16788544|website=eltiempo.com|date=8 January 2017 |access-date=9 January 2017|language=es}} The series is produced by Andrea Marulanda and Luis Eduardo Jiménez as executive producers,{{cite web|title=Sony Pictures Television producirá "El Comandante"|url=http://www.tendencia.com/2016/sony-pictures-television-producira-el-comandante/|website=tendencia.com|date=17 May 2016 |access-date=23 May 2016|language=es}} series production is scheduled for the summer of 2016.
The first advance of the series was revealed on October 25, 2016, showing scenes that marked the life of the Venezuelan president, such as episodes of his childhood in Sabaneta, Barinas state, until the coup attempt he led in 1992.{{cite web|title=Revelan tráiler de El Comandante, serie basada en la vida de Hugo Chávez|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/escenas/Revelan-trailer-Comandantei-Hugo-Chavez_0_946105411.html|website=el-nacional.com|access-date=3 December 2016|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161211183921/http://www.el-nacional.com/escenas/Revelan-trailer-Comandantei-Hugo-Chavez_0_946105411.html|archive-date=11 December 2016|url-status=dead}}
= Casting =
In May 2016, Andrés Parra published in his Twitter account a promotional image of the series next to the phrase "The power of passion and the passion for power".{{cite web|title=La serie "El comandante" recreará 30 eventos de la vida de Chávez|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/entretenimiento/serie-comandante-recreara-eventos-vida-chavez_308942|website=eluniversal.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228195935/http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/entretenimiento/serie-comandante-recreara-eventos-vida-chavez_308942|archive-date=28 December 2016|url-status=dead}} To interpret Chavez, Parra had to practice the Venezuelan accent, and cut his hair to interpret the stage where Chavez suffered from cancer.{{cite web|title=El cambio drástico de Andrés Parra para protagonizar a Hugo Chávez |url=http://www.entornointeligente.com/articulo/9034247/El-cambio-drastico-de-Andres-Parra-para-protagonizar-a-Hugo-Chavez-03102016|website=entornointeligente.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}} For the personage of Marisabel Rodríguez de Chávez several Venezuelan actresses made casting such as Wanda D'Isidoro, Eileen Abad, Gaby Spanic and Sonya Smith, later she was chosen Gabriela Vergara to interpret the character.{{cite web|title=Estos colombianos actuarán en 'El comandante', la serie sobre Hugo Chávez|url=http://www.estereofonica.com/television/estos-colombianos-actuaran-comandante-la-serie-hugo-chavez/|website=estereofonica.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}} More than 50% of the cast are Venezuelan actors.{{cite web|title=Sony publicó primeras imágenes oficiales de la serie de Hugo Chávez "El Comandante"|url=http://noticiaaldia.com/2016/09/publican-imagen-del-actor-andres-parra-en-el-comandante/|website=noticiaaldia.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}
Reception
Following heavy promotion of the series in Colombia, The Miami Herald described El Comandante's launch as being "in a lackluster sixth place, behind the telenovela Sin Tetas No Hay Paraiso as well as Colombia's Next Top Model and NBC’s Las Vega's".{{cite news|last1=Wyss|first1=Jim|title=Hugo Chávez is back on TV — but banned in Venezuela|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article130007829.html|access-date=3 February 2017|work=Miami Herald|date=1 February 2017|language=en}}
= Controversy =
In May 2016, Diosdado Cabello was completely opposed to the production of the series, because he would only lend to defaming the former president of Venezuela, thus asking the executives of Sony Pictures Television to stop the production process and show evidence that the Chavez family agreed with such a series.{{cite web|title=Así reaccionó Diosdado ante la serie "El Comandante", de Sony Pictures|url=http://www.analitica.com/entretenimiento/cabello-investiga-sobre-permiso-de-sony-para-serie-de-hugo-chavez/|website=analitica.com|date=12 May 2016 |access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Serie sobre Hugo Chávez genera reacciones encontradas|url=http://caracol.com.co/radio/2016/05/17/entretenimiento/1463515727_977132.html|website=caracol.com.co|date=17 May 2016 |access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}} Later, Sony Pictures Television clarified that Asdrúbal Chávez had authorized the production of the series. Actress Gabriela Vergara received several negative comments towards her character in the series, because Marisabel Rodríguez de Chávez is accused of complicity and robbery during the Chávez government.{{cite web|title=Gabriela Vergara rechazó ser juzgada por su papel en El Comandante y criticó al gobierno|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/historico/gabriela-vergara-rechazo-ser-juzgada-por-papel-comandante-critico-gobierno_8497|website=el-nacional.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}{{cite web|title=¡Enfurecida! Así reaccionó Gabriela Vergara a críticas por su participación en la serie sobre Chávez|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2016/09/24/enfurecida-asi-reacciono-gabriela-vergara-a-criticas-por-su-participacion-en-la-serie-sobre-chavez/|website=lapatilla.com|date=24 September 2016 |access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}
In October 2016, Cabello warned to take legal action against the production company Sony Pictures Television to continue with the production of the series.{{cite web|last1=Bastidas|first1=Yorcellys|title=Diosdado Cabello advierte acciones legales contra productores de serie sobre la vida del comandante Chávez|url=http://www.correodelorinoco.gob.ve/comunicacion-cultura/diosdado-cabello-advierte-acciones-legales-contra-productores-serie-sobre-vida-comandante-chavez/|website=correodelorinoco.gob.ve|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2023|certain=yes|reason=Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard/Archive 420#RfC: Correo del Orinoco (Orinoco Tribune)}}
Screenwriter Moisés Naím clarified that the series is a series of fiction and not a biography so it will have nothing to do with the reality of Venezuela.{{cite web|title=Guionista de la serie de Hugo Chávez "El comandante" dice que será "ficción"|url=http://noticine.com/noticias/estrenos/25379-guionista-de-la-serie-de-hugo-chavez-el-comandante-dice-que-sera-ficcion.html|website=noticine.com|access-date=29 December 2016|language=es}}
In Venezuela, CONATEL, an institution that regulates airing and broadcasting in the country, ordered to withdraw the signal from RCN Television to prohibit the viewing of the series.{{Cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/conatel-ordeno-quitar-senal-rcn-durante-transmision-comandante_78502|title=Conatel ordenó quitar la señal de RCN durante transmisión de El Comandante|last=Web|first=El Nacional|date=2017-01-31|website=El Nacional|language=es|access-date=2018-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202123542/http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/conatel-ordeno-quitar-senal-rcn-durante-transmision-comandante_78502|archive-date=2017-02-02|url-status=dead}}
Broadcast
The series was released on January 30, 2017 in Colombia on RCN Televisión,{{cite web|title=La historia de Hugo Chávez llega a la TV en 'El comandante'|url=http://www.eltiempo.com/entretenimiento/cine-y-tv/rcn-estrena-serie-sobre-hugo-chavez/16788544|website=eltiempo.com|access-date=21 January 2017|language=es}} while in Latin America it premiered on January 31, 2017 on TNT.{{cite web|title=El Comandante: serie de TNT sobre Hugo Chávez se estrena el 31 de enero|url=http://www.latercera.com/noticia/comandante-serie-tnt-hugo-chavez-debuta-31-enero/|website=latercera.com|access-date=13 January 2017|language=es}}{{cite web|title=TNT adquiere derechos de transmisión de la serie El Comandante|url=http://globovision.com/article/tnt-adquiere-derechos-de-transmision-de-la-serie-el-comandante|website=globovision.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}} In the United States, it will be transmitted by the network Telemundo.{{cite web|title=El canal Telemundo emitirá la serie de televisión basada en Hugo Chávez|url=http://www.efe.com/efe/usa/gente/el-canal-telemundo-emitira-la-serie-de-television-basada-en-hugo-chavez/50000102-2928147|website=efe.com|access-date=28 December 2016|language=es}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb title}}
{{Sony Pictures Television Latin America Productions}}
{{RCN Telenovelas}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Comandante (TV series)}}
Category:Spanish-language American telenovelas
Category:Sony Pictures Television telenovelas
Category:RCN Televisión telenovelas
Category:2017 American television series debuts
Category:2017 Colombian television series debuts
Category:2017 Colombian television series endings
Category:2017 American television series endings
Category:Television shows set in Venezuela