This Fool
GenreComedy
Created by
Directed by
  • Pat Bishop
  • Matt Ingebretson
  • Diego Velasco
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producers
ProducerTina Densmore Bell
CinematographyChristophe Lanzenberg
Editors
  • Daniel Haworth
  • Daniel Johnson
  • Edwin Rivera
Running time24 minutes
Production companies
  • Tutu, Get in the Car
  • Incredible Success
  • Red Pulley Productions
  • Antigravico
  • ABC Signature
Original release
NetworkHulu
ReleaseAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12) –
present

This Fool is an American comedy television series created by Chris Estrada, Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, and Jake Weisman, and starring Estrada and Frankie Quiñones. It premiered on Hulu on August 12, 2022.[1] The show includes a comedic look at cholo culture and lifestyle.[2] In November 2022, the series was renewed for a second season.[3]

Synopsis

Julio Lopez is 30 and still living with his mother and grandmother in his childhood bedroom. He works at Hugs Not Thugs, a gang rehabilitation center in Los Angeles that helps recently incarcerated people readjust to life outside of prison. His older cousin Luis is a former gang member who was recently released from prison after an eight-year stint, and is now in the Hugs Not Thugs program.[4][5][6]

Cast

In the episode "Los Botes", Matt Ingebretson and Jake Weisman reprise their respective roles as Matt Engelbertson and Jake Levinson from the Comedy Central series Corporate (2018–2020) in guest roles. In the episode "Y Tu Julio También", Adam Lustick from Corporate had a cameo as Julio's dentist.

Episodes

Series Overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
110August 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
210July 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)

Season 1 (2022)

This Fool episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"A Storm is Coming"Pat BishopChris Estrada, Jake Weisman, Matt Ingebretson & Pat BishopAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
22"Putazos"Pat BishopCurtis CookAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
33"Emotional Timothy"Matt IngebretsonEliza Jiménez CossioAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
44"Y Tu Julio También"Pat BishopCaroline Anderson & Jake WeismanAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
55"Sandy Says"Diego VelascoPat Bishop & Johan MirandaAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
66"Los Botes"Diego VelascoMonica PadrickAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
77"Sh*t or Get Off the Pot"Pat BishopTamara YajiaAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
88"The Devil Made Me Do It"Pat BishopJonathan Cerda-RowellAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
99"F*ck the Rich"Matt IngebretsonMatt IngebretsonAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)
1010"A Fresh Start"Matt IngebretsonChris EstradaAugust 12, 2022 (2022-08-12)

Season 2 (2023)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten by [7]Original release date [8]
111"The Rooster"Pat BishopChris EstradaJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
122"Clyde & Clyde, Pt 1"Pat BishopPat BishopJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
133"Clyde & Clyde, Pt 2"Pat BishopJohan MirandaJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
144"Feel the Payne"Pat BishopCurtis CookJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
155"Cut the Shit"Pat BishopTamara YajiaJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
166"Los Personas Invisables"Pat BishopJonathan Cerda-RowellJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
177"The Big Deal"Matt IngebretsonEliza Jimenez CossioJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
188"The Bigger Man"Matt IngebretsonMarcelo Chow & Jesus TrejoJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
199"Y Tu Depression Tambien"Matt IngebretsonJake WeismanJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)
2010"Two Fuckin' Losers"Matt IngebretsonVince Caldera & Matt IngebretsonJuly 28, 2023 (2023-07-28)

Production

The series was created by Chris Estrada with producers Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, and Jake Weisman.[9] Bishop, Ingebretson and Weisman, who at the time were producing the Comedy Central series Corporate, approached Estrada about creating a show in 2018.[5] Fred Armisen is an executive producer.[5] On November 10, 2022, Hulu renewed the series for a second season.[10]

Release

This Fool premiered on Hulu in the United States on August 12, 2022.[11]

Reception

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.40/10, based on 13 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "There's no reason to pity This Fool, which resoundingly succeeds as an unsentimental comedy about community and family… and what a pain in the neck they can be."[12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 76 out of 100 based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[13]

Sean L. McCarthy of Decider stated, "This is a winning portrait of two guys in South Central L.A. with opposing life philosophies who find they each have something to learn from the other. You like winners, don’t you? Then come along for the ride, since Maggie already has taken the car."[14] Yael Tygiel of Collider included the show in their "Best Shows on Hulu Right Now" list, writing, "While heavily leaning into Latino culture and inspired directly by Estrada’s personal life, This Fool is an uplifting series with scenes and experiences relatable for many immigrant families, regardless of origin. Exploring themes of family, codependency, and class, This Fool is an unexpectedly cinematic comedy allowing stars like Laura Patalano and even recurring actors like Michael Imperioli (The White Lotus) to present their truths."[15]

Inkoo Kang of The New Yorker included This Fool in their "Best TV Shows of 2022" list.[16] Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone included "Y Tu Julio También" in their "25 Best TV Episodes of 2022" list, writing, "Like a lot of first-year comedies, This Fool — starring comedian Chris Estrada as Julio, who works at a nonprofit helping former gang members go straight — had its ups and downs as it figured out exactly what was funny about its premise and its characters. But when it hit, it really hit, like this installment about Julio’s pathological hatred of his own birthday. We see the day largely from his perspective, where every attempt to celebrate another trip around the sun feels to him like he’s trapped in a horror movie. A simple idea, very amusingly presented."[17]

Accolades

Frankie Quiñones was nominated for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series by the Independent Spirit Awards.[18]

References

  1. ^ Daniel Pateman (2022-08-12). "How to watch This Fool online: stream the new comedy from anywhere". TechRadar. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  2. ^ Martinez, Kiko (2022-10-04). "New Hulu series 'This Fool' takes comedic look at Cholo lifestyle". mySA. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  3. ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (2022-11-10). "'This Fool' Renewed for Season 2 on Hulu". Collider. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  4. ^ Han, Angie (11 August 2022). "'This Fool' Review: Hulu's Endearing South L.A.-Set Odd Couple Comedy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Martinez, Fidel (25 August 2022). "Latinx Files: A conversation with "This Fool" co-creator and star Chris Estrada". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  6. ^ Van Arendonk, Kathryn (12 August 2022). "This Fool Is What Streaming Comedies Should Be". Vulture. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  7. ^ "This Fool". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  8. ^ "Shows A-Z – This Fool on Hulu". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  9. ^ Framke, Caroline (12 August 2022). "Hulu's 'This Fool' Brings New Perspectives to Age-Old Sitcom Tropes". Variety. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  10. ^ Hailu, Selome (November 10, 2022). "'This Fool' Renewed for Season 2 at Hulu". Variety. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  11. ^ Greene, Steve (2022-08-04). "August TV Premieres: 19 New Shows to Look Out for This Month". IndieWire. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  12. ^ "This Fool (2022)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  13. ^ "This Fool". Metacritic.
  14. ^ "Stream It Or Skip It: 'This Fool' On Hulu, Inspired By A Comedian's Attempt To Bring Hugs Not Thugs To South Central L.A. | Decider". Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  15. ^ Staff, Collider (2020-11-11). "The Best Shows Streaming on Hulu Right Now (August 2021)". Collider. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  16. ^ "The Best TV Shows of 2022". The New Yorker. 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  17. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (2022-12-21). "The 25 Best TV Episodes of 2022". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
  18. ^ Travis, Emlyn; December 13, Jessica Wang Updated; EST, 2022 at 03:34 PM. "'Everything Everywhere All At Once,' 'The Bear' lead 2023 Film Independent Spirit Award noms". EW.com. Retrieved 2023-01-29.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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