Julio Torres has shortly established himself as certainly one of comedy’s most unusual and hilarious creators, from his off-kilter Saturday Evening Stay sketches like “Papyrus” and “Wells for Boys,” to his turns in entrance of the digicam in 2019’s Los Espookys and stand-up particular My Favourite Shapes. 2024 was his greatest 12 months but, with the discharge of his function directorial debut Problemista in March, and HBO‘s Fantasmas only a few months later in June.
Fantasmas completed its six-episode first season in July, and its future has remained unsure since then. It hasn’t been formally canceled by HBO, nor has it been renewed, and Torres himself appears considerably ambivalent about what it could appear like if the collection have been to return. But when Torres is recreation for it, then Fantasmas completely deserves a second season in no matter kind it could take. It is an completely distinctive and singularly humorous collection bearing the unmistakable stamp of its creator, and its surreal humor manages to share some trenchant truths concerning the immigrant expertise in America.
Fantasmas
- Launch Date
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June 7, 2024
- Writers
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Julio Torres
Solid
Stream
‘Fantasmas’ Explores the Actuality of Life within the US as a Non-Citizen
Torres stars in Fantasmas as a fictionalized model of himself, an artist named Julio dwelling in a unusual New York Metropolis house together with his robotic assistant Bibo (Joe Rumrill). The collection’ free plot finds Julio making an attempt to trace down a diamond earring formed like an oyster that he misplaced in a membership, chasing down leads and finally avoiding the looming actuality of getting to discover a new house.
Regardless of its whimsy, Fantasmas is brutally trustworthy concerning the Byzantine and infrequently contradictory technique of making an attempt to navigate American life as a non-citizen. With the intention to discover a new house, Julio has to acquire a particular “proof of existence” ID card, however he has to by some means show he exists so as to get an official doc that proves he exists (a irritating Catch-22 acquainted to anybody who has ever wanted years of expertise to use for an entry stage job).
That is echoed and amplified within the character of Edwin (Los Espookys’ Bernardo Velasco), an undocumented supply driver dwelling even additional on the margins. Julio’s good friend and agent Vanesja (visible artist Martine Gutierrez, a daily Torres collaborator) tries to assist him by the method by discovering him an array of embarrassing appearing gigs, however he retains getting distracted by his seek for the earring as his move-out date inches nearer.
‘Fantasmas’ Will get Bizarre with It
However lest Fantasmas sound too bleak, it steadily goes down surreal rabbit holes that poke enjoyable at every thing from actuality TV to influencer tradition to the character of celeb, as Torres is joined by an array of well-known faces for these odd and steadily hilarious digressions. One sequence finds Steve Buscemi taking part in the letter Q, a steadfast oddball among the many extra widespread letters, which turns right into a loving tribute to New York’s most unapologetically bizarre artists. Aidy Bryant seems in a industrial section because the proprietor of an organization that clothes up bathrooms, who will come to your private home and decide what sort of outfit your throne must put on.
One of many collection’ extra oft-discussed segments has Emma Stone, Cole Escola, Rachel Dratch, and Rosie Perez as the celebs of a Actual Housewives-model actuality present that seems to be an elaborate simulation. This represents only a tiny portion of Fantasmas’ surreal tackle life within the fashionable period, which dials up the absurdity of a world that feels loads absurd by itself.
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The Way forward for ‘Fantasmas’
Thus far, it is unclear what the way forward for Fantasmas will appear like, if it’s going to have one in any respect. In an interview with IndieWire after the season finale, Torres stated he would like to return to the world of Fantasmas, although he is undecided what that return would appear like. Given the collection’ unconventional nature, the thought of doing a standard second season would not appear becoming, and Torres acknowledged that any follow-up would doubtless be its personal factor fully. There are many bizarre corners of New York for Torres to discover, ought to he so select, and those that have watched the collection most definitely hope he’ll.
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HBO’s output has modified dramatically for the reason that Warner Bros. Discovery merger in 2022, with the community transferring additional into increasing its mum or dad firm’s preexisting IP as pre-merger reveals wrapped up their runs. This has been considerably dispiriting to witness, as HBO primarily redefined what a TV collection may do, kickstarting the “status TV” period that birthed a number of the biggest achievements within the medium’s historical past. This path makes reveals like Fantasmas really feel much more particular and price defending.
Singular voices like Torres have gotten more and more uncommon in Hollywood’s ever-more risk-averse panorama, so at any time when any such artist is ready to get their distinctive imaginative and prescient over the end line in a mainstream venue, it is trigger for celebration. HBO set the usual for daring and unique TV programming, and there is nonetheless a necessity for creator-driven tasks in an more and more much less creator-friendly enterprise mannequin. Hopefully, HBO will bankroll one other journey to Torres’ extraordinary New York, but when it would not, it looks as if he is obtained loads to maintain himself busy.