Locombianos is a new Netflix special based on 4 Colombian comedians. A new episode is released each week, with all 4 comedians performing a set of 30 minutes. Locombianos Episode 1 featuring Freddy Beltran released today.
Before we proceed, this recap contains spoilers.
One of the biggest problems with the show that an international viewer might face is the language. The show is completely in Spanish. You might be wondering how this is any different from the popular Netflix show La Casa De Papel (more popularly known as Money Heist) or even Narcos.
While there are subtitles, it becomes very difficult to understand most of the jokes. And so, as a result, throughout the show, it was rare for me to even crack a smile. This, of course, is not the best since it is supposed to be a comedy show. The jokes may even be hilarious, but they contain so many references to the Colombian culture, that you end up feeling clueless through most of its run time.
In Locombianos episode 1, Freddy Beltran talks about aliases and nicknames. He finds it funny how various drug dealers and criminals use food products like tomatoes and Fritanga as their aliases. He then goes on to talk about the real-life Fritanga, Colombia’s notorious drug dealer who was arrested recently.
He talks about how Fritanga threw a week-long billion-dollar party on a remote island. for 5 days the guests relaxed on this island. Finally, on the 5th day when the police raided the area, no guest was ready to believe it was actually the police. Until the police unplugged the stereo, the guests kept dancing.
Freddy also said that the guests shouldn’t be blamed for being unaware that their host was actually a drug dealer. The party and the stay on the island were free of cost, and according to Freddy Beltran, Colombians love anything that is free. Even when they are grocery shopping, Colombians stand in long lines for free food samples, pretending to really be interested in the product.
Beltran says he wants a nickname too, but his mother feels really offended when someone calls him anything other than Freddy around her. She says she named him Freddy for a reason and that he should be called what she named him.
Beltran also talks about India and how a set of twins here have been named Corona and Covid. He says that their name will always scare people away. Freddy Beltran says if he ever has a nickname it should be empanada. This is because, in Colombia, everyone loves empanadas. Everywhere else empanadas are just another dish, but in Colombia, men use this dish to show their women that they are serious. Of course, all of this is said in jest, with silly roleplaying and comedic expressions.
Freddy Beltran also talks about family parties and how stressful it is when you host them. You feel all the pressure to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves. There is always that one aunt checking every room to see how clean it is, and that one couple who demands soda even though everyone else is drinking alcohol.
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Freddy goes on to talk about how drunk uncles create a scene at these house parties and blurt out secrets that children aren’t supposed to know.
One such example would be how a girl is left behind in a cab, forgotten by her mother. Freddy talks about how funny it must have been when the cab driver discovered her there and how awkward it must have been taking the child to the police station, claiming that he is not a kidnapper.
Similarly, it would have been an equally funny situation at home, when the mother discovers her grocery list is complete, but she has lost her child in the process.
Locombianos Episode 1: Final Thoughts
This show had complete potential to be funny. However, the cultural differences and the language barrier prevent it from actually making you laugh. The show is more suitable for an audience that either speaks fluent Spanish or belongs to a Latin American country. Freddy Beltran is amusing in his freakishly accurate roleplays, however, his content does not pack enough of a punch. A little difficult to sit through, Locombianos episode 1 is not the best watch if you are looking for a laugh.
If you want to give it a shot, Locombianos can be streamed on Netflix.
Tell us what you think about the show, and what segments were your favorites down in the comments below.