Don Francisco is back:
Telemundo announces plans for next season
Mario “Don Francisco” Kreutzberger made Saturdays gigantic on Univision, and now he’ll soon see what he can do with Sundays on Telemundo.
The Spanish-language network is looking to Kreutzberger to help the network claim the coveted TV night as part of a multiyear deal with the veteran host. “Don Francisco Te Invita” (Don Francisco Invites You), a mix of interviews and celebrity guests, will close out a new block of programming on Sunday nights that includes “Siempre Niño,” which features children with extraordinary talents,” and “Zoomundo,” an animal show with wildlife expert Ron Magill.
Launching in prime time on Sunday will be “Los Reporteros,” an hourlong news magazine.
The announcements came during NBCUniversal’s presentation to advertisers Monday at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, where Telemundo and NBCUniverso made their pitches alongside NBC, USA and Syfy.
It seems Telemundo is continuing its efforts to court the younger, bilingual generation with its 2016-17 programming announcements, which include unscripted series that mix English and Spanish as well as a deeper investment in serialized and darker dramas.
The network announced two additions to its popular Super Series franchise, which unlike traditional one-and-done telenovelas, run over multiple seasons and have fewer episodes. In addition to “El Chema,” a spinoff of “El Señor de los Cielos,” there’s “Hugo Chávez, El Comandante,” which is inspired by the life of the former president of Venezuela.
Telemundo also announced that “El Señor de los Cielos” (“Lord of the Skies”) will be back for Season 5, and that “Señora Acero 3, La Coyote” will head into its third season.
After taking a page from the success of “Empire” last year by adding some musical dramas based on the lives of popular Latin America singers Celia Cruz and Juan Gabriel, Telemundo is taking another swing in the musical-drama genre with “Guerra de Idolos” (“War of Idols”), which details the lives of figures who control the Latin music business.
On the serialized-drama front, the network is bringing back “La Querida del Centauro” (“The Mistress of Centauro”) for another season, and adding “La Doña,” (“The Mrs”.) and “Sin Senos Si Hay Paraíso” (“Without Breasts, There is Paradise”), the sequel to “Sin Senos No Hay Paraíso.” Its comedies will include “La Fan” (“The Fan”), about a diehard fan of a telenovela actor, and “Silvana Sin Lana,” which stars Carlos Ponce in an opposites-attract romantic comedy.
Telemundo also plans a pair of miniseries: “El César,” about the boxing star Julio César Chávez,” and “Cortés, Conquistador de México,” about the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés.
Additionally, Telemundo announced a deal with the estate of late singer Jenni Rivera to produce series and specials inspired by her life story.
Meanwhile, cable network NBC Universo, announced the return of the off-net hit “The Walking Dead” for Season 3, along with the reality series “Zapata Justice” and “The Riveras,” the latter about the late singer’s family.