Primos (TV series)

Primos is an American animated sitcom created by Natasha Kline and produced by Disney Television Animation that debuted on July 25, 2024, on Disney Channel.
The series centers around a large Mexican-American family living in the neighboring Los Angeles town of Hacienda Hills. Told through the diary of eccentric 9-year-old (later 10-year-old) Tater Ramírez-Humphrey, the series centers on her as she discovers the "it factor" that makes her special alongside her cousins, consisting of Cousin Bud, Big Nacho, Lita, Tere, Tabi, Toñita, Scooter, LotLot, Gordita, Nachito, ChaCha, and Lucita, who moved in with her for the summer as she prepares for her upcoming tenth birthday and tries to figure out her "final form".
Another recurring character is Hector, the local street vendor of different foods who never utters a word yet and is said to be fluent in Spanish and French.
Also in the series is Javier Ramírez, ChaCha's father, Ignacio Sr. and Buela's son, and Bibi's brother who is a biker and has no speaking role yet. Ivan and Gustavo's wives also make non-speaking appearances in the season one finale.
These shorts primarily focus on Disney Channel characters meeting their various creators and learning how the concept of their shows were created.
Shortly after the series premiere, Primos joined the Chibi Tiny Tales series.
As part of a promotional campaign, Disney Channel began airing the Disney Theme Song Takeover, wherein supporting characters from different shows performed the theme song to the series they were in.
On November 3, 2021, it was reported that Natasha Kline, a long-time storyboarder and character designer, is developing an animated series titled Primos for Disney Television Animation (DTVA). The series was inspired by Kline's childhood summers living with her cousins alongside her extended Mexican-American family and she wanted the lead characters to also be of Mexican-American heritage due to the lack of Mexican-American representation on television during her childhood. Meredith Roberts, a senior vice president at Disney Television Animation said the series bears the "authentic voice" of Kline and "her family's culture and values", saying the series will be aimed at kids and families. Edward Mejia, a DTVA executive, oversaw the series. Prior to being greenlit, Primos was in an intense bidding war between Disney and Netflix, with Disney ultimately winning out.
On June 15, 2022, at the 2022 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, it was announced that the show's first season would have an order of 30 episodes. Philip Cohen was announced as series producer. In March 2023, Kline told Animation Magazine that the series was inspired by an adult short she had created for an Upright Citizen's Brigade stand-up comedy show in 2017, was inspired by Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes, and said she loved working with the show's crew, praising their "intense passion, drive, and talent".
On July 8, 2024, the series' official trailer was released. The series airs half-hour episodes that are divided into 11-minute stories.
Primos premiered on Disney Channel on July 25, 2024, and the first nine episodes were released on Disney+ a day later. The series was originally scheduled to premiere on January 19, 2024, before being postponed to June 6, and later to its eventual premiere date. By October 28, 2024, the first nineteen episodes were available to stream on Disney+.
On June 13, 2023, the series' opening sequence was released by Disney Branded Television. It received criticism on social media, largely from Mexicans and other Latin-American communities. Some criticized the show's premise by drawing similarities to that of Nickelodeon's The Loud House and, more specifically, its spin-off series The Casagrandes. Other viewers criticized the opening sequence for presenting various negative stereotypes associated with Latin-American culture, argued the names of the setting and some characters could be considered offensive, and the Spanish grammar used was incorrect. Also criticized was the use of a "Mexican filter", a technique frequently used in American media to invoke a "foreign" atmosphere in Hispanic settings.
Online complaints were further fueled when social media posts were made by Tater's voice actress, Myrna Velasco, which included a comment on Instagram where she said critics of the Spanish used in the show were "grammar nazis" and a story in which she described the Spanish language as being "forced upon Latin American people" by Spanish conquistadors. In her comment, which was later deleted, she also wrote that people can be angry at her for misspelling Spanish words or mispronouncing them, but she was a Native American and Mexican-American woman, and argued they were trying to make a "good show for kids" and said that if people are angry at the latter, then "be mad then."
In an interview on June 16, 2023, Kline said the series is based on her personal experiences of growing up with a multicultural Mexican-American family in Los Angeles in the 1990s, being bicultural, biracial, and said that the project's relatability attracted well-known individuals like Melissa Villaseñor. She also stated that Tater doesn't speak Spanish, which is why her grammar is incorrect; emphasised the importance of cousins in her life; and stated that the art style showcased the environment in L.A. She additionally hoped the series would make people proud of their roots.
Later in production, the name of the fictional town was changed from Terremoto Heights to Hacienda Hills, as the original name drew criticism for alluding to the earthquakes common in the region. The name of one of the characters was changed from Cookita to Lucita, as the former was viewed as being similar to a vulgar term in several dialects of Latin American Spanish, though in actuality it's a take off of Cuquita, which is an affectionate nickname usually for those named Refugia. As a result of online criticism, the series premiere was delayed several times, with reports this was done to make edits to already-completed episodes. Changes were made to emphasize that the show is set in Los Angeles and not in Latin America.
Prior to the show's release, Tara Bennett of Cartoon Brew described the series as a "perfect summer show for kids and families" and argued that it captures the fun of attempting to "co-exist inside a large extended family" for an entire summer. Victoria Davis of Animation World Network interviewed Kline, who was glad to get feedback from the series, calling it an "amazing experience" to hear people's thoughts, saying it was "initially painful" but said that later responses honed her empathy, made her realize that the series could mean "so much to so many, in many different ways", and argued it gave her "strength to keep going."
Tony Betti of Laughing Place gave Primos a grade of 4 out of 5 and complimented the show's humor and heartfelt storytelling, particularly the standout character Nellie, who brings a Big City Greens-style comedic charm. Betti found that while the first episode begins with a well-paced introduction, it quickly shifts into chaotic family dynamics that might feel overwhelming but later settles into smaller, more engaging adventures. He stated that the series successfully balances authenticity and diversity, capturing the creator's personal experiences growing up in a Mexican-American family. Fernanda Camargo of Common Sense Media rated Primos 3 out of 5 stars and praised its focus on family dynamics and the protagonist, Tater, who has big dreams but struggles to find her place within a crowded household. Camargo found that while the show includes bickering, teasing, and bathroom humor, it remains lighthearted and suitable for tweens. She stated that Tater's biracial background and her lack of interest in learning Spanish add a notable cultural aspect to the story. Camargo appreciated the show's themes of family joy, learning from mistakes, and the positive message about sharing and understanding, but noted the presence of stereotypes.