From the Creator of Desperate Housewives
By Bel Hernandez
Hollywood, CA — ABC orders up the new one hour pilot of the dramedy Devious Maids from the creator of the ABC hit Desperate Housewives, Marc Cherry. The show centers on four Latina maids who work as maids to the wealthy in Beverly Hills. If all goes well, the show is scheduled to air in the fall.
Will Marc Cherry be able to do for Latina maids what he did for Latina housewife Gabrielle Solis, played by Eva Longoria? Or will the show draw criticism from the Latino community as has been the case with ABC’s Work it! or CBS’ Rob (Work it! has since been canceled but Rob is hanging in there).
Devious Maids is loosely based on the Mexican series Ellas son…la alegria del hogar (The Disorderly Maids Of The Neighborhood) which was originally produced, directed and starred Eugenio Derbez (currently starring on CBS’ Rob). Carolina Rivera and Anahi Lopez co-wrote alongside Derbez.
Part of the cast of Ellas son...la alegria del hogar
With a run of 13 episodes, the Telesiva show first premiered on cable in April of 2009 on Canal One, then went on to premiere on regular television on January in 2010; subsequently airing in the U.S. on the Univision network.
The original Televisa format revolves around five housekeepers who work in a quiet residential condominium where nothing ever happens until one of tenants mysteriously disappears, a suitcase full of money appears – along with a dead body at the bottom of the half-finished pool – and Silvia, Maribel, Adela, Carmela and Guillermina find themselves in the middle of it all.
A writing staff has not been announced, but with the topic of Latina maids and the past record of Hollywood producers resorting to stereotypical fodder, a Latino writer, who can bring an inside perspective to the story lines, might make for a good addition.
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