In the late ‘90s, I remember sitting on the couch, putting on Univision and seeing the famous barrel featured in the Mexican sitcom, “El Chavo del Ocho.”

I was born in Chile in 1987, and my parents decided to move our family to the United States in 1990. They were fans of the show in the ‘70s, and said it was must-watch television. 

Created by and starring Roberto Gómez, the show ran from 1972 to 1983. It was known for the slapstick and physical comedy that always made me laugh growing up. 

On Oct. 4, 2025, the barrel, where the show’s titular character lived, reappeared on my screen.

More than 20 years later, Saturday Night Live had created what I think is the closest to an episode of “El Chavo del Ocho” that you can get in 2025. 

As soon as I heard the first few notes of the show’s theme song, I instantly knew it was “El Chavo del Ocho.” It gave me goosebumps.

The Latine community has come together to express their gratitude for the skit. 

“The memory that came back to me was me coming home from school and my mom watching the show,” DePaul senior Javier García Medina said.

The main character of the show is Chavo, who is homeless and hangs out in the neighborhood. Chavo’s friends are Quico and Chilindrina, all portrayed as under 10 years old. Other key figures in the show included Don Ramon, Señor Barriga, Professor Jirafales and Doña Florinda.  

The show had moments that I would try to replicate as a kid. Doing Chilindrina’s arm flailing movements when she would cry and making the weird bird-like sound Quico emitted were my favorite ways to bother my parents. 

Although the show was meant to be funny, there are plenty of scenes that would not be acceptable on television today. There is bullying, fighting and even threats made against the children in the show, and as weird as it sounds, that’s what gave it charm.

Kary Ramírez, a DePaul senior, has seen episodes of the show with her family, and understands why an English-speaking audience might find the comedy tough to grasp. 

“In Latinx culture, we’re big jokesters. A lot of the time we don’t really take things to the heart because that’s how we all get along. And I think that’s something that’s very difficult for American culture,” Ramírez said.

I remember watching Don Ramón chase the children around while working on his chores or a project because they made fun of him. Sometimes he would even give Chavo a slap or two. 

Would I laugh at these same scenes today? Yes, because they remind me of my youth watching the show. I’m not alone in this sentiment.

“We like being physical. We like showing emotion. We like to exaggerate. So I think that that doesn’t change. And seen on screen, I think it’s still, it’ll still bring up the same laughs today as it would have brought back then,” García Medina said.

SNL’s “El Chavo del Ocho” skit premiered on television and was later posted to YouTube, where it currently has 2.1 million views. 

“I feel like it’s a huge win for the Latino community, specifically for the Mexican community,” Ramirez said. “‘El Chavo del Ocho’ brings such a cultural significance to the Mexican community that for it to have been showcased on such a big platform, such as Saturday Night Live, an American English-speaking platform, it brings a lot of cultural awareness.”

Being able to cherish the show with family members and others in the Latine community has also been memorable, Ramirez said.

“It’s nice to at least know that some people do want to share our stories and do want to let our media presence grow in the U.S., so I was very happy about that,” García Medina said.

The skit stayed true to its source. It had the same physical comedy and hints of love between Doña Florinda and Professor Jirafales.

Marcello Hernández, Cuban SNL cast member, played Chavo and Bad Bunny played Quico.

“For Quico, honestly, it was great. I was not expecting that kind of a performance from him. I think he did a great job. I think he represented the character and the whole show pretty well,” Ramírez said.

Ramírez’s favorite scene of the sketch was when El Chavo went into his barrel crying, as he often did in the show. 

“It was just so spot on,” Ramírez said about the cast’s performance. “That’s what was really nostalgic.” 

So, thank you SNL and Bad Bunny. 

I’m not sure you realized the impact this skit would have on our community, but I hope you continue paying homage to Latine culture and showing love to shows from our past.

If you need advice on which show you should recreate next, it is very clear to me, Ramírez and García Medina, that “La Familia Peluche” is the way to go.

The ball is in your court. Let’s make it happen!