Los exitosos Pells
Encyclopedia
Los exitosos Pells was a 2008-2009 Argentine
telenovela
, produced by Underground Producciones and Endemol
, and aired by Telefe
. It started being aired on November 5, 2008, replacing Vidas Robadas
at 10:30PM. After a pair of schedule changes, it returned to 10:30PM until its end on July 15, 2009.
The story is about a successful couple of TV hosts
from a news channel
, Martín Pells (Mike Amigorena
) and Sol Casenave (Carla Peterson
). In the first episode Martín Pells falls into a coma
, and the CEO of the channel hires an underground actor, Gonzalo Echague (also by Amigorena), who happens to be extremely similar to Pells, to replace him. Such replacement is done not only for the TV but also with friends and relatives, in order that nobody suspects the absence of the real Pells. Gonzalo, acting as Martin, discovers that Martin and Sol had broken up
long ago and were only acting as a happy couple for the television cameras. In reality, Sol had another lover which she hid from the public, and Martin had a homosexual relationship with the son of the CEO of the channel. Nevertheless, Gonzalo falls in love with Sol, and the main storyline of the soap opera involves his attempts to build a relationship with her.
The production earned 6 Martín Fierro awards for the 2008 year. The format was brought by many other countries which produced their own versions.
In Vietnam
, the series has been aired on VBC
under the name Ông bà Pells (literally: Mr. & Mrs. Pells) from mid 2010.
as Pells, who was by the time a low-profile actor. Fernán Mirás
, Érica Rivas
and Diego Ramos, other actors called, were also of low profile. The only famous actress was Florencia de la V
, who would have played the villain of the series.
Rivas and Florencia de la V left the production. Rivas had other work offers, and the production was getting delayed a lot. Florencia de la V started to work at Showmatch, a TV show of a competing channel. The role of Florencia was taken by the actress Andrea Bonelli, while the one of Rivas was took by Carla Peterson
. Peterson was a high profile actress, who had shortly before played the main role in the successful series Lalola
. With her incorporation, the name "El exitoso señor Pells" turned into "Los exitosos Pells" (changing from singular to plural).
The name of the main character, Martín Pells, is the result of an internal joke of the production: one of the camera operators was called Martín Pels (with a single "L"), and allowed Ortega to use his name in the scripts. The basic idea of the script, a news program
hosted by a couple of married hosts, is freely based over Telenoche
, a news program of Argentina hosted by decades by César Masceti and Mónica Cahen D'Anvers, and other TV couples as well.
), an arrogant and manipulative man, is the most famous news presenter of the country. He has worked several years in the "Mega News" Channel. Marcela Nunez (Mirta Busnelli
), owner of the "M Noticias" (M News) channel, competitor of Mega News, attempts to hire him, and Pells is determined to accept. Martin tells this to the owner of Mega News, Franco Andrada (Hugo Arana
), leading to a heated dispute. In a moment of anger, Franco pushes Martin, who falls backward after hitting his head and was knocked unconscious. Scared and worried, believing that he killed him, he left the situation to his right hand, Amanda Wedell (Andrea Bonelli) and leaves the channel.
Coincidentally, his car runs over Gonzalo Echagüe (Mike Amigorena
), a poor actor and drama teacher very physically similar to Martin, who would replace Pells. Gonzalo, with his new life as Martin discovers that the Pells is a marriage only in front of cameras and the public. He learns that Martin Pells is gay, having a relation with Thomas Andrada (Diego Ramos), son of the owner of the channel, whereas Sol Pells has an affair with Diego Planes (Walter Quiroz
), a Mega News journalist. Over time, Gonzalo falls in love with Sol, but is rejected by her, because of past abuses by Pells.
With the help of Amanda, Gonzalo eventually discovers that his Pells similarity is not accidental, and that they are twins separated at birth. From that point takes more dedication to his role, as he considers its duty to protect the career of his brother while he is in a coma. In particular, he attempts to reverse the image of petty and selfish than others have of Pells in the channel.
Gonzalo Echagüe, in his true self, comes to meet Sol and start a relation with her. At a point of their relation he explains he is required to replace the true Martín Pells, as the true one is in a coma. But Sol does not believe it, and re-think that Martin is mocking her. Further hints of the validity of the story surface later, but Sol still distrusts it due to the absence of solid evidence of Gonzalo's identity or whereabouts of the real Pells.
Meanwhile, Marcela Nuñez obtained the majority of the shares of Mega News channel, becoming their new president. Franco Andrada tries then multiple ill-fated plots to retrieve the shares, including killing her. A new star of the channel, Alex (Andrea Frigerio), loses her pregnancy after being hit by Amanda, who tried to run over Nuñez. Sol, still wary of Martin, says her pregnancy is not his but of Diego planes.
The use of an experimental drug awakes the real Martin Pells, who suffers from partial amnesia: although he remember who he is, what is his work and the people he knows, he can not remember his determination to leave Mega News prior to the accident. He does not return to his role in the newscast; instead, Franco continues to maintain the secrecy hiding him. Gonzalo realizes that the true Pells is awake and find his whereabouts, taking Sol to see him. Thus, he proves her his real identity.
Franco intended to send Tomas and the real Martin to some distant country, while Gonzalo remain with Sun to the public by pretending to be Martin Pells indefinitely. However, Martin falls back into a coma when he saw Gonzalo, characterized as him, in the TV.
Franco forbids Gonzalo to be with Sol or revealing the whole charade, and start several plots to secure his obedience. Gonzalo and Sol turn to Marcela Nuñez, and meet Sol's father. The four of them finally find the whereabouts of Martin Pells and attempt to rescue him, but Martin wakes from the coma and leaves, unaware of the conflict. Martin finally meets Gonzalo and learns the ongoing events, and they trick Franco to confess his crimes with a hidden camera at a bar, which was broadcast live.
Tomas and the real Pells leave to another country, to get married without being followed by the media, while Gonzalo stays in his role in the TV, married to Sol.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
, produced by Underground Producciones and Endemol
Endemol
Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...
, and aired by Telefe
Telefe
Televisión Federal S.A., best known as Telefe and later as TLF, is an Argentine television network. Formerly known as Canal Once , a state-run network, it was privatised and established as Telefe in 1989, when and News Corporation took over the channel...
. It started being aired on November 5, 2008, replacing Vidas Robadas
Vidas robadas
Vidas Robadas was a dramatic telenovela that aired on Telefe since 3 March 2008 to October 29 of that year, with a final broadcast performed at the Opera Theater, and its 134 episodes averaged about 16.0 rtg. It was directed by Miguel Colom...
at 10:30PM. After a pair of schedule changes, it returned to 10:30PM until its end on July 15, 2009.
The story is about a successful couple of TV hosts
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
from a news channel
News broadcasting
News broadcasting is the broadcasting of various news events and other information via television, radio or internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or television studio newsroom, or by a broadcast network...
, Martín Pells (Mike Amigorena
Mike Amigorena
Mike Amigorena is an actor and Argentine television personality.-Life and work:He was born Ricardo Luis Amigorena in Maipú, Mendoza Province, to a Basque Argentine father and an Italian Argentine mother in 1972. Amigorena was especially restless as an adolescent and was expelled from a number of...
) and Sol Casenave (Carla Peterson
Carla Peterson (actress)
Carla Constanza Peterson is an Argentine actress. She was born in Cordoba. She began her career in stage plays. Among others she appeared in Quien es Janet? with Claudia Fontan and Mariana Prömmel. She first appeared on television in 1992 telenovella "Dance Party"...
). In the first episode Martín Pells falls into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
, and the CEO of the channel hires an underground actor, Gonzalo Echague (also by Amigorena), who happens to be extremely similar to Pells, to replace him. Such replacement is done not only for the TV but also with friends and relatives, in order that nobody suspects the absence of the real Pells. Gonzalo, acting as Martin, discovers that Martin and Sol had broken up
Relationship breakup
A relationship breakup, often referred to simply as a breakup, is the termination of a usually intimate relationship by any means other than death. The act is commonly termed "dumping [someone]" in slang when it is initiated by one partner...
long ago and were only acting as a happy couple for the television cameras. In reality, Sol had another lover which she hid from the public, and Martin had a homosexual relationship with the son of the CEO of the channel. Nevertheless, Gonzalo falls in love with Sol, and the main storyline of the soap opera involves his attempts to build a relationship with her.
The production earned 6 Martín Fierro awards for the 2008 year. The format was brought by many other countries which produced their own versions.
In Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, the series has been aired on VBC
Vietnam Multimedia Corporation
Vietnam Multimedia Corporation or Vietnam Television Corporation is a large multimedia corporation in Vietnam. It was founded on February, 1988 by Vietnam Television with the main purpose to construct television stations...
under the name Ông bà Pells (literally: Mr. & Mrs. Pells) from mid 2010.
Design
In the beginning, the provisional name for the series was "El exitoso señor Pells" ("The successful Mr. Pells"), with Mike AmigorenaMike Amigorena
Mike Amigorena is an actor and Argentine television personality.-Life and work:He was born Ricardo Luis Amigorena in Maipú, Mendoza Province, to a Basque Argentine father and an Italian Argentine mother in 1972. Amigorena was especially restless as an adolescent and was expelled from a number of...
as Pells, who was by the time a low-profile actor. Fernán Mirás
Fernán Mirás
Fernán Mirás is an Argentine film and television actor. He is sometimes credited as Fernando Mirás.-Filmography :* Tango feroz * Buenos Aires Vice Versa * Claim...
, Érica Rivas
Érica Rivas
- Career :Rivas was born in Buenos Aires. She achieved public recognition with the series Married with children in which she played Maria Elena Fuseneco.She is married to actor Rodrigo de la Serna, and has a daughter.- Movies :- TV Series :- Theater :...
and Diego Ramos, other actors called, were also of low profile. The only famous actress was Florencia de la V
Florencia De La V
Florencia De La V, previously known as "Florencia de la Vega", was born Roberto Carlos Trinidad on March 2, 1976 in Chaco Province). She is an Argentinian transgender actress and former magazine editor.De La V was the winner of Bailando por un Sueño in 2006 with her professional dance partner,...
, who would have played the villain of the series.
Rivas and Florencia de la V left the production. Rivas had other work offers, and the production was getting delayed a lot. Florencia de la V started to work at Showmatch, a TV show of a competing channel. The role of Florencia was taken by the actress Andrea Bonelli, while the one of Rivas was took by Carla Peterson
Carla Peterson (actress)
Carla Constanza Peterson is an Argentine actress. She was born in Cordoba. She began her career in stage plays. Among others she appeared in Quien es Janet? with Claudia Fontan and Mariana Prömmel. She first appeared on television in 1992 telenovella "Dance Party"...
. Peterson was a high profile actress, who had shortly before played the main role in the successful series Lalola
Lalola
Lalola was an Argentine television Comedy show that aired from 28 August 2007 to 29 April 2008. It was broadcast by TV channel América 2...
. With her incorporation, the name "El exitoso señor Pells" turned into "Los exitosos Pells" (changing from singular to plural).
The name of the main character, Martín Pells, is the result of an internal joke of the production: one of the camera operators was called Martín Pels (with a single "L"), and allowed Ortega to use his name in the scripts. The basic idea of the script, a news program
News program
A news program, news programme, news show, or newscast is a regularly scheduled radio or television program that reports current events. News is typically reported in a series of individual stories that are presented by one or more anchors...
hosted by a couple of married hosts, is freely based over Telenoche
Telenoche
Telenoche is an argentine TV news program. It is broadcasted from Mondays to Fridays at 20:00 and its presented by María Laura Santillán and Santo Biassati. It is one of the oldest News programs in Argentina and the most successful in Buenos Aires....
, a news program of Argentina hosted by decades by César Masceti and Mónica Cahen D'Anvers, and other TV couples as well.
Plot
Martin Pells (Mike AmigorenaMike Amigorena
Mike Amigorena is an actor and Argentine television personality.-Life and work:He was born Ricardo Luis Amigorena in Maipú, Mendoza Province, to a Basque Argentine father and an Italian Argentine mother in 1972. Amigorena was especially restless as an adolescent and was expelled from a number of...
), an arrogant and manipulative man, is the most famous news presenter of the country. He has worked several years in the "Mega News" Channel. Marcela Nunez (Mirta Busnelli
Mirta Busnelli
Mirta Busnelli is an Argentine theatre, film and television actress, best known for her role in Los exitosos Pells.She has a daughter called Ana Pauls, and two sons Nicholas Pauls and Gaston Pauls.-External links:...
), owner of the "M Noticias" (M News) channel, competitor of Mega News, attempts to hire him, and Pells is determined to accept. Martin tells this to the owner of Mega News, Franco Andrada (Hugo Arana
Hugo Arana
Hugo Arana is an Argentinian film, television and theatre actor.Arana grew up in Monte Grande and moved with his family to Lomas de Zamora and then Lanús...
), leading to a heated dispute. In a moment of anger, Franco pushes Martin, who falls backward after hitting his head and was knocked unconscious. Scared and worried, believing that he killed him, he left the situation to his right hand, Amanda Wedell (Andrea Bonelli) and leaves the channel.
Coincidentally, his car runs over Gonzalo Echagüe (Mike Amigorena
Mike Amigorena
Mike Amigorena is an actor and Argentine television personality.-Life and work:He was born Ricardo Luis Amigorena in Maipú, Mendoza Province, to a Basque Argentine father and an Italian Argentine mother in 1972. Amigorena was especially restless as an adolescent and was expelled from a number of...
), a poor actor and drama teacher very physically similar to Martin, who would replace Pells. Gonzalo, with his new life as Martin discovers that the Pells is a marriage only in front of cameras and the public. He learns that Martin Pells is gay, having a relation with Thomas Andrada (Diego Ramos), son of the owner of the channel, whereas Sol Pells has an affair with Diego Planes (Walter Quiroz
Walter Quiroz
Walter Quiroz is an Argentine theatre, television and film actor.-External Links:...
), a Mega News journalist. Over time, Gonzalo falls in love with Sol, but is rejected by her, because of past abuses by Pells.
With the help of Amanda, Gonzalo eventually discovers that his Pells similarity is not accidental, and that they are twins separated at birth. From that point takes more dedication to his role, as he considers its duty to protect the career of his brother while he is in a coma. In particular, he attempts to reverse the image of petty and selfish than others have of Pells in the channel.
Gonzalo Echagüe, in his true self, comes to meet Sol and start a relation with her. At a point of their relation he explains he is required to replace the true Martín Pells, as the true one is in a coma. But Sol does not believe it, and re-think that Martin is mocking her. Further hints of the validity of the story surface later, but Sol still distrusts it due to the absence of solid evidence of Gonzalo's identity or whereabouts of the real Pells.
Meanwhile, Marcela Nuñez obtained the majority of the shares of Mega News channel, becoming their new president. Franco Andrada tries then multiple ill-fated plots to retrieve the shares, including killing her. A new star of the channel, Alex (Andrea Frigerio), loses her pregnancy after being hit by Amanda, who tried to run over Nuñez. Sol, still wary of Martin, says her pregnancy is not his but of Diego planes.
The use of an experimental drug awakes the real Martin Pells, who suffers from partial amnesia: although he remember who he is, what is his work and the people he knows, he can not remember his determination to leave Mega News prior to the accident. He does not return to his role in the newscast; instead, Franco continues to maintain the secrecy hiding him. Gonzalo realizes that the true Pells is awake and find his whereabouts, taking Sol to see him. Thus, he proves her his real identity.
Franco intended to send Tomas and the real Martin to some distant country, while Gonzalo remain with Sun to the public by pretending to be Martin Pells indefinitely. However, Martin falls back into a coma when he saw Gonzalo, characterized as him, in the TV.
Franco forbids Gonzalo to be with Sol or revealing the whole charade, and start several plots to secure his obedience. Gonzalo and Sol turn to Marcela Nuñez, and meet Sol's father. The four of them finally find the whereabouts of Martin Pells and attempt to rescue him, but Martin wakes from the coma and leaves, unaware of the conflict. Martin finally meets Gonzalo and learns the ongoing events, and they trick Franco to confess his crimes with a hidden camera at a bar, which was broadcast live.
Tomas and the real Pells leave to another country, to get married without being followed by the media, while Gonzalo stays in his role in the TV, married to Sol.
Cast
- Mike AmigorenaMike AmigorenaMike Amigorena is an actor and Argentine television personality.-Life and work:He was born Ricardo Luis Amigorena in Maipú, Mendoza Province, to a Basque Argentine father and an Italian Argentine mother in 1972. Amigorena was especially restless as an adolescent and was expelled from a number of...
as Martín Pells and Gonzalo Echagüe - Carla PetersonCarla Peterson (actress)Carla Constanza Peterson is an Argentine actress. She was born in Cordoba. She began her career in stage plays. Among others she appeared in Quien es Janet? with Claudia Fontan and Mariana Prömmel. She first appeared on television in 1992 telenovella "Dance Party"...
as Sol Casenave - Hugo AranaHugo AranaHugo Arana is an Argentinian film, television and theatre actor.Arana grew up in Monte Grande and moved with his family to Lomas de Zamora and then Lanús...
as Franco Andrada - Andrea Bonelli as Amanda Wedell
- Mirta BusnelliMirta BusnelliMirta Busnelli is an Argentine theatre, film and television actress, best known for her role in Los exitosos Pells.She has a daughter called Ana Pauls, and two sons Nicholas Pauls and Gaston Pauls.-External links:...
as Marcela Núñez - Diego Ramos as Tomás Andrada.
- Claudia Fontán as Daniela.
- Lucrecia Blanco as Lily.
- Mex UrtizbereaMex UrtizbereaMex Urtizberea is an Argentine musician, actor, writer, conductor and comedian.In 1980, Mex formed a group called MIA , along with Lito Vitale. Then in 1988, he made his first album with his band La Sonora del Plata...
as Sergio. - Walter QuirozWalter QuirozWalter Quiroz is an Argentine theatre, television and film actor.-External Links:...
as Diego Planes. - Fabián Arenillas as Ricardo.
- Federico Amador as Nacho.
- Diego Reinhold as Charly.
- Gastón Ricaud as Juan.
- Santiago Ríos as Álvaro.
Guest appearances
- Pasta DioguardiPasta DioguardiPasta Dioguardi is an Argentine film and TV actor.He entered film in Las Aventuras de Dios in 2000 with a major role as the protagonist. Then in 2003 he appeared in the acclaimed film El Fondo del Mar working with Daniel Hendler....
as Dr. Carlos Wedell. - María Esquivel as Marina.
- Andrea FrigerioAndrea FrigerioAndrea Luisa Mitchelstein, better known as Andrea Frigerio is an Argentine actress, television presenter and former model.-Career:...
as Alex. - Hilda BernardHilda BernardHilda Sarah Bernard, is a legendary veteran Argentine actress. She has had an extensive career on television, film, stage and radio.- Early career :...
as Teresa. - Rafael Ferro as Esteban Paldini.
- Gonzalo Urtizberea as Lic. Miranda.
- Néstor Sánchez as Dr. Pignata.
- Fabián Vena as Andrés.
- Fernando Peña as Fernando.
- Alejandro AwadaAlejandro AwadaAlejandro Awada is an Argentine character actor.- Filmography :*Bye Bye Life *Ratón Pérez, El *Suspiros del corazón *El Aura *Tigre escondido, El...
as Roberto - Carlos Portaluppi as Jorge Lauda.
- Florencia PeñaFlorencia PeñaMaría Florencia Peña, is an Argentine actress, comedian and TV news presenter. She started in show business when she was four years old with the television program Festilindo...
as Lucia Naba. - Fernán MirásFernán MirásFernán Mirás is an Argentine film and television actor. He is sometimes credited as Fernando Mirás.-Filmography :* Tango feroz * Buenos Aires Vice Versa * Claim...
as Teddy. - Catherine FulopCatherine FulopCatherine Amanda Fulop García is a Venezuelan actress, model and television presenter with both Venezuelan and Argentine citizenship. She participated in the Miss Venezuela 1986, finishing as the fourth runner–up...
as Julia. - Cecilia Rossetto as Virginia.
- Gerardo Chendo as Dr. Gerardo
- David Chocarro as Candidato a jefe de gobierno.