“There has always been a great love for Cuesco in my family,” says the patriarch of the Pombo family. “But you have to know how to do it,” says the matriarch. The confession is relevant because in the previous scene the couple is lying in bed, one of their sons-in-law appears, massages his father-in-law’s stomach and he rewards him with several gusts of wind. The son-in-law bursts out laughing, and his wife’s parents burst out laughing too, because that’s how good families spend their summers, together and with everything they share. Even the farts.
The eschatological thing ends here, because everything smells very good in the rest of the episode of Pombo (on Amazon Prime Video). The three sisters, influencers by the work and grace of God, are so well known that in their presentation they confirm things that those of us who have been observing distinguished people for years already know, just as others do with birds. They refer to themselves as “girls” even though they have been allowed to vote for years and deliberately use old expressions. “She has her character, she has her impositions and even Peter doesn’t go there,” says Marta about the eldest of her sisters, Lucía, who, in addition to her influence, also works as a commercial pilot.
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Marta and María are content generators, entrepreneurs because being self-employed is bad. They are money machines. But in this first chapter of the series, the fascination comes from them. The Pombo. The father of children and political children. Wonderful.
The father, owner of a restaurant near the Santiago Bernabéu, is a handsome man with a lot of pride and a curvy figure with grace. These can be found in many corners of Madrid. If you don’t have one around, I recommend getting out of the bubble because then surprises will come. He is a fascinating creature who, when speaking about his family, says that his love is “so frightening that it must be of divine origin.” It always happens to them, there is a tendency towards humanization based on eschatology and tacos so as not to fall into terrible kitsch. Good for him.
Poster for the documentary series “Pombo”.
From the beginning it becomes clear what backbone she has. They are “a normal and ordinary family that is becoming more abnormal and unusual every day.” A normal, ordinary family consists of a group of daughters for the demographic winter in which we live, to which they have added a fourth, Gabriela , the daughter of Marcia, the lady who worked in your house for many years and whom you love “like one more”. Gabriela jokes that they call her “Empaniela” because she is quite absent-minded at home. Next, you need to explain what is the result of the sum of empanada and its name. That not everything is recognized the first time.
A normal, ordinary family also consists of predominant pastel colors in the house and cream-colored sofas that do not clean anyone who sits on them. You don’t use slang for the demands my mother placed on fabrics: they had to be “durable” and machine washable.
The setting chosen for this first chapter is Almería. Especially Agua Amarga, where the Pombo family has one of their residences and where Mar Segura, my favorite character in the divine reality show “Rich Women”, broadcast by Sexta in 2010, also comes from. There’s a scene around a lunch where we check out another mastery of wealthy families: nicknames. Pituco and Sito speak several times in this fascinating first 45 minutes of the reality show. Then there is the classic shortening of first names. “Lu” is Lucia and so on. All family members call the father “Papa”, just as they called another dad and nothing happened, Spain remains unbroken.
Pablo Castellano and María Pongo, June 2020. Francisco Guerra (Europa Press)
Canalillos and sincerity murders
The Pombo consorts appear at this table. There is Pablo, María’s husband, who looks as if he is fed up with those present, including himself. He speaks reluctantly, admits that he is under a lot of stress and denies the etiquette that the Pombos have given him accuse of laziness. He wears his shirt open almost to the navel like Jennifer Lopez’s Versace, but instead of a vest he wears a silver chain with a huge cross. Good for Pablo and his principles.
There is Álvaro, the one from the eschatological opening scene, who is the funny one among all the groups of friends and relatives, who has to be given limits from time to time because he gets tired. The boy is the best among his listeners because before people laugh, he does it and is happy to show his kindness. There is a scene where he sits with his wife and leans back eagerly. His wife makes his posture ugly because, pay attention, you can see “his nostrils.” “I’m home, relax; “You are tense, this is not an interview for KPMG.” Good for Álvaro and his references, which come from many people in his contact list.
María Pombo, Marta Pombo and Pablo Castellanos pose for photographers on the red carpet of the Latin Grammys in Seville. Jorge Zapata (EFE)
And there is Luis, whose last name is Zamalloa. The one who is called “Zama” in the family because his wife Marta previously had another husband, also named Luis, and this coincidence is very unpleasant. His attitude makes him uncomfortable since he is the last to arrive in this clan. His wife treats herself – and includes him in the package – to a ride on the beach because she was born on a horse and it seems like a romantic plan to her, but he just wants it. She asks him for loving words and it occurs to him: “I have crocheted nipples.” Good for Luis and his honest murder.
It is a pleasure to visit the city. “We like to say hello to it in the store… it’s very special,” says one of the sisters. María uses the endearing aperitif to confess to Papín that she tattooed the initials of her children’s names because her father “has a trauma with tattoos and colored nails.” To offset the hot flashes, they go to the beach, where Gabriela sings and plays the ukulele while sunbathing with a towel bag advertised by Baqueira Beret. Good for them and their stereotypes, which are also ours.
The final fireworks display is the moment when they all silently hug an ancient olive tree with their eyes closed, as is tradition every summer – like farts – to say thank you.
So thank you very much to you.
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