After 12 months of buzz, Hispanic fans of AMC’s now-concluded Breaking Bad can follow the adventures of one "Walter Blanco," a Colombian high-school chemistry teacher who turns to methamphetamine production with former student José Miguel in order to ensure that his pregnant wife and disabled son are well provided for after he perishes from terminal cancer.
Sound familiar?
Metástasis, the Colombian adaptation of AMC’s blockbuster Breaking Bad, enjoyed a grand premiere on June 8 at 10 p.m., with concurrent airings on UniMás, Univision, and pay TV sibling Galavisión. It is now airing exclusively in the time slot on UniMás.
Metástasis features Colombian actor Diego Trujillo as Walter, looking remarkably like Bryan Cranston as Walter White in the original English-language production. The show also features Roberto Urbina as José Miguel (Jesse Pinkston, played by Aaron Paul in the original English-language series); Sandra Reyes as Walter’s wife, Cielo (Skyler, played by Anna Gunn); and Julián Arango as Henry Navarro (aka Hank Schrader, played by Dean Norris).
This homage to Breaking Bad is reportedly a scene-by-scene recreation, with very minor tweaks of the AMC series that concluded last year.
Would Latinos tune to a show many have likely already seen in English?
Univision was quick to say yes. The show’s three-network debut attracted an average 2.1 million total viewers 2-plus and 1.2 million adults aged 18-49. That translates to 3.4 million total viewers 2-plus who tuned in to all or part of the special broadcast.
By comparison, the finale of Univision telenovela La Viuda Negra -- also shown simultaneously on Univision, UniMás and Galavisión -- was watched at some point during its 8 to 10 p.m. airing by 4.6 million total viewers 2-plus.
This story was updated on June 20 to change references to the production to Colombian from Mexican.
