Aired: 2000-2002 Showtime 
DAD: Roberto Santiago (Tony Plana) / Widower
DAD’S JOB: Auto Mechanic
KIDS: Miguel (Mauricio Mendoza), Carlos (Michael DeLorenzo), Alex (Nicholas Gonzales), Yolanda (Ruth Livier), Victoria (Marisol Nichols)
WHERE’S MOM?: Dead, recently.
STAND-IN “MOM”: Bibi (Elizabeth Peña) / Sister-in-Law.
It’s Rocky in spirit – – but it’s a whole new take. This was a latino show that wasn’t on PBS and wasn’t composed of a bunch of stereotypes of illegal immigrants and dope dealers with tricked-out cars.
Auto mechanic and papá soltero Roberto has his hands full – he’s got six kids between adolescence and full adulthood, and one of them has all the makings of a sports superstar. Young Carlos is an up-and-coming boxer who could be the next Oscar de la Hoya, IF he and his dad play their cards right. The show focuses on the dreams of parents for their children, the painful choices made between friends and fame, and the importance of family to make it through the worst in life.
This show was going to try and do for Showtime’s ratings what The Sopranos did for HBO – – and, in the process, make it clear that latino-based shows were a rich, untapped source of great storylines. It didn’t make The Sopranos-level of popularity, but it was a key part of Showtime’s original programming during the 00’s.