Honestly, the TV landscape is crowded. Too crowded. You’ve got dragons, high-stakes corporate backstabbing, and enough true crime to make you never want to leave your house again. But tucked away in the Hulu library—sandwiched between the heavy hitters—was a show called This Fool.
It’s the kind of show that feels like a secret handshake. If you know, you know.
Created by Chris Estrada, Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, and Jake Weisman, the series is a masterclass in what happens when you stop trying to make "prestige TV" and just try to make something funny and real. It’s set in South Central Los Angeles. Not the Hollywood version of South Central with constant sirens and filtered gloom, but the real one. The one with palm trees, neighborhood bickering, and incredible food.
The Cousin Dynamic You Didn't Know You Needed
At the heart of This Fool is Julio Lopez, played by Estrada himself. Julio is thirty. He still lives at home. He’s the kind of guy who overthinks his pour-over coffee and works at a non-profit called "Hugs Not Thugs."
He's a "nice guy" in the most exhausting sense of the word.
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Then there’s Luis. Frankie Quiñones plays Julio’s cousin, who just got out of prison after a ten-year stint. Luis is a whirlwind of chaos. He’s loud, he’s old-school, and he thinks Julio is a massive wimp. The show basically functions as an odd-couple comedy, but it skips the tired tropes.
Luis isn't just a "thug" trying to go straight. He’s a middle-aged man trying to figure out why the world changed while he was away.
Julio isn't just a saint. He's actually kind of a jerk. He’s judgmental, passive-aggressive, and incredibly repressed. Watching these two bash heads while living under the same roof with their mother (Laura Patalano) and grandmother (Julia Vera) is where the magic happens.
Why This Fool Hit Different
Most shows about working-class Latino families feel like they’re trying to teach you a lesson. They want to "represent."
Chris Estrada didn't want to do that.
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He’s gone on record saying he rejected the "burden of representation." He just wanted to write about the weirdos he grew up with. That’s why the show works. It’s specific. It doesn't care if you don't get the slang or the very specific Catholic imagery in the background. It assumes you’re smart enough to keep up.
Take Michael Imperioli’s character, Minister Payne. Yes, that Michael Imperioli from The Sopranos. He plays the head of the rehab center, and he is a comedic revelation. He’s a foul-mouthed, cynical visionary who thinks cupcakes are the key to stopping recidivism.
"People love buying cupcakes from ex-gang members," he deadpans. It’s ridiculous. It’s perfect.
The Tragedy of the 20-Episode Limit
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. This Fool was cancelled.
Hulu pulled the plug in February 2024 after just two seasons. Totaling only 20 episodes. It’s a gut-punch for anyone who actually watched it. The critics loved it—we’re talking 100% on Rotten Tomatoes for the first season. But in the era of "the algorithm," sometimes being the funniest show on TV isn't enough if people don't click fast enough in the first 48 hours.
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The second season actually got weirder and better.
They moved out of the non-profit and into a garage. They started a new business called "Mugs Not Thugs." They had an entire episode about a hostage situation in a bodega where the family eventually shows up just to watch the drama unfold because they're bored. It was cinematic, surreal, and deeply human.
The Real South Central
One thing most people get wrong about This Fool is thinking it’s a "gang show." It’s not. It’s a show about the aftermath. It’s about what happens when the "lifestyle" is over and you’re just a guy in his 40s who needs a job as a security guard.
It also captures the multiracial reality of LA better than almost anything else. You see Black and Latino neighbors living side-by-side, sharing the same struggles and the same jokes. It’s not a political statement; it’s just how the neighborhood looks.
What You Should Do Now
If you haven't seen it, you’re lucky. You have 20 episodes of pure gold waiting for you on Hulu.
Stop scrolling past it.
Here is the move:
- Watch the first three episodes. The pilot is good, but the rhythm really kicks in by episode three.
- Pay attention to the soundtrack. It’s a mix of oldies, punk, and Mexican regional music that gives the show a pulse most comedies lack.
- Appreciate the "Lawyer Hands." It’s a running joke about Julio’s soft, unworked hands that perfectly encapsulates the class tensions within the family.
Don't wait for a Season 3 that isn't coming. Support the creators by watching what’s there. Chris Estrada and the crew from Corporate (another underrated gem) made something that actually feels like Los Angeles. In a world of "content," This Fool was actually a show.
The best way to experience it is to just dive in. No expectations. Just two cousins, a bunch of cupcakes, and a lot of very funny mistakes.