Newly Rich, Newly Poor (2025)

*Newly Rich, Newly Poor (2025)* is Caracol’s latest prime-time drama, launched to kick off the year aiming to lead in the scripted series category. It's a remake of one of the network’s most successful original telenovelas and one of its most iconic comedies. The show premiered during prime time with the hope of continuing Caracol’s strong track record in serialized television.

The remake debuted on February 10, 2025, at 9:30 p.m., earning a solid 8.0 rating—ranking third in nightly viewership and significantly outperforming *La Casa De Los Famosos Colombia 2*, which, despite reaching its peak, garnered only 6.3 points. It improved upon the premiere of its predecessor *Escupiré Sobre Sus Tumbas*, which opened with 7.3 and ended with a final rating of 8.4.

The story begins 30 years earlier in a hospital in a small town called San Francisco, where two women from different families give birth. Due to a grave error, a nurse named Lucero Molina—who shows up to work intoxicated—accidentally swaps the newborns. The Ferreira family ends up raising Andrés Ferreira Mancera, while the Galindo family takes home Brayan Galindo Romero.

The series stars Variel Sánchez, Lina Tejeiro, and Juan Guilera, with Laura Barjum and Ricardo Mejía playing the main antagonists. It is executive produced by Manuel Peñaloza and directed by Rodrigo Triana and Juan Carlos Vásquez. Additionally, actor John Alex Toro returns to play a new character: Brayan’s father.

• The story is very well grounded in its original narrative, while also refreshing elements with modern touches. As a result, it feels like a fresh and contemporary tale, yet it's well-structured and retains the essence of classic telenovelas.
• The performances of Variel Sánchez and Juan Manuel Guilera are impeccable. They took the work of Toro and Karpán and reintroduced it through more modern characters; with the help of the scriptwriters, they have built two characters that embody the stereotypes of a high-stratum Colombian businessman and a lower- or even middle-class individual that many people can relate to. A very well-written story, and even better rewritten.
• The opening scene is very well planned, as it logically explains why this happened (unlike its predecessor). And the progression of the story up to the present moment, using photos, feels both necessary and organic. It’s clear that great care was taken to ensure each moment fits seamlessly and captures the viewer’s attention.
• The balance between drama and humor is incredibly subtle and well handled. On one hand, the humor is thoughtful, well-planned, intelligent, yet universal—far from the crude comedy that many shows attempt nowadays, but also not so niche that it loses its broad appeal. Meanwhile, the drama becomes engaging and very well structured, featuring moments that are entirely serious but end up parodying reality. Clear examples include the sex scenes between the two couples, Andrés's absolute rigidity, or even Brayan’s unique jokes and mannerisms.
• The sound and soundtrack are very well-structured elements that build upon the solid work done in the original version. Personally, I preferred the previous one, but they are almost identical, so it's another success.
• Jhon Alex Toro returns as that connecting factor with the previous version and continues to prove that he is an excellent actor, with a character even more interesting than Leonidas was in the earlier version—Hugo Gómez portrayed that role very well.
• A consistent episode, with emotional highs that doesn’t rush through its story. The audience already knows what happens, so the climax—like in classic telenovelas—is set to unfold at just the right moments, and that’s appreciated. Nowadays, many premiere episodes tend to unload all their firepower right at the very beginning.

**FINAL COMMENT**

*Nuevo Rico Nuevo Pobre* is a good production, with standout actors—some even excellent—supported by characters that were well developed in the past and are now even more nuanced and updated to reflect current realities. While it’s a familiar story that has worked before and includes some very compelling climactic moments, the usual question lingers over the telenovela: was it really necessary? That question perhaps overshadows the solid work that went into this adaptation.

Added to that are a few small issues, such as a somewhat confusing and even mismatched production design, adequate but not exceptional cinematography, and the inevitable comparisons to the original, where in some aspects it remains in its shadow. In conclusion, it’s a very good product. We don’t know if it was completely necessary, but if the story was loved the first time, there’s a good chance it can still be loved today—updated for a new generation. And perhaps that is the heart of continuing to create in an industry that is increasingly distanced from live audiences.