Two shows I’ve been looking forward to as we head into the midseason are Superstore and Telenovela, both coming to NBC. Superstore and Telenovela are both new additions to the increased visibility of Latinos, specifically Latina lead characters, on television, which is important in its own right, and also, just as a fan, I want to see what kind of characters America Ferrera and Eva Longoria are playing this time around. Thankfully, we’ll all get to see what we’re in for when both shows preview after The Voice late November and early December. 

There are tons of details, but why don’t I just let the press release speak for itself:

NBC will ring in the New Year with the launch of two of its highest profile comedies on Monday, Jan. 4, but viewers will get an early look at both “Superstore” and “Telenovela” with sneak previews for two consecutive Mondays in late November and early December behind live episodes of “The Voice.”

On Monday, Nov. 30, two original episodes of the ensemble workplace comedy “Superstore,” starring Emmy winner America Ferrera, will air back-to-back from 10-11 p.m. ET following the two-hour telecast of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning musical competition “The Voice.” Back-to-back episodes of the behind-the-scenes comedy “Telenovela,” featuring Eva Longoria as the star of a hit Spanish soap opera, will air Dec. 7 from 10-11 p.m. following the penultimate Monday telecast of “The Voice.” Both series will then make their official launches on Monday, Jan. 4 with “Superstore” premiering at 8 p.m. and “Telenovela” at 8:30 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 30
8-10 p.m.     “The Voice”
10-11 p.m.   ”Superstore” preview

Monday, Dec. 7
8-10 p.m.     ”The Voice”
10-11 p.m.   ”Telenovela” preview

Monday, Jan. 4

8:00 p.m.      ”Superstore”
8:30 p.m.      ”Telenovela”

If I’m being honest, the one show I’m really looking forward to the most out of the two is Telenovela. At one point, it seemed the show’s name had been changed to Hot and Bothered, but I’m glad it’s been changed back, since Hot in Bothered sounds like Hot in Cleveland, and this show might be about middle-aged people, but it’s certainly not about hot flashes, which is what I think of when I hear “hot and bothered.” I’ve always been intrigued by telenovelas, and I think I’ll be even more intrigued by a show that plans on giving us the telenovela behind the telenovela.  Some pictures from the series are in the gallery below.

Here’s more on both shows so you can make your own decisions.

 

“SUPERSTORE”
America Ferrera (“Ugly Betty”) and Ben Feldman (“Mad Men,” “A to Z”) star in the hilarious workplace comedy “Superstore” (from the producer of “The Office”) about a unique family of employees at a super-sized megastore. “Superstore” centers around Amy (Ferrera), the store’s most stalwart employee as well as the glue holding the place together, and newly hired Jonah (Feldman), a naive dreamer determined to prove work doesn’t have to be boring. Their fellow associates include the sardonic Garrett (Colton Dunn, “Key and Peele”) the ambitious Mateo (Nico Santos, “Mulaney”) and the sweet pregnant teenager, Cheyenne (Nichole Bloom, “Shameless”). Overseeing them all are Glenn (Mark McKinney, “Kids in the Hall”) the store’s affable, clueless store manager, and Dina (Lauren Ash, “Super Fun Night”), the aggressive assistant manager who lives by a very specific code — namely the store’s employee handbook.

From the bright-eyed newbies and the seen-it-all veterans to the clueless summer hires and the in-it-for-life managers, together they hilariously tackle the day-to-day grind of rabid bargain hunters, riot-causing sales and nap-worthy training sessions.

“Superstore” was created and written by Justin Spitzer (“The Office”), who also serves as an executive producer with director Ruben Fleischer (“Gangster Squad”), David Bernad (“Enlightened”) and Gabe Miller & Jonathan Green (“The Office”). “Superstore” is produced by Universal Television, Angry Stickman Productions and The District.

“TELENOVELA”
Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”) stars in this big, fun and flashy half-hour comedy as Ana Sofia, the star of a popular Spanish language soap opera.  One problem, she doesn’t speak any Spanish. Other problems? Ana must manage a new boss, jealous castmates and high-maintenance best friends — and that’s all before her ex-husband is hired as her new on-screen love interest. Just like a real telenovela, this comedy is full of all kinds of drama, including love, hate, life and even death! Despite all the chaos, this telenovela’s cast and crew is a family … or, at least, they try to be.

The cast includes Jencarlos Canela, Diana Maria Riva, Jose Moreno Brooks, Alex Meneses, Amaury Nolasco, Jadyn Douglas, and Izzy Diaz.

Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein serve as writers and executive producers. Eva Longoria, Ben Spector, Josh Bycel and Jonathan Fener also executive produce. “Telenovela” is produced by Universal Television, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, and Tall and Short Productions.

What do we think? Give your opinions below!

TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Eva Longoria as Ana Sofia — (Photo by: Nino Munoz/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Jencarlos Canela as Xavier — (Photo by: Nino Munoz/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Alex Meneses as Isabela — (Photo by: John Tsiavis/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Amaury Nolasco as Rodrigo — (Photo by: John Tsiavis/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Diana Maria Riva as Mimi — (Photo by: John Tsiavis/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Eva Longoria as Ana Sofia — (Photo by: John Tsiavis/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Izzy Diaz as Isaac — (Photo by: John Tsiavis/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Jadyn Douglas as Roxie — (Photo by: John Tsiavis/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Season: 1 — Pictured: Jose Moreno Brooks as Gael — (Photo by: John Tsiavis/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Pilot — Pictured: (l-r) Jencarlos Canela as Xavier Antonio Castillo, Eva Longoria as Ana Sofia Calderon — (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)
TELENOVELA — “Pilot” — Pictured: (l-r) Jencarlos Canela as Camilo Amante de la Rosa, Eva Longoria as Pasion Bustamante, Jose Moreno Brooks as Cesar Rojo Roberto Ramirez Ruiz Casagrande — (Photo by: Danny Feld/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Pilot — Pictured: (l-r) Eva Longoria as Ana Sofia Calderon, Diana Maria Riva as Mimi — (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)
TELENOVELA — “Pilot” — Pictured: Eva Longoria as Ana Sofia Calderon — (Photo by: Danny Feld/NBC)
TELENOVELA — Pictured: “Telenovela” Key Art — (Photo by: NBCUniversal)
TELENOVELA — Season 1 — Pictured: (l-r) Amaury Nolasco as Rodrigo Suarez, Alex Meneses as Isabela Santamaria, Jadyn Douglas as Roxie Rios, Jose Moreno Brooks as Gael Garnica, Eva Longoria as Ana Sofia Calderon, Jencarlos Canela as Xavier Castillo, Diana Maria Riva as Mimi Moncada, Juan Carlos Cantu as Gustavo — (Photo by: Ben Cohen/NBC)

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Telenovela key art: NBCUniversal