Novelas are a staple in every Brazilian life. In a very unequal country, our telenovelas have always been a social equalizer, reuniting everyone in front of the television (especifically in front of Globo, the channel the monopolizes novela production in the country) and being one of the main topics of conversation Compared to other Latino novelas, Brazilian productions are known to have much bigger production values an more current topics, trying to reflect the reality of the country in present times (in a very filtered way ofc). At the end though, what we really love is a good OTT villain and some good drama. So let's go take a look at some of Brazil's most remembered novelas in the last few decades and see how many you'll recognize.
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Avenida Brasil (2012)
It was the biggest phenomenon Brazilian TV produced in the last few years. The last episode had an 84% share and the novela earned over 1 billion dollars according to Forbes. It has also been sold to over 100 countries. As per Wikipedia,
the plot follows the dramatic story of Rita (Débora Falabella), a sweet young woman who struggles to recover part of the life her ruthless gold digging stepmother, Carminha (Adriana Esteves), took from her when she was only a child (a more detailed plot summary
here).
Why does everyone remembers it? Carminha, the insane OTT villain, played brilliantly by Adriana Esteves, was the true star of the novela, originating 28477727465 gifs and memes. She was so popular, some people didn't even refer to the novela as
Avenida Brasil but as
Carminha (my mom was always like "time to watch Carminha!!"
lmao). But besides Carminha, this novela was lauded for its production which had a more polished, cinematic look and changed forever the way Globo novelas are produced (
Brazilian ONTDers, have you guys watched the trailer for this season of Malhação? Even this has filters and super HD cameras and shit now). It was also one of the first novelas focused entirely on a lower middle-class suburb and on the ascending Brazilian middle class instead of the country's traditional elite. Finally, it had the
catchiest theme song of them all (#OiOiOi) and the
best cliffhangers. Cauã Raymond's hotness was also a bonus (despite his lack of acting skills).
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The rest of the list after the cut
Amor à Vida/Rastros de Mentira (2013)
This novela started out really well before descending into a huge mess. However, it was a very amusing, homo-affective mess so we all loved it, making it a very successful novela. It's about two brothers -- Paloma (Paolla Oliveira) and Felix (Matheus Solano) Khoury -- heirs to a big private hospital. Paloma is the father's favorite kid and was accepted into Medicine school, therefore being the favorite to succeed her father as the head of the clinic. Felix, the oldest son, is the big villain and is a closeted gay man, married to a stylist, who, despite not being a doctor (he studied Admnistration), wants the hospital to himself. Long story short, Paloma, overwhelmed with pressure before starting med school, decides to rebel, run away to Peru with a dirty hippie she falls in love with, gets pregnant, returns to São Paulo, argues with her parents, has the kid in the midst of a dirty bar and pass out. She is found by Felix who kidnaps the newborn and leaves her in a dumpster. And that's only the first episode. A more detailed plot summary can be found
hereand a trailer which I can't embed is
here.
Why does everyone remembers it? Because the story started out action-paced and cohese before descending into a huge mess that made absolutely no sense. However, the closeted gay vilain, Felix, became a huge phenomenon and actor who played him, Matheus Solano, is simply brillant and delievered the best reactions and oneliners. Despite kidnapping his sister's baby and leaving her in a dumpster, he was so beloved by the audience he went from villain to main character and the last scene of the last episode was focused on him, showing him happilly ever after with his lover in
a scene that entered history for being the first gay kiss in a Brazilian telenovela (and it was amazing. When they kissed, people in my neighborhood cheered as if Brazil had scored a goal in the World Cup). This novela was also graced by the presence of Suzana Vieira, Brazil's biggest icon and star,
beloved by 130 million Brazilians and powerful as God himself, who is also Brazil's own
elusive chanteuse with a massive signing career and
vocal chops that can rival Celine Dion (but seriously, her characters always
slay). SUZANA I LOVE YOU, STAY IN BRAZIL!!!!
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Senhora do Destino (2004-2005)
LMAO @ the English narration/dub in this trailer tbqh
As per Wikipedia, a story about people who succeed in life thanks to nothing but their own efforts. Maria do Carmo is the main character of the telenovela; a mother of five who struggle to be successful in life, but whose most important will be recovering the love of her daughter who was kidnapped when she was just months old.
Why does everyone remembers it? It stars the aforementioned queen of Brazil and elusive chanteuse, Suzana Vieira, but, besides that, it is also eternally remembered for the same reason as AvB and Amor a Vida: an iconic villain, Nazaré Tedesco, played by Renata Sorrah. Like Felix and Carminha before her, she had the best oneliners and reactions that became eternal memes on Brazilian internet. And, while people always points out to Avenida Brasil as the first novela that focused entirely on Rio's lower-middle class suburbs and ascending working class, Senhora do Destion was actually the first novela focused on the "classe C" and set in Rio de Janeiro's Baixada Fluminense. Personally, I also remember Senhora do Destino because I was thirsty for Dado Dolabella back then, which will eternally be a source of shame for me.
O Clone (2001)
Those English-dubbed trailers are such a mess omg
I can hear all Latinos ONTDers shouting YAAAAASSSS. "O Clone" was huge all over South America and it even got a Miami-produced remake recently. In Brazil, the novela caused an impression right from the beginning because it started airing only 3 weeks after 9/11 and the main character was a Muslim girl.
OK, so onto the (very long) Wikipedia summary: Jade (Giovanna Antonelli), a young Muslim girl is orphaned when her mother dies and has to go to Morocco where her uncle Alí lives. The problem is that Jade was living in Brazil, a country with a culture very different from that of an Islamic country. Thus, once she arrives in Morocco, she must learn all concomitant new traditions and customs, adjust to her new way of living, and face all the punishments she will be exposed to because of her conflicting personality and actions that go against her religion. Back in Rio, a well-off family, the Ferraz, go to vacation in Morocco. Twin brothers Lucas and Diogo Ferraz (Murilo Benício), along with Leônidas (Reginaldo Faria), their father, and doctor Augusto Albieri (Juca de Oliveira), friend of the family and genetics scientist, visit Alí, a friend of Albieri's. There, Lucas and Jade meet for the first time, and they fall in love at first sight. Jade, knowing it's haraam (a sin) to love Lucas, decides to forgo her religious mandates for the sake of love, which prohibit her from marrying a non-religious person. In desperation, Jade and Lucas resolve to run away to Brazil. Meanwhile, in Rio, Diogo tragically dies in a helicopter crash. Both Lucas and Leônidas are devastated by the news and Lucas' plans of running away with Jade are subsequently ruined. Albieri, his godparent, is shattered and becomes deeply despondent. He never recovered fully from the death of his fiancée, and Diogo's death reinvigorates his distress.In an effort to change the natural course of events, Albieri in his despair resolves to utilize Lucas' cell in order to make the first human clone. Deusa (Adriana Lessa), a low-middle class woman who has not been able to get pregnant, is subsequently inseminated with Lucas' cell, and as a result gives birth to a baby, not knowing that it is a clone.
Why does everyone remembers it? All themes in the novela -- Muslims; Morocco; human clones -- were very exotic for Brazilian audiences back then so it caused an impression right from the beginning. It's unusual for a novela's romantic couple to become hugely popular (people usually focus on the villain), but everyone went crazy over Jade and Lucas. Jade's Morocco-inspired make-up and jewelry became a huge craze in Brazil and everyone wanted to belly dance and was using Moroccan slangs (vai arder no marmore do inferno!/Inshala!). The soundtrack was also super catchy. As usual in Brazilian novelas, it had iconic secondary characters such as Dona Jura (não é brinquedo não!), owner of the neighborhood food stall, and Mel, the poor rich girl who develops a huge drug addiction that takes her to the pits of hell. The drug addiction storyline was huge and considered super progressive at the time but, looking back, it 's one of the most OTT storylines in the history of Brazilian novelas (and that's saying something). Actually, looking back, this whole novela was a huge mess and, even back then, my 10 year old self thought it was super weird how characters moved between Rio de Janeiro and Morocco in the blink of an eye, as if they were in neighboring regions or something.
Celebridade (2003-2004)
The plot revolves around the rivalry between two women: successful businesswoman and former model Maria Clara Diniz, owner of Mello Diniz event producing company, and the envious Laura Prudente da Costa, which gets close to Maria Clara claiming to be her greatest fan and gets a job in her company.In fact, Laura is an imposter who wants not only to take everything from the other woman, but become a new Maria Clara. In the plot, the reason for Laura's hatred of Maria Clara is that she (Laura) is the daughter of the true muse who inspired the song that made Maria Clara a rich and famous woman, while she and her mother suffered a miserable life. Maria Clara, however, always believed that the song had been composed by her ex-boyfriend Wagner in her honor. To carry out the plan to destroy her rival, Laura enlists the help of Marcos, her lover and accomplice. They begin to work for Maria Clara respectively as an assistant and a driver, and slowly infiltrate themselves into her life.
Why does everyone remembers it? OK, truth be told, this novela was huge back in 2004 but it's not
that iconic. But I remember clearly everyone at my 7th grade class going crazy the day after
Maria Clara beats up Laura. It was
sooo satisfactory for everyone. As usual, Laura, the villain, was the character people watched the novela for. Also, everyone went crazy over the
whodunit mystery (Quem Matou Lineu?) which ended up having a flop reveal (as usual). Marcio Garcia was super hot in this novela and Theo Becker (lmao) had his chance as a Globo novela star (it didn't work out for him).
O Rei do Gado (1996-1997)
A novela about a simple, but very wealthy man, Bruno (Antonio Fagundes), son of Italian immigrants and huge landowner. He falls in love with Luana (Patricia Pillar), a rural worker with a mysterious past.
Why does everyone remembers it? This novela was a huge phenomenon by showing Brazilian's countryside and lifestyle. It discussed huge political issues across the country -- Movimento Sem Terra; Reforma Agrária; the situation of rural workers/bóia frias -- and was very left-leaning political-wise, something that is difficult to imagine on primetime nowadays. The soundtrack was absolutely huge, everyone bought it and it was the best-selling soundtrack in Brazil's history.
Honorable mentions
My list is very biased because I am a 90s kid and, so, I listed the ones I remembered better. But there are some classical Brazilian telenovelas that are always pointed out when people discuss the best novelas of all time: Roque Santeiro (1985); Vale Tudo (1988)and Tieta (1989).
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Roque Santeiro is the only program on Brazilian television that achieved a ratings' share of 100%. Writen by Dias Gomes, considered one of Brazil's most brilliant playwriters and a definitive figure in shaping Brazil's TV fiction, it was initially barred by the generals during Brazil's dictatorship before being made in 1985 and becoming the most watched telenovela in the country's history. Roque Santeiro is set in the humble fictional town of Asa Branca, located in Brazil's poorest region, the Northeast. In the city, which serves as a microcosm of Brazil as a whole, Roque Santeiro is worshipped as a saint after supposedly being murdered by a criminal while protecting the local church. No one has benefited of Roque's saintship more than millionaire and powerful landowner Sinhozinho Malta and mayor Florindo, which uses his figure to control the population. They even convinced a local women, Porcina, to pretend to be his widow. However,what no one expects is that Roque is actually alive and, after 18 years, he finally returns. Now, Asa Branca's powerful elite will have to explain what's going on to the city's population. Meanwhile, mysterious things are happening around Asa Branca such as a warewolf appearance; a film crew trying to shoot a movie about Roque's life story and a few odd violent murders.
Vale Tudo (or Anything Goes in English) was aired in 1988, when Brazil, still trying to recover from the Dictatorship, was in the midst of huge political instability, with skyhigh inflation and record unemployment rates. It is considered one of the best novelas of all time and is praised for its realistic and critical portrayal of the country in the late 80s. The novela, which criticized and satirized the country's ambiguous morals and widespread corruption, focused on Raquel (played by Regina Duarte), an honest, hard-working woman, and her social climbing daughter, Maria de Fatima (Glória Pires), who was willing to do anything to climb the social ladder. In its final chapters, one of the novela's big villains, Odete Roitman, is misteriously killed. "Quem Matou Odete Roitman?" (Who Killed Odete Roitman?) was a milestone in Brazilian television and is still considered one of the biggest whodunit mysteries in Brazil's fiction.
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Tieta is about Tieta (duh), a modern young women who liberal ways gets her thrown out of her house and humilliated in her ultra conservative town of Santana do Agreste, in Brazil's northeastern. She comes back 25 years later as a gorgeous millionaire, ready to get revenge on her family and to shock the close-minded small city with her ~harlot ways. Inspired by the work of Jorge Amado, it was Brazil's second most-watched novela and starred Betty Faria in the title role.
All the novelas I mentioned were
novela das 8/novela das 9, novelas aired on the 8/9 P.M. central slot. However, there are quite a few iconic novelas from other slots
such as
Mulheres de Areia (1993; rival twin sisters played by Glória Pires fight for the love of the same man);
Vamp (
Twilight HEW?! Vampires were all the rage in Brazil in 1991);
O Beijo do Vampiro (2002. Also about vampires. Every tween girl back then had a crush on its lead, Kayky Brito, and the
theme song was super catchy);
A Viagem (1994. It helped make
espiritismo mainstream and a theme that, even now, after the growth of religious intolerance/the Evangelical right-wing in the country, is still heavily present at Globo's early evening novelas);
O Cravo e a Rosa (2000. Cute historial romcom);
Uga Uga (2000. Nonsensical but amazing soap full of hot men and women's tits and bare butts back when you could show that at 7 PM) and
Cheias de Charme (2012. For the first time, maids -- so present in Brazilian society but always treated as secondary characters in soaps -- were at there forefront. In this cute novelas, a group of three maids are tired of being exploited by their insane bosses, become a pop trio,
Empreguetes). Not to forget our AMAZING mini-series (erotic and twisted
A Presença de Anita is THE BEST ONE EVER!!! but historical
A Casa das 7 Mulheres also drove everyone's crazy) and the two sole non-Globo novelas that were huge, erotic
Xica da Silva (which introduced gorgeous Thaís de Araujo and was the first novela with a POC lead) and
Pantanal (I refuse to acknowledge
Mutantes tbqh).
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So ONTD, have you ever watched Brazilian novelas? Which ones are your fave? Brazilians ONTDers, do you still watch Globo's novelas or are they a thing of the past? Oh, and show us your best Felix/Carminha gifs!!
