The stop-motion animated series “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads” is the first Spanish-language original from storied programming bloc Adult Swim, the Cartoon Network imprint that’s home to “Rick and Morty” and “Common Side Effects.” That’s objectively a milestone, though hardly what makes this dramatically stylish show about lesbian love affairs and guinea pig welfare feel so unique. To the extent “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads” has any kind of precedent in popular culture, it’s the work of comedian Julio Torres, whose HBO series “Los Espookys” and “Fantasmas” feature a similar blend of surreal humor, visual exuberance and Latin American influence. (There’s some creative overlap; multihyphenate River Ramirez, a cast member in both Torres shows, is a credited writer on “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads.”) The Henry-Selick-by-way-of-Almodóvar animation puts “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads” firmly in its own lane; it’s just encouraging to watch a niche expand while doing so on its own terms.
Author: Alisoncolleherman
Published at: 2025-08-17 22:00:00
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