Adult Swim’s Claymation Stop Motion Show About Guinea Pigs in Ecuador Tells One of the Most Unique Stories You’ll Ever See

What:

Do I recommend this show? Heck yes.

Can I adequately describe it to you? … Maybe.

Set in the 1980’s, a wealthy Spanish woman named Marioneta Negocios arrives in Quito, Ecuador. Her mission is simple — transform guinea pigs, which grow to the size of livestock in this world and are used for such purposes, from society’s source of sustenance into cuddly pets.

She soon encounters both enemies and allies in her quest. Notably, she becomes entangled with Doña Quispe, the cutthroat owner of several guinea pig butcher shops, though Marioneta finds an ally in Nina Quispe, Doña Quispe’s own daughter and passionate advocate for guinea pig rights.

Further complicating the situation is Marioneta’s love affair with Espada Muleta, a guinea pig matador whose perspective on the beasts changes with the development of the relationship. Last but not least is Coquita Buenasuerte, Marioneta’s diligent but exceedingly nosy personal assistant.

Interested yet?

Why:

It’s clear this series holds a lot of love for Ecuador. The show is produced in Mexico, however, creator Gonzalo Córdova drew inspiration from his childhood memories living in Ecuador to construct this colorful world.

The most similar work I can compare this to is Isle for Dogs by Wes Anderson. The show feels like Anderson’s trademark mix of dry absurdity, offbeat comedy, and (slightly) dysfunctional relationships. The joke writing is sharp with some hilariously unexpected quips and absurd visual gags (see the dancing ducks below).

In terms of animation, the most direct comparisons are Adult Swim’s other stop motion shows like Robot Chicken and Moral Orel.

Altogether, It’s a fantastic combination that I didn’t realize I needed in my life before seeing the show. I highly recommend it for any upper-intermediate or advanced learner.

How:

Mujeres con Hombreras has one season with 8 episodes (11 minutes each) available via Max from the United States.