The Iconic Chilean Puppet News Show with Witty Humor and Addictive Tunes for Adults and Kids Alike

What:

What if The Muppets made 60 Minutes? By my approximation, the result would be the spectacular 31 Minutos from Chile, one of Latin America’s celebrated shows of all time.

Put simply, 31 Minutos is a puppet television show that parodies daily news broadcast programs using absurd, satirical humor. The news desk is hosted by Tulio Triviño, a striped, sometimes air-headed chimpanzee. His best friend Juan Carlos Bodoque, a red rabbit with passions for protecting the environment and gambling on horse races, anchors the program as the show’s star journalist.

Holding the production together is Juanín Juan Harry, the fluffy white show producer nobly dedicated to his craft. Hundreds of other amazing puppets like these characters work in the background and participate in news segments.

The episodes feature a few skits before closing with three original songs currently topping the puppet charts brought you to Policarpo Avendaño, a sort of tube-like creature in a suit.

It all sounds so wacky, but it’s oh. so. good.

Why:

It’s hard to describe just how unique this show is. The humor is absurdist and witty while appealing to both adults and kids. You know immediately within the first five minutes of watching that you’re viewing something special, something very unique in the media zeitgeist.

The show eventually made a movie (31 Minutos, La Película) in 2008, which is available for free on the 31 Minutes Youtube channel. Plus, Amazon Prime Video released a teaser trailer for a sequel in November 2025, so you have even more puppet hilarity in store if you like this show. Don’t miss out on the 31 Minutos NPR Tiny Desk Concert either.

I highly recommend 31 Minutos for any intermediate learner.

How:

31 Minutos has four seasons with 68 total episodes (30 minutes each) available via the 31 Minutos Youtube channel.

The first few episodes include a recorded puppet show in front of children by Los Títeres — I recommend skipping these segments as the show later discontinues them.