The Portuguese Kids are getting their own TV series. When and where to watch

FALL RIVER — Celebrating 20 years of leaving people in stitches with their sold-out shows and viral videos, The Portuguese Kids are about to bring their humorous portrayals of growing up first generation Portuguese-American to their biggest audience yet – up to 20-plus million homes across the globe and millions of other viewers via their mobile devices.

Founded by Fall River natives Brian Martins and Derrick DeMelo, the mixed improv comedy group has stricken a first-of-a-kind deal with Portugal’s RTP International broadcasting service and their new TV series ‘Portuguese Problems’ will be broadcast worldwide starting Monday, March 18.

“It’s really something new and creative,” said DeMelo. “We wanted to try something different and do something we never did before. But at the same time, we wanted to stay true to our comedy because our fans know what to expect from us. So, we did that but on a much bigger, more creative scale.”

Maria Lawton cooks up top honor from Taste Awards with ‘Maria’s Portuguese Table’ series

What is The Portuguese Kids new TV show about?

The six-episode series highlighting the funnier aspects of growing up with immigrant parents will air on Mondays on primetime (the exact time is yet to be revealed).

“It’s like a mini sitcom, where you get a beginning, a middle and an end, and in between that you do more sketches,” explained DeMelo, who honed his comedic skills at Boston’s famed Improv Asylum and attended classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York City.

Each 30-minute episode features a colorful cast of characters that explore family dynamics, culture clashes and everyday life through laugh out loud moments.

“It’s all new material,” said Martins, who has more than 20 years of experience with sketch writing and improv and trained at Improv Asylum and New York’s UCB Theater. “A lot of it was inspired on stuff that we’ve done on stage that we rewrote to put on videos. So, now it’s properly filmed, and you can really see the big picture.”

'Portuguese Problems' is a milestone for RTP

‘Portuguese Problems’ will be the first American produced English spoken program RTP has ever aired. Featuring Portuguese subtitles, it will also be RTP’s first original fiction show produced outside of Portugal.

“The Portuguese Kids have been on an extraordinary journey with Portuguese communities all over the globe for 20 years now, producing high level comedy with rigor, and where good disposition is always a guarantee,” said José Fragoso, the director of RTP1 and RTP International, in a prepared statement. “It’s time to bring their humor and irreverence to television. We believe Portuguese Problems will be a big success.”

To their knowledge, the last Fall River personality to secure their own major network TV deal was Chef Emeril Lagasse over 30 years ago.

“If this show becomes this big hit that we are all hoping for… the possibilities are endless,” DeMelo said. “It feels like a dream come true, but it also feels like it’s about time because we’ve been paying our dues for a long time. I’m ready for this next step and to show people this new creative side.”

Who directed The Portuguese Kids TV series?

Martins co-directed the series with two-time Emmy Award Winning cinematographer Dean Camara.

Proprietor of Cineasta Digital Productions, Camara has worked with NFL Films, Dana White/UFC, Shaquille O’Neil, Snoop Dogg and countless other personalities. His films credits include Maria Lawton’s PBS culinary series ‘Maria’s Portuguese Table,’ Hard Knocks, UFC’s Fight Island: Declassified and Shaq Life. He has also been a contributing cinematographer on 10 Super Bowl crews for NFL films.

The California resident who traces his roots to Santa Maria, Azores, said he met The Portuguese Kids about seven years ago and they clicked right away.

“When I met the Portuguese Kids, I felt I had met kindred spirits and we both realized that if we combined our complimentary talents, we could create something that was truly a first of its kind,” he said. “We can’t wait to share this project with the world because it’s relatable to many children of immigrants, whether they grew up in a Portuguese American household or not. I’m excited to see what happens next and how the world perceives this show when it’s seen.”

Who’s is the cast of ‘Portuguese Problems’?

The cast of ‘Portuguese Problems’ features Martins, DeMelo, Mike Rita, Vanessa Medeiros, Taylor Amarante, Chantell Arrial and Graça Pinhanços. They hail from New England, California, and Canada.

“They are Portuguese, they have opened for us, and they write a lot,” explained DeMelo. “I’m very happy that we’re able to bring on these talented people with us and show their talents to our fans too.”

Rita and Amarante are stand-up comedians, while the ladies have performed with The Portuguese Kids on different occasions.

“It was just a fun set,” Martins said with a laugh. “Everybody doing what they love to do and doing what they know. It made it easy for everyone.”

For Camara, the chemistry between the cast was the best thing about the series.

“The cast was really what made it all work; they all bring something to the table,” he said. “The way they came together and were able to translate what they have been doing on stage for many years onto the screen was very special. It was an awesome experience. We had a lot of fun on set, maybe too much fun.”

What’s ‘Portuguese Problems’ all about?

Each episode of ‘Portuguese Problems’ will revolve around a different theme.

“One episode feels like a mockumentary, like a A&E wedding show, but it’s behind the scenes with a Portuguese family,” Martins revealed. “Another episode will be a Portuguese funeral.”

DeMelo said it was great to see some cast members come out of their comfort zone.

“Mike Rita is really going to surprise people, especially with our version of the ‘Housewives,’ which we called ‘Real Portuguese Housewives,’” he said. “Mike plays an old Portuguese vóvó (grandma), the viúva (the widow)… to see him play a woman on the screen is such a treat.”

And if you happen to enjoy The Portuguese Kids’ song parodies, you’ll be in for a treat, DeMelo said.

“We were like, ‘What if a Portuguese guy started a Country dance?’ So, we wrote a Country song, called it ‘Stubborn Portuguese Men’ and filmed it in California,” he said. “We knew this guy that had a mini cowboy ranch in his backyard… so we kind of went crazy there.’”

Where was The Portuguese Kids TV series filmed?

‘Portuguese Problems’ was filmed between 2021 and 2023 in the East Coast, California and São Miguel, Azores.

“We tried to keep it as close as possible to the budget. We’re Portuguese so we always ask for favors from friends and family,” Martins said. “A lot of the filming we did was either at my mom’s house or we went to Derrick’s mother’s house. We had a film crew coming in, so it was like 15 people inside the house, and our moms are trying to feed everybody. It was such an experience for our families as well.”

According to Camara, the crew got very creative with some of the locations.

“We were able to turn The Portuguese Kids office in Fall River into a little sound stage. When we didn’t have a real location to use, we just did a little bit of magic with the camera,” Camara said. “You’d be surprised what you see right outside the frame. But in the frame, if we needed a hospital, we made a hospital. And it worked.”

One of DeMelo’s favorite sketches was filmed in São Miguel in the summer of 2022, when Camara asked him to improvise a scene with Martins, portraying an interaction between a father and son.

“Brian and I have been performing for so long together that it does come natural to us,” he said. “Dean just picked up all these great little bits and created something I think it’s magical and it just looks beautiful. We filmed it in Furnas, and it almost looks like it’s CGI (computer-generated imagery). It almost didn’t look real because it was so beautiful, bright, and green. It’s a fun sketch because I’m walking through the fields with cow manure.”

During the series, viewers will be treated to plenty of local sights and references.

“They’ll be getting a good dose of Fall River,” Martins said with a smile. “We try to represent where we grew up and also our fans.”

In a way, the series also serves to show appreciation towards their family, friends, and fans for their continuous support.

“We did try to pay our tribute to Fall River because it is where the Portuguese Kids was born and bred,” DeMelo said. “I don’t think they would have been created had we not been raised in this city.”

“They’re all on this journey with us,” added Martins. “It’s really a special moment.”

Where can you watch ‘Portuguese Problems’?

‘Portuguese Problems’ will air across Portugal on RTP’s Channel 1 and globally on RTPi, which spans out to homes across Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia.

Locally, RTPi may be viewed through Comcast, Cox or satellite TV.

The episodes will also be available on the RTP Play app at no charge the day after they air.

'Portuguese Problems' red carpet premieres

Three red-carpet premieres are being planned for ‘Portuguese Problems.’

“We’re doing one in Fall River, one in Toronto and one in San Jose,” DeMelo said. “We wanted to give that love to those three communities because that’s really where we have grown so much. The big one is going to be in Fall River.”

The invitation-only event will take place March 1 at Bristol Community College.

“I think we’re going to have a packed house,” DeMelo said. “It’s going to be at least 400, 500 people.”

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: The Portuguese Kids hope to take the world by storm with new TV series