'Cristela' Deserves a Second Season

ABC's Cristela hasn't exactly been a buzzy show. The ratings are pretty good, it's become a good time slot partner for Last Man Standing, and it hasn't really changed much over the last 22 episodes. But as the season ends, fans of the comedian and her TV family will be wondering: Will there be a Cristela Season 2, or will this be a one-season wonder? There are a lot of reasons why there should be a second season of Cristela, especially since everything behind the scenes has been working well. The Cristela ratings are good, if not crazy-good, and they keep climbing. But ABC hasn't announced anything since they picked up the show for the back nine episodes of Cristela Season 1 back in 2014.

Still, that doesn't mean the show is doomed. Actually, it's kinda almost a good sign, because ABC has found itself in a strange predicament this year — it's doing really well! Thursday nights are slaying it with #TGIT, and How to Get Away With Murder is so far the only new ABC show to be renewed for Season 2 ( and even then, that's only confirmed by a Season 2 promo and not ABC's official word). The Wednesday night comedies are also doing well, with the addition of black-ish actually hanging on to some of Modern Family's lead-in. Even Fresh Off the Boat has solid ratings, despite being stranded on Tuesdays. What's more, is that they've got critics on their side, too.

With so many pretty successful nights, there's almost no room to greenlight new shows! So I'm not surprised that they're taking their time with renewal promises. There are a lot of options for ABC next season. They could wind up holding Fresh Off the Boat to midseason again, or canceling older shows like The Goldbergs, but whatever they do, I think Cristela will probably be safe. Last Man Standing is winding down, and they're going to want a relatively strong three-camera show for its Friday night block when it finally ends. I know: that's a lot of TV-related speculation for one paragraph.

But beyond the numbers, I seriously do think Cristela has earned its second season, even if it's not my favorite show. Cristela has only ever been what it promised to be: a classic style sitcom that aims for inclusive jokes that laugh with Mexican-Americans about their backgrounds. That's not what a lot of comedy nerds are looking for, myself included. Personally, my taste in sitcoms leans closer to the manic, Tina Fey/Robert Carlock style, that throws out dozens of jokes and references per second. But that's because sitcoms aren't where I choose to turn my brain off.

I watch the goofiest, most self-serious dramas for that impulse, be it House Of Cards' absurd third season or The Royals pretending that a Victoria Beckham wannabe is the queen of England. But I understand that other people have different taste and would rather tune in to tune out for 22 minutes of network comedy. What I do object to is the barrage of vaguely racist, definitely sexist, and terribly handled humor of some live studio audience three camera comedies, but while Cristela still has some tired tropes in its arsenal, it isn't nakedly offensive and it has a stand up comic at its head who's funnier than the show's material so far. Give it a chance to get even better!

Images: Bob D’Amico/ABC; Giphy (3)