‘Lopez vs. Lopez’ marks the return of a comedy juggernaut and his next of kin.

Courtesy of NBC

George Lopez returns to his sitcom roots on NBC’s new Friday Comedy Hour. However, George isn’t the only Lopez at the forefront of this new sitcom. Lopez teams up with his daughter Mayan Lopez to bring their strenuous relationship to the small screen. George and Mayan hit a bump in their relationship when George divorced her mother, Ann Serrano, in 2010 — only months after he received a kidney transplant from his wife. Mayan was fifteen then and resented her father for the sudden divorce. She decided to cut ties with her father when she grew up, leading her to embark on a three-year streak of not talking to her famous father. The streak was terminated when Covid-19 infiltrated the nation’s health system allowing George and his estranged daughter to reconnect. Their repaired relationship laid the groundwork for “Lopez vs. Lopez.”

The sitcom is a spiritual sequel to the beloved “George Lopez” show. The show’s writing team is led by the father and daughter duo. The comedy follows George as he moves into his estranged daughter’s home. George’s addition to his daughter’s family creates a level of dysfunction that forces him to reconnect with Mayan. Hinged on a generational gap, George is constantly criticizing the parenting skills of Mayan. He sees his grandson as a chance to prove to his daughter that his parenting skills are far superior. The bond between George and his grandson is the heart of the series premiere. The pilot ends with George and his grandson talking in bunk beds before going to sleep. The scene allows you to see the softer side of George and proves to the audience that he’s trying to become the family man he needs to be for Mayan.

The pilot episode makes the audience feel comfortable as it highlights George and Mayan’s evolving relationship. Lopez is a licensed sitcom veteran that uses the show to prove he’s still equipped with his signature charm. This new venture allows him to sit back and share the limelight with his daughter. The best thing Lopez does for his daughter is give her the room she needs as a performer to gain the attraction of the audience. Mayan’s charm serves as the fuel for the plotlines.

In comparison, the classic “George Lopez” show built its storylines around George. Most of the screen time for the 2000s sitcom was dedicated to George’s career, family life, etc. The new show allows for George’s world and family to expand. The addition of Mayan allows Lopez and other writers to explore different plot points you can’t do with a 50-year-old man. It’s a new territory for Mayan and George’s acting careers that will hopefully bring back old fans and excite new audiences.

Verdict: “Lopez vs. Lopez” has the potential to be a crown jewel in the famed comedian’s line of work. However, time will only tell if the show has value.