Amas de casa desesperadas (2007 TV series)
A Latin adaptation of the award-winning American series.
Amas de Casa Desesperadas is a Colombian adaptation with Ecuadorean co-production elements of the American series Desperate Housewives, which was created by Marc Cherry and won Emmy and Golden Globe awards. The Ecuadorean co-production first aired on Teleamazonas on May 21, 2007, while the Colombian premiere on RCN TV followed on October 1, 2007. Set on the fictional street of Manzanares, the story revolves around four women whose lives are observed by their deceased neighbor, as they navigate personal challenges and unravel various mysteries. The cast includes Ana Maria Orozco as Susana Martinez, Ruddy Rodríguez as Eugenia de Koppel (Season 1), Geraldine Zivic as Lina Yepes (Season 1), Lorena Meritano as Veronica Villa, Marisol Romero as Gabriela Solis, Carolina Gómez as Eugenia de Koppel (Season 2), Flora Martínez as Lina Yepes (Season 2), Diego Trujillo as Armando Koppel, Diego Ramos as Miguel Delfino, Víctor Mallarino as Pablo Oviedo, Valeria Santa as Daniela Koppel, Cristian Quezab as Andrés Koppel, Helena Mallarino as Felicidad Ruíz, María Angélica Mallarino as Marta Ruíz, Julián Arango as Tomás Aguilar, Rodrigo Guirao Díaz as Juan el Jardinero, Juan Carlos Salazar as Carlos Solís, Estefany Escobar as Alejandra Perreta, Mario Moscoso as Leonardo Herrera, María Cecilia Botero as Irene Peláez, Tatiana Rentería as Luisa Quiñónez, and Jairo Camargo as Cristóbal Quiñónez. The series was produced by Buena Vista International Television Latin America, with production companies Vista Productions (Colombia) and Buena Vista International Television Latin America. Colombian executive producers were Jaime Sánchez Cristo and Sofía Vergara, while Ecuadorian executive producers were Sebastián Corral and Claudia Cárdenas. Direction was handled by Sebastian Pivotto and Martin Desalvo, with general direction by Víctor Mallarino. Executive production was led by Diego Andrasnik, and for Buena Vista International Television by Leonardo Aranguibel and Fernando Barbosa.
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 50 minutes
- Starring
- Ana Maria Orozco
- Geraldine Zivic
- Ruddy Rodríguez
- Marisol Romero
- Lorena Meritano
- Narrator
- Sofía Vergara
- Country
- Colombia; Ecuador
- Company
- Buena Vista International Television Latin America
- Network
- RCN; Teleamazonas
Facts from the source article.
Origins & Production Context
Amas de Casa Desesperadas emerged as a Latin American adaptation of Desperate Housewives, the acclaimed American comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry, which had earned both Emmy and Golden Globe recognition. The Colombian-Ecuadorian co-production first aired on Teleamazonas on 21 May 2007, before finding a second home on RCN TV starting 1 October of the same year. The project was a collaborative effort spanning multiple production entities: Buena Vista International Television Latin America served as the overarching production banner, while Pol-ka Productions based in Argentina and Vista Productions from Colombia handled the creative and logistical work on the ground. The executive producer team reflected the bilingual nature of the venture, with Jaime Sánchez Cristo and Sofía Vergara leading the Colombian side, and Sebastián Corral alongside Claudia Cárdenas steering the Ecuadorean side. Diego Andrasnik occupied the executive production role, while Leonardo Aranguibel and Fernando Barbosa represented Buena Vista International Television in their executive capacity. This layered production structure underscored the ambition of bringing a globally recognized franchise to a Spanish-speaking audience with local sensibility.
Setting & Narrative Framework
The series transplanted its story to the fictional street of Manzanares, where the daily lives of four women became the central focus. Rather than a conventional ensemble structure, the narrative was filtered through the perspective of a deceased neighbor, whose voice guided the audience through each episode. This framing device allowed the show to weave together intimate domestic struggles—marital tensions, family obligations, personal insecurities—with a broader tapestry of mysteries that gradually unfolded across the season. The interplay between the mundane and the enigmatic gave the series its distinctive rhythm: one moment a woman was navigating a household conflict, the next she was drawn into a secret that threatened to upend her entire world. The setting of Manzanares functioned as both a literal neighborhood and a symbolic microcosm, where every interaction carried the weight of hidden agendas and unresolved pasts. By anchoring the story in a specific, named street, the creators gave the audience a sense of place and continuity, making the four women's journeys feel grounded and immediate despite the fantastical premise of a dead narrator.
Cast & Character Evolution
The ensemble cast brought a rich tapestry of personalities to the Manzanares storyline. Ana Maria Orozco anchored the series as Susana Martinez, while Sofía Vergara took on the role of Alicia Oviedo, lending her considerable star power to the project. The two remaining lead women—Eugenia de Koppel and Lina Yepes—underwent a notable casting shift between seasons: Ruddy Rodríguez and Geraldine Zivic portrayed them in the first season, while Carolina Gómez and Flora Martínez assumed the roles for the second. Lorena Meritano and Marisol Romero rounded out the four-woman core as Veronica Villa and Gabriela Solis respectively. The supporting cast was extensive, with Diego Trujillo appearing as Armando Koppel, a character whose death in Season 1 became a pivotal narrative turning point. Other notable performers included Diego Ramos as Miguel Delfino, Víctor Mallarino as Pablo Oviedo, and a wide array of family members and neighbors such as Valeria Santa, Cristian Quezab, Valentina Acosta, and Juan Manuel Gallego, all of whom populated the interconnected web of relationships that defined the show's world.
Creative Leadership & Direction
Behind the camera, the series benefited from a structured creative hierarchy that blended local talent with international oversight. Sebastián Pivotto and Martin Desalvo served as directors, shaping the visual and dramatic tone of each episode. Víctor Mallarino held the position of General Direction, a role that placed him at the apex of the on-set creative chain and gave him broad authority over the show's overall aesthetic and narrative consistency. Diego Andrasnik managed executive production, coordinating the day-to-day operational demands of a co-production that stretched across Colombia and Ecuador. At the Buena Vista International Television level, Leonardo Aranguibel and Fernando Barbosa provided the final layer of executive oversight, ensuring the adaptation met the standards expected of a franchise with Emmy and Golden Globe pedigree. This multi-tiered leadership model—spanning directors, general direction, executive production, and international studio management—reflected the complexity of adapting a globally successful American series for a Latin American audience while maintaining the quality benchmarks of the original property.
More in Non-American Television Series Based on American Television Series
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced