‘Women Wearing Shoulder Pads’ Brings Queer Melodrama and Stop-Motion Magic to Adult Swim

On August 17, 2025, Adult Swim premiered its most unexpected new series: ‘Women Wearing Shoulder Pads’ (original title: ‘Mujeres con hombreras’), a Spanish-language stop-motion comedy melodrama that marks a bold, genre-defying addition to the network’s late-night lineup . Created by Gonzalo Cordova, the series is a queer, visually striking homage to the melodramatic flair of 1980s Pedro Almodóvar films, realized through the tactile artistry of stop-motion puppetry .

‘Women Wearing Shoulder Pads’ centers on Marioneta Negocios, a wealthy Spanish socialite (voiced by Pepa Pallarés) navigating a web of love, rivalry, and cultural clashes in Ecuador . The show’s premise is unabashedly surreal: Marioneta launches a campaign to promote guinea pigs (cuyes) as beloved pets rather than traditional Andean cuisine, placing her in direct conflict with Doña Quispe (Laura Torres), a former butcher turned celebrity restaurateur . This power struggle unfolds against a backdrop of romance, animal rights activism, and the kind of telenovela excess that has long resonated with LGBTQ+ audiences .

The first episodes introduce a mysterious stalker, a duck-wielding confrontation, and a clandestine animal rights meeting, all rendered in lovingly imperfect puppetry . The series’ aesthetic—neon hues, vintage fashion, and exaggerated shoulder pads—celebrates queer visual codes and the performative glamour that has historically offered LGBTQ+ communities a form of self-expression and resistance .

‘Women Wearing Shoulder Pads’ is notable for its overtly queer perspective. Its narrative structure and character dynamics evoke the melodramatic tradition of camp—a mode of performance and storytelling that has been embraced by LGBTQ+ people for its subversive humor, heightened emotion, and capacity to critique mainstream norms . By centering non-normative identities and desires, the series positions itself as both a celebration and a playful send-up of the drama and resilience that define queer experience.

The decision to air the series in Spanish, with English subtitles, is integral to its authenticity. Critics have praised this choice for preserving the “romantic, dramatic, telenovelistic force” of the dialogue, rather than diluting its impact with translation . For many Latinx LGBTQ+ viewers, this approach signals a rare commitment to cultural specificity and linguistic diversity in mainstream animation.

Early reviews from both mainstream and queer media have been largely positive, highlighting the show’s originality, unpredictability, and emotional resonance . The series currently holds a 6.3/10 rating on IMDb, with viewers praising its inventive worldbuilding and the complexity of its lead characters .

Adult Swim has built its reputation on programming that is irreverent, experimental, and boundary-pushing. ‘Women Wearing Shoulder Pads’ continues this tradition, but its explicitly queer themes and international scope mark a significant evolution for the network . The network’s embrace of LGBTQ+ narratives—whether through animated series, live-action comedies, or short-form content—demonstrates a recognition that queer audiences are not a niche, but a vital part of contemporary pop culture.

The show’s creator, Gonzalo Cordova, has described the project as “a love letter to the queer communities of Latin America and beyond,” drawing inspiration from the camp classics of Almodóvar and the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people navigating intersecting identities . While not every episode foregrounds LGBTQ+ issues directly, the series’ sensibility, character relationships, and visual language all reflect a deep affinity with queer culture.

‘Women Wearing Shoulder Pads’ is available on Adult Swim in the United States and internationally via HBO Max, ensuring broad accessibility for viewers across the Americas and Europe . The show’s release strategy—premiering episodes on cable before streaming the next day—mirrors Adult Swim’s efforts to reach both traditional TV audiences and younger, digitally native viewers.

For LGBTQ+ fans, the series’ global reach is particularly meaningful. The intersection of language, cultural specificity, and queer storytelling offers a new model for animated programming that is both locally grounded and internationally resonant . Its warm reception among queer and trans viewers on social media has already sparked conversations about the future of LGBTQ+ animation, and whether more networks will follow Adult Swim’s lead in greenlighting bold, unconventional projects.

As the first season unfolds, ‘Women Wearing Shoulder Pads’ continues to explore themes of power, desire, and transformation—both personal and political. Its blend of satire, melodrama, and queer affirmation is a reminder that animation can be as nuanced and radical as live-action storytelling.

Viewers and critics alike are watching closely to see how the show develops its characters, addresses issues of gender and sexuality, and pushes the boundaries of what is possible in adult animation. For many LGBTQ+ people, it represents not just entertainment, but a new chapter in the ongoing struggle for representation, visibility, and joy on screen.