There’s always been something uniquely comforting about “Acapulco,” Apple TV+’s vibrant bilingual comedy that returns this week for its fourth and final season.
Even though it never broke into what I’d call the top tier of Apple’s biggest releases — dominated by titles like “Slow Horses,” “Severance,” and “Ted Lasso” — “Acapulco” has nevertheless consistently delivered charm, warmth, and emotional honesty in spades over its run thus far. And as it prepares to wrap up with Season 4, I find myself genuinely not ready to let go of one of the streamer’s most underrated and heartwarming gems.
With a dual-timeline format a la “How I Met Your Mother,” “Acapulco” is more than just a comedy set amid the white sand of a resort town. It’s a love letter to ambition, family, and finding one’s place in the world. Present-day Maximo (Eugenio Derbez) and his younger self (Enrique Arrizon) lead a story that’s optimistic without being naïve. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that, with so many heavy and politicized conversations involving the Latino community at this particular moment in time, “Acapulco” has felt like something all too rare — a space for joy and celebration, without ignoring the realities of the world.
A final season full of heart and hotel drama
The 10-episode fourth and final season of “Acapulco” debuts on July 23 with a two-episode premiere. From there, new episodes will roll out weekly through September 17. As always, we have a present-day storyline featuring the older version of Maximo, told against the backdrop of young Maximo’s life in the past. In the present day, Maximo is trying to breathe new life into Las Colinas, the iconic resort that changed his life decades ago. Meanwhile, the 1986 timeline finds young Maximo scrambling to reclaim the top spot after Las Colinas is dethroned in Acapulco’s annual “Best Hotels” ranking.
Long story short, the stakes are higher than ever this season. What “Acapulco” has always done well is use the workplace chaos and big dreams as a backdrop for stories about people — and all of it, from the loyalty of the staff to Maximo’s ever-present ambition, always clicks, never feeling forced.
The series still boasts a 93% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, a testament to its consistent quality. If “Ted Lasso” lifted your spirits during tough times, “Acapulco” offers a gentler kind of joy — one that’s no less heartfelt, and with a bit more of the kind of sun-soaked serenity you get from a beautiful resort town.
