Los simuladores is a small show with a big idea: a team of con artists for hire solves everyday problems by staging elaborate scams. The premise is simple. The execution is sharp. And the show, created by Damián Szifron for Telefe, runs from 2002 to 2004 across two seasons, 24 episodes, with Diego Peretti, Sergio Dioguardi, Jorge D’Elía, Federico D’Elía, Alejandro Fiore, Martín Seefeld, César Vianco, and Alejandro Awada rounding out the cast.
What makes Los simuladores work is its refusal to treat the con as a joke. Each episode is a miniature morality play, where the team’s methods expose the hypocrisy of the people they serve. The show understands that the line between right and wrong is not always clear, and it plays that tension for laughs while still landing the point.
The Team and Their Rules
The core team operates on a strict principle: they charge exactly twice the cost of the simulation, plus the client’s promise to participate in future simulations. That rule means characters from past episodes return as secondary actors and helpers, giving the show a thread of continuity that few comedies manage. It also means the audience is constantly reminded that these are people who owe favors, not just customers.
The team’s philosophy is blunt: sometimes what’s legal is not fair, and sometimes what’s fair is not legal. That tension is the engine of the show. They are not heroes, and they are not villains. They are professionals, and they are willing to bend the rules to get the job done.
The B-Team and the Second Season
In the second season, a second team is introduced. Known as the “B-Team,” this group is composed of former clients from the original team’s first season. Their job is to handle smaller cases, freeing the original team for larger and more demanding assignments. It’s a clever structural move, expanding the show’s scope without diluting its focus.
The show draws influence from the literature work Los árboles mueren de pie (1949) by Alejandro Casona. Its shared elements with American 80s series like Stingray, The A-Team, Vengeance Unlimited, and The Equalizer are visible in its tone and structure, though the show’s Argentine setting and cultural specificity keep it distinct.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The show’s strengths are its ensemble and its willingness to commit fully to its premise. The actors play con artists with genuine warmth, making the schemes feel earned rather than cartoonish. The writing is sharp, and the pacing is fast enough to keep each episode moving even when the plot is convoluted.
There are moments where the show leans too far into absurdity, and the moral lessons can feel heavy-handed. But those moments are rare, and they don’t undercut the overall quality of the series.
Here’s how the pieces stack up:
- The ensemble cast delivers consistent, committed performances across both seasons.
- The simulation business premise provides endless creative opportunities.
- The B-Team expansion adds depth without confusing the central concept.
- The philosophical grounding gives the comedy weight beyond simple jokes.
“Sometimes what’s legal is not fair, and sometimes what’s fair is not legal.”
That line captures the show’s entire approach. It’s a comedy about people who break rules to fix broken systems, and it never loses sight of why that feels right.
Final Word
Los simuladores is a smart, funny, and surprisingly humane look at a world where the honest path isn’t always the best one. It’s a show about people who use their skills to help others, even when those skills are dishonest. That tension is rare in comedy, and it’s the reason the series remains beloved.
The show’s popularity is reflected in its critical reception. It won a Golden Martín Fierro Award. Its influence has spread through remakes in Chile, Spain, Russia, and Mexico.
The feature film sequel, announced in March 2022, was a disappointment. It was scheduled for release in 2024, then delayed indefinitely, and ultimately cancelled. That ending is a shame, but it doesn’t erase what came before.
Los simuladores deserves its reputation. It’s a tight, clever series that rewards attention and repays repeated viewings. It’s a show about people who are willing to lie to make things right, and it never lets you forget that the lying is the point.
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