Vale Tudo: A Classic Returns Stronger Than Ever
- Leticia Fialho
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
More than thirty years later, Vale Tudo is back, and it feels like Brazilians have traveled back in time. The remake of the telenovela, aired by Globo since March of 2025, has been captivating both those who watched the original version and those who are discovering it for the first time. It is intriguing, but also remarkable, that a story created in 1988 remains so relevant in 2025. It makes us wonder: Why does a plot about power, ambition, and morality still hold our attention so strongly today?
Back then, Vale Tudo was more than just entertainment–it was a portrait of Brazil at the end of the 1980s. The three authors Aguinaldo Silva, Gilberto Braga, and Leonor Bassères, together, explored the limits people are willing to cross in order to succeed throughout the story. Raquel Accioli, Maria de Fátima, and the unforgettable Odete Roitman became popular due to their contrasting trajectories, while the mystery “Who killed Odete Roitman?” stopped the entire country.
The remake arrived with a renewed cast, more dynamic dialogue and an adapted narrative to reflect today’s world. Cellphones, social media, and current lifestyles are now part of the story, but its essence remains the same: how far would someone go to achieve their goals? The numbers prove that the audience is more than interested in sorting that question out. One of the telenovela’s most watched episodes reached an average of 30.9 rating points and a peak of 31.7 in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, while on social media, it accumulated 287 million interactions in only 30 days. These data shows that the remake not only impressed long-time fans but also conquered a new generation of young viewers who are deeply connected to the digital universe.
The success of Vale Tudo goes beyond audience numbers. The central episode, which marks Odete Roitman’s death, recorded 87 commercial activations and the highest advertising revenue in Golobo’s recent history. The financial return reinforces the strength of the narrative and how much the story remains relevant and valuable nowadays. It has been rare to produce a telenovela that achieves both cultural and commercial impact on such a scale.
More than just impressive statistics, the remake of Vale Tudo sparks conversations about ethics, power, and ambition. The plot combines two generations; while those who watched the original relive old memories, younger audiences are surprised by how much the story still holds truth. Odete Roitman’s death, for example, resulted in huge online debates, theories, and comparisons to the 1988s version, which proves that some stories are truly timeless. How can a script created over three decades ago still connect so many people at once?
In addition to that, the telenovela’s success stands out for its reflections on human behavior and society, highlighting that ambition and ethics many times conflict within each other, and that choices have consequences. More than just entertainment, Vale Tudo acts as a mirror of Brazil, revealing the country’s major dilemmas. In the end, it shows that some narratives never die. They adapt to time and continue prompting us to reflect deeply on their connection to reality.
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