7 Vidas is a Spanish sitcom which aired on Telecinco from 1999 to 2006. Its title translates as "7 lives" and the symbol of the sitcom is a cat, in reference to the belief that cats have 7 lives.
Originally inspired by the American blockbuster Friends, it was not a big ratings hit initially, but over time, the show gained in popularity, ultimately becoming the most popular Spanish TV series of all time. By the end of its run, the show was totally different from its original source.
It was in 7 Vidas that the now internationally famous actress Paz Vega and Javier Cámara first became household names in Spain.
The sitcom tells the story of a group of friends in Madrid. David awakes from a coma after more than 18 years, and starts discovering the new world in which he lives. His neighbour, Sole is an old woman with a penchant for slapping anyone who behaves in a way she dislikes round the back of the neck. Her sexually frustrated son, Paco is David's best friend, Carlota David's single sister and Laura, their cousin from Seville, initially Paco's principal love interest and then David's.