Tuesday 19 February 2019

El Ministerio del Tiempo/The Ministry of Time — Series 2: Episode 4 — El Monasterio del Tiempo/The Monastery of Time — A Review

18th February, 2019


Yes: there’s certainly something else.

For starters?

You can’t half find some silly videos on Facebook.

It always amazes me.

Cats, cute babies … 

Oh, and dancing penguins … !


That’s not the really strange thing, though.

Remember, a while back, I had trouble getting onto BT’s recruitment system.

THEN, once I did … ?

I couldn’t get through their online assessment?

This morning … I can a phone call telling I had a spot at their assessment day: being held on Wednesday.

At nine.

I think I’m going to have to have an early night, tomorrow night …

~≈§≈~

At any rate, having a free night tonight … ?

A night where I didn’t have to get to bed early for an early start?

Mean one thing.

A TV show.

By now?   You can possibly guess two things.

A)  I’ve seen the fourth episode of El Ministerio del Tiempo/The Ministry of Time Series 2.

And B)?   I’ve got a certificate that lets me talk about it for hours.



~≈§≈~

Episode 4 — El Monasterio del Tiempo/The Monstary of Time — opens with Alonso (Nacho Fresneda) sleeping at Pacino’s flat.

He’d been spotted by another survivor of the Flanders campaign, in Episode 3: Tiempo de hidalgos: and the Ministry have decided to give him permanent accommodation in the 21st Century … 

All Alonso has to deal with … ?   Is his credit card, bank card, library card … 

And the nightmares his flatmate, Jesús Pacino Méndez Pontón (Hugo Silva) is having.

Meanwhile, there’s trouble in the 19th Century.

During the Spanish War of Independence — what we’d call the Peninsular War — Napoleon is due to stay at the Abbey in Santa Clara de Tordesillas.

And release prisoners being held there by his army.

Which who have to be released as one is the ancestor of Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez: who oversaw Spain’s government during it’s transition from Franco’s regime … to a constitutional monarchy … 

The prisoners get freed when the Abbess intervenes with the Emperor …

The Abbess needs replacing … as she collapses with a heart attack when the French Army arrive.

Alonso, Amelia (Aura Garrido) and Pacino have to help in the only way they can.

Getting Angustias, (Francesca Piñón), Señor Martí’s personal secretary … to learn to sing … 

~≈§≈~

Now, it’s GOT to be said, every TV show benefits from an episode that’s funny.

It can heighten the drama that comes in later episode, and lighten the darker, earlier episode.

El Monasterio del Tiempo is that funny episode!

From the minute Angustias walks into the office, only realising she’s getting a real mission … when she sees the looks on peoples faces … 

To the minute the team land in 19th Century: only to see the arch-atheist, Pacino, expected to take confession, and hold services … 

And Angustias — self confessed non-singer — expected to do the solo at a services*.

AND … ?   And, practically from the start, the team realise that their mission isn’t just to get the prisoners out … 

And not falling in love with their rescuers† … !

You’ve possibly worked out — by now — that I’m a self confessed Ministerico: a fan of El Ministerio del Tiempo.

Frankly?

There’s twists: the team come back to find a new man in charge.

And Irena?   Has found out Salvador is secretly in touch with Julián.

El Monasterio del Tiempo is possibly the episode I’d be telling non fans to watch.

And showing them how much of a joy it is!





*        A solo in the traditional hymn Adeste Fideles: which many in the English speaking world will know as Oh Come, All Ye Faithful.


†        Actually, Pacino looks rather good in that cassock!

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