El Ministerio del Tiempo/The Ministry of Time — Series 2: Episode 8 — Tiempo de valientes II/Time of the braves - Part Two — A Review.

4th March, 2019.

Yes, OK … 

Spending the night in, when it’s my birthday … ?

Is actually about par for the course.

And, if you’re on my money.

It’s affordably par for the course.

So … 

A night in … with downsides and upsides.

On the downside?   I’ve finally heard back from BT.

I didn’t get the job.   But they will at least be sending me some feedback.

On the upside … ?

On the upside, my nephew’s managed send me a card, bless him: and wrote it out, himself!

There’s also the upside that the charity fundraiser on Facebook hasn’t hit its target?

It HAS managed to raise £72.

There’s three days left, if you fancied donating … 

~≈§≈~

All that aside … ?

All that aside, a quiet night in is fine.

If you have something to do.

The past few nights?

I have.

Yes: I’ve been El Ministerio del Tiempo/The Ministry of Time, again.

Series 2, so you know.

And yes … the (real world) Siege of Baler looks nasty …

~≈§≈~

Episode 8 — Tiempo de valientes II/Time of the braves - part two —  is some months after the first part.

And Julián’s (Rodolfo Sancho) squad are STILL held in the church in Baler: where the suicidally stubborn Lieutenant Cerezo insists that any news received about Spain’s losing the war … ?

Is fake news.

Despite having been derived by fellow Spanish officers, keen to get everyone home, safely.

Despite one of those messengers … ?   Being someone Julián hasn’t seen in a while.

~≈§≈~

Back at base, thirty-six days before Alonso (Nacho Fresneda) gets to Baler with a message?

He’s on the (metaphorical) carpet: after getting himself caught up in a demo, and getting arrested.

And just about to get sent … on an Time Adjustment Course … 

Ernesto (Juan Gea)… ?   Is getting nearer to finding his son … 

And Pacino and Amelia (Hugo Silva and Aura Garrido) … ?

Are just about to cross a line …

Sweaty?

You betcha … 

~≈§≈~

Now … am I impressed … ?

Am I touched by an emotional-laden episode.

Good, lord, yes!

For starters?

I’m actually learning a little more of the world’s history that I had.

For starters?

It seems that there was a real world Siege of Baler that took place at the end of the 19th Century: a siege caused — as the two episodes show us — by Lieutenant Cerezo’s insisting on staying put.

Much the various Japanese hold-outs who only went home in the 1970s … either not knowing — or not believing — World War Two was over.

I have to give Pedro Alonso his due, there, playing Lieutenant Cerezo with an edge, and a thousand yard stare, that I’ve very rarely seen elsewhere.

He’s not the only one, actually.

Series regulars*, Garrido, Fresneda, Silva and Sancho all put in a job and a half: showing us the life and loves of a team working its way through trauma, and change.

And Jordi Vilches, as the dying trooper, José Lafarga?

Pheeeeew … 

Can I be frank?

I’m very aware there’s going to be folk who won’t catch El Ministerio Del Tiempo.

I know that for certain.

But … ?

Frankly, with episodes of the quality I’ve been seeing?

They — and you — are missing quite a show!

*      Apparently, Aura Garrido’s picked up a Best Lead Actress gong, at the Premios Feroz, 2017: with Hugo Silva bagging a best supporting actor award.   That’s disgusting: Nacho Fresneda didn’t get a thing!