There comes a defining moment for many precocious people, when they find out how vast and untidy the world is and that some knowledge isn’t worth having. It can create a burden that one might find they are unable to handle. Amelia lives in a world she feels is too confining and finds liberty in her work and in knowledge. She is eager for every single bite but she has yet to taste the dish that might burn her; until now.
And so to the action we go. A painting, and life in progress. A reluctant Julian learning to shoot (always hiding behind excuses of being a saver of life but there is fear), Alonso experiencing passion over the workmanship of steel horses, and a celebration of another birthday for our dear Velázquez. (I am surprised they didn’t have a tarta de Santiago for him.)
No time to find out if there is ice cream to go with the cake for we are in the woods of Cerbère, France in 1940. Two men are on the run from dogs and Nazis. Yes, Nazis. By some sort of complicated international law of time travel television shows, one must do an episode involving Nazis. Might as well get it out of the way now. But Nazis in Spain you say? (We’re in France, but yes.) A man is shot, and the other buys a little time by offering information to Himmler. “I know how to travel through time.” We are all interested. The Nazis find the man speaks the truth and Himmler is keen to warn Hitler. (The show was generous to Himmler by casting an actor with a strong chin.) Just what we need, time traveling Nazis.
Two monks are nervously walking down the corridors in Montserrat Abbey in 1940, making their way into a room and meet Lola Mendieta! (The mysterious woman who was meddling with the Napoleonic wars.) She is helping them to escape to 2015 via a false set of vaults, and providing them with documents and Euros. (“What happened to Pesetas?” No time for a crash course on post-war European economic history, however. I studied that in college, and I would need at least a good hour to break things down for someone who wasn’t even from the past.) They walk through the door and out of a box and arrive to find… a mime. (And though they don’t know it, they are also near the entrance of the ministry.)
Salvador is having to reprimand Velázquez–again. He keeps writing to papers because he is royally pissed that they aren’t restoring his works in the correct way. The ego of the artist is great, but I am sympathetic to his plight. Amid all the yelling and gesturing, Salvador makes the point that he let Velázquez paint the Cross of Saint James on “Las Meninas.” (Something he didn’t earn until three years after he finished the painting.) So Velázquez needs to meet him part way and quit messing with the order of history. This is pretty much Salvador’s job most of the time–having to be the parent and yell at people to stop touching things and to keep their hands to themselves. (When I was a child my mother would tell me which shops were “Don’t touch shops.” I suspect Salvador needs to say the same. “That era is don’t touch. DIEGO!”) This is interrupted with an emergency call from Madrid 1940.
The men from 1940 who are in a safe house are considering their future over cheap Chinese take-away. Facing the reality of having to forget their past, and face a future that promises no peace. Even their fortune cookies give a glimpse into their fate. One holds onto a photo of his soon to be past because he knows how large this sacrifice will be. Like I said, some knowledge is too painful.
The gang are in the canteen with Velázquez (who is growing more annoyed with an art journal). There is a brief conversation about how complicated the truth of the past can be. Julián telling Alonso how most tercios were mercenaries, and Alonso correcting him on that point. Amelia mentioning Spinola who was a greatly admired general (his history was very complicated) who happened to be from Genoa. The thing is, the borders in Europe have changed so often that national identity is in many ways a recent thing. Genoa was kinda/sorta part of Spain’s empire. (Italy itself was made up of many kingdoms and wasn’t a unified country until the mid 19th century -just like Germany.) Borders are like shifting tides; the sand can end up somewhere else, and then another time it will completely disappear. Even more so when you are trying to keep time in order. They may as well try and control the oceans.
The trio have another current to tame. Salvador explains that in 1940 there was to be a meeting in Hendaye to discuss Spain’s entry into the war. The words of Slim Pickens come to mind, “Jesus Palomino, a Nazi. I knew it, you’re all in cahoots.” It was just after the civil war (which Germany used as a practice run for WWII with their assistance to Franco) and the country was in a desperate situation. Some think Franco asked for too much. (he wanted to gain parts of Africa that Spain once had more control/influence over one hundred years prior). When Hitler and Franco met, it was like two people attempting to find time in their schedule to get together and take over the world -but both have very specific needs and no one really wants to back down, nor do they want to admit they really don’t want to get together so they said, “let me me know when you are free, and I will see what I can do about those African colonies you want and we will have cake at the end.” Germany sent wheat to Spain and Franco was going to offer something to Hitler and it looks like Hitler wants to accept the conditions.
Himmler was sent there ahead of meeting to negotiate as there are rumors that the abbey of Montserrat had the Holy Grail. They mention the Nazis love of relics -like the Ark of the Covenant (Julián is quick to share he is familiar with that. See, movies can educate), Himmler was very much into occult (which wasn’t that uncommon in the early 20th century. There were all kinds of people that were trying to get in touch with the spirits, and making up pagan rituals that were born out of ideas from 19th century romanticism). He took runes and applied them to the design of the SS, had all kinds of projects trying to prove the scientific evidence that the Germans once ruled the earth, and conducted horrible experiments on people. Even Hitler thought some of Himmler’s projects were a bit out there and treated him a bit like the friend with the YouTube channel that is devoted to conspiracy theories about aliens, and vitamins.
The whole gang gets to be involved, Ernesto is sent to get up close to the action, (and show off his German skills) at the Ritz. (Yeah, Himmler had fancy tastes.) Himmler is met by one of Franco’s stooges from the head office, while Ernesto plays server and bugs the room. The stooge invites the Germans to a bull fight (which the Germans find a little weird. One of the matadors mentioned was Marcial Lalanda -considered one of the greats of the 30s and was written about by Hemingway.)
One of the Spanish men on the run winds up in the hospital (with his photo). One more thing for Salvador to deal with so the trio interviews him. With dongles and other fancy tech in place (seriously I love the tech on this show. Things work but there is always the worry about a connection being dropped.). We listen and learn that Himmler was disgusted and completely horrified by the bull-fighting. You may choose the side eye .gifs of your choice at this time. Himmler receives a telegram from Hitler saying, “Deal is on.” The trio return and explain that the Grail of Grails is a door in time at the abbey and the information about this door came from Lola.
Speaking of her, she is meeting up with the man who handed over the information to the Nazis. The plot becomes more complicated. Who is a spy? Who is giving what information to whom and why? The Trio are sent to find and close the door, and Ernesto and Irene get to go to deal with Hitler.
Just before they head out we see conflicting philosophies at play as it makes Amelia nervous to head into the future for the first time. The fear of what she might see as she would likely be an old woman at this point in time. She is going in blind to a world and can’t rely on her knowledge to see her through like she has so far. It will be pure wits and instinct. Julián freely admits he has no interest in his future. He is (as Alonso rightly points out) too taken with the past. Alonso is a practitioner of non-attachment. It isn’t that he doesn’t have interests or loves but like any warrior he makes peace with his past, and accepts his future may end at any point beyond his control. He appreciates what he has been given, and focuses his energy on the present. He is the ideal civil servant for this ministry (engaged but he does not let his desires rule everything).
Walking down the streets of post-Civil War Madrid, it is Julián who is able to give context to the lives of the people and the state of the culture. He spots something from Amelia’s present in an antique shop. That spooks her. Her future suddenly seems much more uncertain.
Lola may not be a spy but she may be taken in by some who will hand her over to the Nazis. (Taking over Europe, engaging in genocide, meddling with archeology, and now trying to time travel. Nazis: I hate these guys.) Juan (the Shrimp allergic Spaniard from 1940) even defends her work and what she is doing to save people. The truth becomes more muddled and Salvador knows something could go terribly wrong. And to make everything more irritating he can’t get Spinola the Grandee of Spain on the phone. It really is one damn thing after another for Salvador.
Ernesto (who is getting to do some serious dress up this episode) is working up close with Franco (while poor Irene is stuck being a nurse, when she would much rather be seducing a hot lady. Seriously, the past is like one long night on the pull for her, which I respect.) Ernesto attempts to tell Franco that he can relax when dealing with Hitler but like many who allied with Hitler, Franco knows, “He’s a piece of work.” (He was a bit of a dick. Churchill who wanted nothing to do with him knew exactly what he was and said so–even though the Foreign Office told him to tone it down a bit.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSW23-GXC9M?rel=0
In the mountains, Amelia, Julián, and Alonso find that due to budget cuts by the government (let’s take a moment to recognize the continuing theme of austerity that affects even a ministry that does important work like this. If there isn’t enough money for social services, then these cats have to operate on a shoestring as well and it can be a life or death situation at times. A timely reminder that taxes pay for a healthy well-functioning society, and sometimes history too.) They have little ground support and of course no cell phone signal in the mountains. As Julián comments: Spanish hell.
Once in the Abbey, Amelia searches for the door, and the men play dress up as a couple members of the Civil guard. (Great hats!) But who should interrupt things but a nazi monk. (They got this guy straight out of central casting for scary Aryan-looking dudes.) Amelia is locked up with Lola, while Julián (at Alonso’s request) explains the joke of Spanish Hell (which, by the way, is great). Julian can’t get over how chill Alonso is about their predicament when Alonso shows that he is the Kwai Chang Caine of Andalucia by busting them and Amelia out of the joint. The Nazis roll up and the Abbot is not impressed with them or Himmler and essentially tells them, “Search the place. I dare you! And if you break anything, you better hope God reaches you before I do.
Lola is taken by the Nazis and she shows them the door to the future. The calm of Lola is a little terrifying. The Nazis go through the door into modern day Spain. Salvador has just enough time to tell workers to evacuate to their time. You thought you were having a bad day at work because someone stole your fried rice? Try dealing with Nazis invading work.
Hitler and Franco are on a train about to work out the final details as the door of time is real. The Nazis are feeling really confident right about now. That same confidence that made them think they could invade Russia and be successful. Everyone is cut off from the ministry and everyone finds themselves in a predicament where they may have to do something drastic that they can’t come back from, especially Ernesto. The energy in these scenes is fantastic and leaves one on edge. This is the time when it is all wits and the desire to survive.
When the civil servants show up at the door, Lola points out, “The ministry has its own means of handling potential invasion.” It is like the ultimate super group of Spanish badassery. Some countries have General Winter, Spain has Doors of Time. Amelia and Lola face off and Amelia doesn’t initially understand Lola’s unorthodox approach to preserving history and as she listens everything seems upside down. Knowledge isn’t what it seems and some people like Lola aren’t a great enemy. The grey of morality begins to move in and cloud everything for her. There are few baddies here. (Except the Nazis of course. They are bad and aren’t invited to the potluck of ideas.) These two women in their own different ways manage to save the day, and Hitler’s dreams of total domination aren’t to be. Franco doesn’t get what he desires, and while the war would still go on, this somewhat small defeat over the Nazis is part of a greater victory. But like Amelia says, there are no victories without victims. And Juan would become one of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHrgCnV4ndI?rel=0
This episode is an interesting examination of wandering the uneven path of existence and how for some there isn’t going to be a graceful acceptance of the present or past, and how it can lead people to other choices that we may not always make but come to understand in that moment of compassion.
Genevieve Jenner
Latest posts by Genevieve Jenner (see all)
- El Ministerio Del Tiempo Season 1: Episode 6 - July 8, 2019
- El Ministerio Del Tiempo Season 1: Episode 5 - July 24, 2018
- El Ministerio del Tiempo Season 1: Episode 4 -Una negociación a tiempo (A deal in time) - May 24, 2018
When’s the4th episode review coming out?
Soon. I promise. (I have been out of the country.)
how can i download the seasons