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docpiplup · 7 days ago

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Yes, another interview, but I wanted to share It because It has some info that the previous ones don't have, like for example, one of the members of the new patrol was a historical character, an Aragonese mathematician, writer and teacher from the 18th century, María Andrea Casamayor y de la Coma (Zaragoza, November 30, 1720-Zaragoza, October 23, 1780), author of books like "Tyrocinio arithmético: instruccion de lás quatro reglas llanas" or "El Parasi solo". I like that EMDT was going to have another female historical character, because we all know that compared to male historical characters, there are far fewer female historical figures represented in the series. But most likely there will never be a new season, so at least Andrea Casamayor as an agent of the ministery could be an idea to include in a EMDT fic.

"I don't want any more dizziness." Javier Olivares reveals what season 5 of 'The Ministry of Time' would have been like and what is needed for him to agree to take it back

The co-creator of the series also makes it clear that either it returns as a series or it does not return.

This Monday, February 24, marks the 10th anniversary of the premiere of 'The Ministry of Time', an acclaimed science fiction series that was never officially cancelled. However, almost five years have also passed since the premiere of its fourth season and the last we knew was that RTVE had rejected the idea for a fifth season by Javier Olivares at the request of the public entity itself.

At Espinof we wanted to take advantage of this anniversary to interview Olivares, co-creator of the series with his sadly deceased brother Pablo. In it he talks to us about, among other topics, which scene best defines 'El Ministerio del Tiempo' for him, what his plans were for season 5 and what would be essential for him to agree to take it back, historical figures that he wanted to portray in the series or how he would see a possible remake or a relaunch of El Ministerio del Tiempo' with another person at the lead.

The 10th anniversary of the series' premiere is celebrated and every fan of the series has a favorite moment from it. In your case, what is the first scene or episode that comes to mind when your memories decide that that day is the time to dedicate some quality time to the series again and why?

For me, there are iconic sequences. Like Velázquez entering the Prado Museum or that of Lorca and Camarón... But, in my opinion, the moment that defines what the series is is when Julián recites Leño's “Maneras de Vivir” to Lope de Vega. My brother Pablo wrote it. It defines (along with the following “Servicio de Habitaciones”) our commitment to pop without disregarding the classic. The irony… And the struggle that came with making the series. When I read it for the first time, I didn't even laugh. It was a chill, the stupefaction of thinking how someone like my brother Pablo, already immobile due to ALS, had the capacity to write with a sense of humor. Because I couldn't do it, I assure you.

It was also a symbol of production. One day, whoever was wearing it at the time told me - as a showrunner that I was - that Leño couldn't be recited, that it was very expensive. I didn't understand it: it was just reciting it, without music. For me it was key, the definition of the series. And I told him to tell me how much it cost and that I would pay for it on my own. Then, my lawyer (Javier Carrillo, an expert in these issues) got to work and it turned out that it did not exceed 800 euros. If I had not been executive producer, this sequence - the best of the series - would not exist. And I thought about how many great ideas would have been lost in our series because their creators (the writers) couldn't control the product.

Outstanding debts

All these years later, is there anything you regret about the series, either because you did it one way or because you just ended up not doing it?

As a creator and screenwriter, no. We did things wrong and others well. But it is what it is. It is no longer useful to say “if they had programmed us differently”, “if it had not taken so long to renew so many times”, “if certain actors had not left due to lack of continuity”… 'El Ministerio del Tiempo' is the sum of what we plan to do, what we were able to do and the fight against those inconveniences. They are our war wounds, but also our medals. It's a whole. And if you look at the results after ten years, the balance is wonderful. We gave the network its only Platinum, two Ondas in a row, Feroz, Iris awards, impact on social networks, we have fans in China, Russia, an association in France... And we created friendships that still last, a ministerial family. If you had told me before starting that we were going to achieve so much, I wouldn't have believed it. Furthermore, I am clear that the culture of complaint is useless. Only shit comes out of continuous complaining. Even when you have reason to complain, you cannot live settled in it. You have to show your face, yes. But then move on to something else. To create again.

The series finally had 42 episodes but I wish it had had many more. Is there a particular historical character that you were left wanting to tackle and that didn't fit into those four seasons?

Many. And concepts, stories... I regret not having dedicated more chapters to Science, as we did with Emilio Herrera. There are wonderful characters who were left out, like Isaac Peral. Or like Andrea Casamayor, a 17-year-old girl from Aragon, the author back in the 18th century of a mathematics manual for popular use and another missing book (advanced mathematics) that she could not sign because she was not a man and had to use the pseudonym Casandro Mamés... Topics such as historical fake news, such as the boy from La Guardia or what surrounded the Esquilache riot... The nighttime filming (on the same sets where Bela Lugosi filmed it) of a Dracula in Spanish. I think they just did this topic in a Mexican series, in fact. And I won't be able to do it anymore, when I had had it in my head for years...

Years ago you commented that you presented a season 5 but that RTVE rejected it, although without ever canceling the series. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time that RTVE recovered a series that everyone considered over, as happened a while ago with 'Los Misterios de Laura'. Would you still be willing to resume it or have you already completely closed your stage in the series 'El Ministerio del Tiempo'? Furthermore, at the time the transmedia universe of the series was very important, and perhaps not with new episodes of the series, but a podcast, a play, a series of novels. Would there be any possibility of continuing to expand the universe on that side?

Season 5, already designed but was rejected - after requesting it - by TVE, was a bit of a compendium of this. The patrol was new. With Andrea Casamayor, an officer from the War of Independence and a ram raider from the south of Madrid, punctually accompanied by the usual protagonists. In it the topics, in 4 episodes, were:

• The Beatles concert in Madrid.

• The appearance of an unknown comedy by Lope…. Whose protagonist is called Amelia.

• The portrait of the Prince of Wales painted by Velázquez.

•Canfranc taken by the Nazis, where half of Europe escaped, risking their lives.

•El Niño de la Guardia as an almost Trumpian prototype of fake news.

•And a Christmas special (my always dream) dedicated to the National Lottery.

As you can see, many outstanding debts would have been settled. But I would only take it back if I saw a plan, a love... I assume you don't want to do it, but I don't want more dizziness. This series needs a lot of passion. Of those of us who do it and of those who want us to do it. Regarding going to other avenues outside of making new seasons, The Ministry will either be a series or it will not be. No books, no podcast, no TV movie. All of this works around a series, not independently.

Did you already have any actor or actress in mind that you would have liked to have been part of the new patrol in that season 5 that did not go ahead?

I always have them, but there are several. But by not talking to them before, the rule is not to quote them. I'm sorry.

Another very common thing is remakes and new versions. 'El Ministerio del Tiempo' itself has had adaptations in other countries, but how would you see the possibility, perhaps not now but in a few years, of someone else taking up the series in Spain? Whether it's a more or less traditional remake or a relaunch in the style of what Russell T. Davies did with 'Doctor Who' and which is still underway.

If I knew of a future Spanish Russell T. Davies, I would be delighted. For his talent and for his social and political commitment to wonderful series like 'Years and Years' or 'It's a Sin'… He is the best showrunner of 'Doctor Who' by far. And with a third season of 'Torchwood' which is one of the masterpieces of science fiction. But there isn't and I don't think there is because our industry doesn't make series like that and, therefore, it doesn't generate creators of that type.

It is another type of creators... Different. Our fiction is produced, generally for platforms. And it has been abandoned - unlike in the rest of Europe - by TV. in open. With this, the concept of party, of adventure, of I'm going to sit down and see what they surprise me with... And share it on networks is lost. Each episode of El Ministerio was a party, with National Heritage tweeting and offering images from each era. With the Prado Museum, the Romanticism Museum… And the followers. All together.

Be careful, I'm not complaining about what there is. I complain about what isn't there. How am I going to complain about the platforms as a viewer when they make gems like 'Antidisturbios', 'Veneno', 'Nos vemos en otra vida', 'Querer', 'Cristóbal Balenciaga', 'La Mesías'...? I appreciate their quality, their creative risk and I understand their business model. But I think that those jewels are not seen by the amount of public that should see them. And that I would see them (without a doubt) in the open. But that is not the platform's problem. It is one of the few that is produced openly.

Without contact with the public, the creator becomes more auteur and less pop. And television is pop. Like Russell. Like Abbott back in the day. Like Moffat. Like Jed Mercurio… Even Simon, the “fuck the average viewer” guy, generated pop icons beyond HBO being pay-per-view. Because he was talking about the street, about today's society. For me, series are that: pop culture without ceasing to be entertaining, intelligent... Because pop does not imply that the public is assholes. There is the example of 'Line of Duty', which is a gem and has a share of more than 40% in open air. And without having to pay to see it on a platform, something that - it has been studied - is opening a social gap in the consumption of fiction. 'Isabel', 'El Ministerio del Tiempo' start from that popular base. If someone makes a remake one day, I hope they don't forget it. With that, it's fine for me.

Well, and that one day TVE will have the cultural support it deserves from politicians, to understand that it could be the BBC in Spanish instead of a model without media and competing with the private ones with the same weapons too often. But this may be asking too much at this point, when so many opportunities and time have been lost. In the 1980s, the then French president Mitterrand, faced with the emergence of powerful private channels (Canal+, La Cinq, TV6 and TF1), had the idea of creating a cultural and educational channel with a European vocation (La Sept). In 1986, a working group was created (after a Mitterrand-Kohl summit) with the aim of strengthening Europe's weight in audiovisual communication which, two years later, resulted in the creation of the ARTE1 channel, a Franco-German public service channel.

And a few years ago, those who felt alerted by the survival of the sacred BBC were English politicians. Thus, a parliamentary commission was held on the matter. The increase in costs, the hiring of their best values by the platforms (a clear example is 'The Crown'), described an alarming situation. And they reacted with pride... And with fiscal, promotion and dissemination measures... The result, seeing the production of recent years, is that we are witnessing a new explosion of British Drama, both by the BBC and the improvement of fiction by the private ITV. Openly and in collaboration with platforms. I would like Spain to have that sensitivity towards television audiovisual culture one day.

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