Foreign Shows that Have Boomed in Spain
Many people think that great stories are no longer something found at the movies, but rather on TV. The number of TV show fans is growing all the time, and Spain is no exception. Most people already have a favorite show. But which ones are the biggest hits in Spain?
Before we start in on the list, we should mention one interesting fact; if we listen to what the TV channels say, the most watched shows are those produced in Spain. In fact, there are channels that have programmed shows that have been successful around the world, but which apparently have not triumphed in Spain. But all of this has a simple explanation: many fans of foreign shows don’t wait for them to be dubbed and broadcasted months later on TV; they simply go online, find the episodes they want to watch a few days after their original broadcast, and watch them there.
That being said (we’re not going to get into the digital content controversy), we’ve chosen some of the shows we know Spaniards like so much.
Game of Thrones: The great saga based on the books of George R.R. Martin has a huge following in Spain. In fact, a lot of people signed up for extras castings for the episodes that were filmed in our country, and many more went to the locations where they were filming, such as the Alcázar de Sevilla. The exhibition about the show in Madrid was a success… guess how many of our friends took a picture with the Iron Throne.
The Walking Dead:In Spain, people like zombies… a lot. There are some who have looked for an explanation for this in the Spanish habit of being a part of the masses at parties, in stores and on public transportation. But sociological theories aside, many people do follow the mishaps of these survivors in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by the “caminantes” (walkers).
Breaking Bad: In a country where bandits made history, where conmen stories are a literary genre, and where we love stories about the underdog, how are we not going to love the life of Walter White, a Chemistry teacher, who has to tap into his dark side to get ahead?
House M.D.: This show came out quite some time ago, but it was one of the only ones that was a success on TV. The cynical and bad-tempered doctor who always beats the strangest diseases became an idol. This following for this show created controversy in the media in the US, which began to identify the personality of the troubled doctor with the collective character of Spaniards. In short… clichés…
The Big Bang Theory: The adventures of this group of outsider, brainiacs has become very popular among the group that may be called the Spanish “collective of nerds.” Maybe it’s because the generation of young Spaniards who sees it are part of the “better prepared generation,” that which controls all the latest technologies and who holds degrees in higher education…
Here you have the shows that are favorites in Spain. So it seems our tastes are not so different from yours after all, are they?