For many generations, the image of El Cid is that of the actor Charlton Helston, who, in 1961, starred in Anthony Mann‘s film about the Spanish hero. It took almost 60 years for a production – this time Spanish – to be able to revisit the fascinating story that, in some parts, was also the inspiration for George R. R. Martin and Game of Thrones. El Cid, the super production of Amazon Prime Video, has been on the platform for four years now, but I had to spend a month in Spain, hearing at every turn some reference to the adventures of Rodrigo “Ruy” Diaz de Vivar to finally overcome my prejudice and finally watch the two seasons produced.

I confess that I had tried unsuccessfully to watch just a few episodes before, perhaps because I was still under the influence of GOT, which had influenced a wave of similar content, all of which seemed like a dull copy. The ‘break’ did me good: El Cid is a great production that is worth checking out.

Filmed on location, which makes a big visual difference, the series very well weaves together the political dramas and the struggle for power in a Spain still occupied by the Moors and before its unification. For this reason, we easily feel as if we were in the 11th century witnessing history as it happened. That is why everything in El Cid is grandiose: filmed in Soria, Burgos, Teruel, Ávila, and Zaragoza, it had more than 4,000 m2 of sets in addition to a crew of more than 200 people and 11,000 extras.

We don’t have as much in-depth knowledge of the Spanish monarchy as we do in France or England, so it takes a while to memorize who’s who. If you do, you’ll notice that they took some liberties for the sake of drama. Once the series picks up pace, we’re spellbound.

The story follows the rise of Rodrigo “Ruy” Diaz de Vivar, who would come to be known as “El Cid.” Still a national hero and a mysterious and complex figure today, he started out as a loyal vassal and later became a knight and hero of the crown. In 11th-century Spain, Christians, Arabs, and Jews lived in relative religious tolerance, but the fight for the crown always brought out the worst in people. There’s romance, intrigue, betrayal, and grandiose battles.

El Cid stars Jaime Lorente, best known for his role in La Casa de Papel, who does well in the role of the hero. He’s joined by well-known Spanish actors, and the soundtrack is by award-winning Gustavo Santaolalla.

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