The Legend of El Cid on Amazon Prime

[Atheling]

I watched episode 1 the other night but haven’t found time to watch more yet.  Quite enjoyable although it wasn’t until the end of the episode that I figured out how to watch in Spanish with English subtitles! Some good kit and Ruy Diaz isn’t too much of a pretty boy for the role.  Lovely castle and scenery so far.  Some nice touches like the under/ over arm spear fighting.  I will watch more.

Well, if it gets your seal of approval James that's good enough for me

[Captain Blood]

Started episode 1 last night. Only made it about halfway through. Found it quite heavy going. I suppose because the story is so familiar from the movie, you kind of know what’s going to happen... Also the characters are rather too obviously baddies or goodies. Not many shades of grey. Hmmm... I shall try again later... 

[Mindenbrush]

I have watched all 5 episodes, not too bad overall - no CGI, no “Troy” style stunts.

[Grumpy Gnome]

I am of the same opinion Captain Blood.

That and the “frog without a scabbard” in the opening sequence got the show off on the wrong foot for me. Yes, I know I am an annoying stickler about such things.

[James Morris]

I’m now 2.5 episodes in and probably rating it about 3/5 overall.  Some lovely locations and nice allusions to the El Cid story (his historical enemies put it about that he favoured the omens of birds; the complex web of alliances in 11th century Spain) but it feels a bit lacking in pace and budget. However, it is 100% better watching it in Spanish with subtitles, and I am grateful that no-one has yet thrown a sword.

Ps the scabbardless sword in episode one caused me to wince as well. It’s like using a Ferrari to take your garden rubbish to the recycling centre.

[Grumpy Gnome]

I quite agree on the Spanish with English subtitles. Great comparison with the Ferrari, ha!

[Juan]

I have watched the five episodes of this season. I like a lot the locations (well, this is my country!), and most of the costume but the actors are very bad and this is very difficult to understand them when they talk (a problem most of the Spanish actors have, in this moment...). There are some things I cannont understand, like the prominence of the Joyosa sword, the over abundance of chain mail in the mesnada and the curious and too quick end of the Battle of Graus, with Sancho deciding it has finished and he has won...

A very interesting entertaiment and not a "Spanish Middle Age documentary".

[Captain Blood]

Juan, you may be interested to know this is a big complaint about English speaking actors in the UK as well. Several big TV and streaming series over the last few years have been widely criticised for bad sound quality and the tendency for actors to mumble, so that it’s difficult to actually hear what they are saying. Sounds like it’s the same in Espana!

I finished watching episode 1, but I don’t think I will watch any more. It’s a bit too much like a pantomime for me.

[Rogerc]

 I am perseverign with this, I hate the dubbing though, how do I watch in Spanish with english subtitles instead?

[Silent bob]

Juan, you may be interested to know this is a big complaint about English speaking actors in the UK as well.

I have always had a problem with the 'Danish Mumbler' - Mads Mikkelsen......I find that he was much better in Valhalla Rising (where is character didn't/couldn't speak)......he's also not too bad in the Carlsberg advert.......but I normally have to get my ear horn out when he is speaking....

[Sir_Theo]

I am perseverign with this, I hate the dubbing though, how do I watch in Spanish with english subtitles instead?

On the menu when you've selected the programme, where you can choose episodes etc there is a subtitles option and an Audio option. You'll have to go into both of those and choose the options you want. This seems to then be a general option for Prime then,  I went to watch The Expanse later and it was dubbed into Spanish!

[James Morris]

Ok, I finished watching episodes 4 and 5 tonight. Lack of pace and direction; it couldn’t make up its mind whether it wanted to be action, adventure, intrigue or whatever.  Some nice moments  and beautiful Spanish scenery but pretty patchy overall. Distinct lack of fights for a series purporting to be about El Campeodor, the most famous knight in Spain! 

Needs more budget, more focus and more battles for series 2.

But it’s tempting to get the El Cid figures out of the loft!

[Atheling]

Ok, I finished watching episodes 4 and 5 tonight. Lack of pace and direction; it couldn’t make up its mind whether it wanted to be action, adventure, intrigue or whatever.  Some nice moments  and beautiful Spanish scenery but pretty patchy overall. Distinct lack of fights for a series purporting to be about El Campeodor, the most famous knight in Spain!

Needs more budget, more focus and more battles for series 2.

Sounds very much like I saved some cash then  Mind, I did just drop Netflix last month... on the other hand, maybe watching it might be enough to inspire tp get back into my 11thEarly 12th Spanish project?   Hmmmmm 

But it’s tempting to get the El Cid figures out of the loft!

    What did I tell ya?  No bad thing

[Littlearmies]

I have watched the five episodes of this season. I like a lot the locations (well, this is my country!), and most of the costume but the actors are very bad and this is very difficult to understand them when they talk (a problem most of the Spanish actors have, in this moment...). There are some things I cannot understand, like the prominence of the Joyosa sword, the over abundance of chain mail in the mesnada and the curious and too quick end of the Battle of Graus, with Sancho deciding it has finished and he has won...

A very interesting entertaiment and not a "Spanish Middle Age documentary".

Funnily enough I thought it was quite good in this respect. I could understand the actors much better than in Los Favoritos de Midas, for instance. As a foreigner living in Spain my biggest problem speaking to Spanish people is the Spanish elision - my conversations with Spanish people tend to be punctuated with "Despacio, por favor" and "Puede repetir eso, por favor", whereas when I speak to foreigners living in Spain who speak fluent Spanish, or when I read Spanish I don't have the same problem!

What seemed "off" to me was that the justification for deposing Fernando was that he wasn't prosecuting the Reconquista - but the show covers the period 1060 to 1065 - so soon after he gained the throne until he died. I thought Fernando was doing plenty of fighting against the Moors during his short reign - didn't he fight most campaign seasons when he was king?

And that cavalry charge at the Battle of Graus - they were riding like it was a horse race, what were they thinking? I did notice the over abundance of mail worn by the rank and file - but what I thought was odd was that mail seemed to be worn most of the time by the main characters rather than just when they were practising, or fighting.

For me, the big problem was that the first five episodes were like a prologue and the season ended just as the main action was about to kick off - I felt a bit let down - I don't know if the production was cut short by the lockdowns?

[Maniac]

We've only finished the first 3 episodes, but so far it is enjoyable.  I was actually fairly gratified by the mail and helmets.  Unlike other shows, when in combat they are actually wearing appropriate coifs/helmets/gear rather than running about in D&D/LARP costumes with no helmets (maybe I have not made it as far, but the tourney and Ruy's first field engagement looked pretty good).

So overall enjoying it so far.  It's vastly superior to Netflix's Barbarians so far, and scale/costuming is better than The Last Kingdom or Vikings.