El ministerio del tiempo (English: The Ministry of Time) is a Spanish fantasy television series created by Javier and Pablo Olivares and produced by Onza Partners and Cliffhanger for Televisión Española. It premiered on February 24, 2015 on TVE's main channel La 1. The series follows the exploits of a patrol of the fictional Ministry of Time, which deals with incidents caused by time travel.
On March 24, 2015, it was confirmed that TVE had renewed the series for a second season. The show was renewed for a third season on September 22, 2016. On December 29, 2016 it was announced that RTVE had sold the rights to Netflix to broadcast the third series internationally, outside of Spain, resulting in a bigger production budget.
The Ministry of Time is the best kept secret of the Spanish state: an autonomous government institution that reports directly to the Prime Minister. Its patrols have to watch the doors of time so that no intruder from other eras can change history for their own benefit.
The series follows the assignments of the Ministry's newest patrol: the one formed by Army of Flanders soldier Alonso de Entrerríos, 19th century student Amelia Folch and 21st century Samur paramedic Julián Martínez.
Main
Rodolfo Sancho as Julián Martínez one of three members of the protaganist patrol. He is a trained SAMUR paramedic from 21st century Madrid. Present as a member of the patrol through season 1 and second half of season 2. Sancho left the series at the end of the second season having not reached an agreement with the producers of the show. His absence during the first half of season 2 was due to his shooting for Mar de plástico.Aura Garrido as Amelia Folch, the leader of the protaganist patrol. She is a late 19th century pioneering university student and an only child from an upper class Barcelona family, still living with her parents.Nacho Fresneda as Alonso de Entrerríos one of three members of the protaganist patrol. Highly experienced 16th century soldier from Madrid portrayed as an expert in fields of combat. Recruited just prior to being executed, he lives in the 21st century.Cayetana Guillén Cuervo as Irene Larra Girón, Head of Logistics inside the Ministry. A lesbian from the repressed 1960s, her character is used to express a less rigid viewpoint within the Ministry.Juan Gea as Ernesto Jiménez, Chief Operating Officer inside the Ministry. Recruited from the 15th century, he is fiercely incorruptible and perfectionist.Jaime Blanch as Salvador Martí, Head of the Ministry directing overall priority and management of time reparation and protection.Francesca Piñón as Angustias Vázquez, personal secretary of Salvador and widow.Hugo Silva as Jesús Méndez Pontón "Pacino", replacement member for Julián in the second and third seasons. He is a handsome police officer from 1981 Madrid, given the nickname 'Pacino' due to a resemblance with actor Al Pacino, whom he admires.Lola Mendieta (Natalia Millán): A former agent of the Ministry who was believed to have died on a mission. She has provided information about clandestine doors of time to a number of people.Diego Velázquez (Julián Villagrán): One of the most important painters in Spanish history, known for Las Meninas and Las Lanzas, who was recruited by the Ministry as a facial composite draftsman.Enric Folch (Xavier Boada) and Carme (Fanny Gautier): Amelia's parents. While he appears more tolerant about his daughter's concerns, she presses her to marry and settle down.Blanca (Susana Córdoba): Alonso's wife, who believes him to be dead since she does not know his execution was avoided by the Ministry.Elena Castillo (Susana Córdoba): Alonso's love interest in the present day and Blanca's doppelgänger.Susana Torres (Mar Saura): The liaison of the Ministry with the Prime Minister. Her visits usually mean bad news for Salvador.Ambrogio Spinola (Ramón Langa): One of the main generals of the Spanish Army during the 17th century, most notable for the siege of Breda. He works for the Ministry, and admits he made the mistake of reading about his fate in the books.Enriqueta Martí (María Rodríguez): A serial murderer who worked as Amelia's maid for a short time.Marisa (Nieve de Medina): An old love interest of Ernesto's who has returned to work in the Ministry.Armando Leiva (José Antonio Lobato): A former agent who rebelled against the Ministry when Salvador refused to allow him to bring his 10-year-old son, diagnosed with leukemia, to the present so that doctors from the 21st century could tend to him.Maite (Mar Ulldemolins): Julián's late wife, whom he visits by way of the doors of time.Paul Walcott (Jimmy Shaw): An American time traveller who worked for mysterious corporation Darrow Ltd.Hovik Keuchkerian as Juan Martín Díez "El Empecinado"Josep Linuesa as ThibaudIván Villanueva as BenitoVíctor Clavijo as Lope de VegaMiguel Rellán as Gil PérezMiguel Ángel Somé as Alonso de Entrerríos, Jr.David Luque as Heinrich HimmlerPep Miràs as Francisco FrancoMiko Jarry as Adolf HitlerFrank Feys as Heinrich MüllerMarkus Lambauer as Captain SchweinsteigerPep Sais as Antoni Maria Marcet i Poal, abbot of MontserratJorge Pobes as Luis OrcajoJulio Arrojo as ÁngelMichelle Jenner as Isabella I of CastilleJuan Gea as Tomás de TorquemadaEusebio Poncela as Francisco Jiménez de CisnerosPaco Obregón as Rabbi Abraham LeviCarlos Álvarez-Nóvoa as Don Manuel López CastillejoBen Temple as Aaron SteinAitor Mazo as the Inquisition fiscalRaúl Pulido as Pablo PicassoRoberto Álvarez as Julián's fatherVicente Gil as Fernando Jiménez del OsoJuan Blanco as Lázaro de TormesAlberto Amarilla as Fray JuanFrancesc Orella as Alberto Díaz BuenoMaría Cotiello as Nuria Celaya (Irene's wife)Carmen Sánchez as Isabella II of SpainCarmen Gutiérrez as Maria Christina of the Two SiciliesCeline Peña as Infanta Luisa FernandaManolo Solo as Undersecretary Emilio RedónÁngel Ruiz as Federico García LorcaEnrique Alcides as Salvador DalíJordi Coll as Luis BuñuelAntonio Alcalde as Pepín BelloSecun de la Rosa as Antonio LanchaIria del Río as Silvia (Amelia's granddaughter)Mar del Hoyo as Rosita Díaz GimenoJordi Hurtado as himselfAntonio Velázquez as Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar "El Cid"Sergio Peris-Mencheta as Rogelio Buendía / Imposter CidSavitri Ceballos as Jimena DíazLuis G. Gámez as Ramón Menéndez PidalPablo Scola as Charlton HestonAndrés Gertrúdix as Francisco MoránSantiago Meléndez as Pacino's fatherAntonio Reyes as Morán's fatherXimena Vera as Morán's motherCarmela Lloret and Eva Llorach as two of Morán's victimsPere Ponce as Miguel de CervantesVíctor Clavijo's second appearance as Lope de VegaJimmy Shaw as Lord Charles York/WalcottMarkos Marín as John BennetMiguel Rellán's second appearance as Gil PérezFernando Cayo as NapoleonIsmael Martínez as Rodolfo SuárezJordi Martínez as Michel NeyNadia de Santiago as Rosa del AmoSelica Torcal as Sor FloraAránzazu Zorate as Sor PaulaSonia Almarcha as Sor AntoniaElena Furiase as Micaela AmayaJosé Luis Torrijo as Doctor VargasJosé Ramón Iglesias as GermánTania Vilamarín as Maria PitaJoaquín Gómez as Germán's fatherJaime Zatarain as Ramón de la VegaPepe Zafra as young VelázquezGuillermo Vallverdú as MarianoJavier Laorden as PepeJuan Carlos Villanueva as Gregorio MarañónJosé Luis Patiño as Francisco PachecoSergi Méndez as young Alonso de EntrerríosNicole Valle as young BlancaMiki Esparbé as Joaquín María ArgamasillaGary Piquer as Harry HoudiniRick Zingale as L. GromekMari Carmen Sánchez as JosefaMiguel Hermoso as J. Edgar HooverJuan Carlos Sánchez as Ramón del Valle-InclánJuan Antonio Quintana as Santiago Ramón y CajalPedro Miguel Martínez as Joaquín José Javier ArgamasillaPedro Alonso as Saturnino Martín CerezoPaco Marin as Rogelio Vigil de QuiñonesAitor Merino as Antonio Sanchez MenacheJordi Vilches as José Lafarga AbadJoan Carles Suau as MiguelBorja Maestre as HerediaAlberto Jiménez as Enrique de las Morenas y FossiJuan José Ballesta as Vicente González TocaNacho Sánchez as Rafael RíosAndrey Finanta as AlejoVanessa Castro as MariaPastora Vega as Pacino's motherMónica Estarreado as AsunciónSantiago Meléndez as Luis Méndez (Pacino's father)Fernando Conde as Philip V of SpainMaría Álvarez as Elisabeth FarneseAlgis Arlauskas as FergusonCarlos Cuevas as JavierMario Tardón as Dr. MadrigalArnau García as young Salvador MartíAlexandra Jiménez as Teresa Méndez / Julia LozanoRosa Vivas as Salvador's adoptive motherRoberto Drago as Sebastián LombardiAnna Castillo as Sonia LombardiJoan Carreras as Christopher ColumbusNancho Novo as Don Fadrique de VillaespesaAlba Ribas as ConstanzaChusa Barbero as ClaudiaRaúl Cimas as Isaac VilaRichard Sahagún as Alberto OrtigosaGarbiñe Insausti as Natalia VilaMaitane San Nicolás as RocioPatrick Criado as SanchoFélix Arkarazo as Ernest HemingwayJavier Mula as SaavedraPepe Rodríguez as himselfCarlos Hipólito as Philip II of SpainCarlos Kaniowsky as Mateo Vazquez de LecaVíctor Duplá as Agustín ArgüellesJon Ariño as De las CuevasCarlos Cuevas as JavierMaitane San Nicolás as RocioMarta Nieto as Isabella of PortugalJordi Hurtado as himselfThe series won the 2015 Ondas Award for Best Spanish Series. In 2017 it won at Premios Feroz the awards for best drama series, best lead actress (Aura Garrido) and best supporting actor for a television series (Hugo Silva, tied with Velvet's José Sacristán).
Portugal was the first country to have the series adapted locally, with a version entitled Ministério do Tempo produced by Iniziomedia. As of December 2016 the format has also been sold to China, with negotiations mentioned for Germany, France, Italy and US.
On September 27, 2016 Onza Partners presented a lawsuit to the CDCA against Sony Pictures, NBCUniversal, and executive producers Shawn Ryan, Eric Kripke and John Davis for copyright infringement and breach of implied contract, claiming that the U.S. TV series Timeless is a copy of El Ministerio del Tiempo.
