Spain, the land of endophobia: not a single series on the Tercios on TV in 2026
In 2026, neither TVE nor any production company has made an epic series about the Tercios. Why does Spain's audiovisual industry shy away from its military past? Data and context.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Why doesn't Spain film its own epic?
One fact: in 2026, neither TVE nor a single private production company has released a series or film about the Tercios, the army that dominated Europe for a century and a half. Meanwhile, fiction about characters like Veneno or alphabet verses is being produced. The question is not a whim: it has an economic, cultural and even political background.
The business of endophobia
The term endophobia —aversion to one's own culture— has been circulating for years. The RAE (Spain's Royal Academy of Language) recognizes it in use, although it does not appear in the dictionary. In the Spanish audiovisual industry, the phenomenon translates into a systematic omission. Series about LGTBI history, historical memory or criticism of Francoism are financed, but the Spanish Empire, with its lights and shadows, hardly appears. The most notable exception is Alatriste (2006), which portrays the Tercios of Flanders in their decline. Nothing about the splendor of Pavia, Saint-Quentin or Lepanto.
Lack of audience or antiestéticar of success?
Audience data suggest there is a market. Historical series like Águila Roja (2009-2016) averaged a 24% share. But the commitment to patriotic epic clashes with a dominant narrative that sees in those episodes a violent conquest, not a military antiestéticat. Those who defend the need to produce this content point out that other countries —the United Kingdom, France, even Turkey— profit from their glorious past without complexes.
Final irony
Meanwhile, economics forums speculate about an imaginary series: "The effeminate little soldier", a drama about gaiity in the Tercios during the siege of Ostend, with a cast of comedians. It's a joke, but it reveals how far the industry has moved the bar. If no serious work is filmed, at least the parody serves as a thermometer.
Related debates in the forum
One fact: in 2026, neither TVE nor a single private production company has released a series or film about the Tercios, the army that dominated Europe for a century and a half. Meanwhile, fiction about characters like Veneno or alphabet verses is being produced. The question is not a whim: it has an economic, cultural and even political background.
The business of endophobia
The term endophobia —aversion to one's own culture— has been circulating for years. The RAE (Spain's Royal Academy of Language) recognizes it in use, although it does not appear in the dictionary. In the Spanish audiovisual industry, the phenomenon translates into a systematic omission. Series about LGTBI history, historical memory or criticism of Francoism are financed, but the Spanish Empire, with its lights and shadows, hardly appears. The most notable exception is Alatriste (2006), which portrays the Tercios of Flanders in their decline. Nothing about the splendor of Pavia, Saint-Quentin or Lepanto.
Lack of audience or antiestéticar of success?
Audience data suggest there is a market. Historical series like Águila Roja (2009-2016) averaged a 24% share. But the commitment to patriotic epic clashes with a dominant narrative that sees in those episodes a violent conquest, not a military antiestéticat. Those who defend the need to produce this content point out that other countries —the United Kingdom, France, even Turkey— profit from their glorious past without complexes.
Final irony
Meanwhile, economics forums speculate about an imaginary series: "The effeminate little soldier", a drama about gaiity in the Tercios during the siege of Ostend, with a cast of comedians. It's a joke, but it reveals how far the industry has moved the bar. If no serious work is filmed, at least the parody serves as a thermometer.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (55 replies).
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