The Department of Time: El Monasterio del Tiempo (The Convent of Time) First Watch
May 29, 2018 4:24 PM - Season 2, Episode 4 - Subscribe
In 1808, Napoleon visited the Royal Convent of Santa Clara de Tordesillas, where the abbess convinced him to release three prisoners that were about to be executed. Unfortunately, the abbess has unexpectedly died before she met Napoleon. Now, the Ministry must send a replacement to convince him not to execute the prisoners, as one of them is an ancestor of Adolfo Suárez González, the first Prime Minister of Spain after the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco. Adolfo guided Spain through its transition to a democracy. His ancestor must survive!
Notes (contain spoilers)
* The team this week is Pacino, Amelia and Angustias, because Julián is AWOL and Alonso has been given two days off to move into his new house.
* This episode is Angustias' time in the spotlight. She sings! Badly. Very, very badly. She also gives cooking tips to Napoleon Bonaparte.
* Rodolfo Suárez uses his great-great-great-great-grandson's catch-phrase in this episode: “Puedo prometer y prometo.” ("I can promise, and I do promise...")
* In this episode, Irene discovers that Salvador has remained in touch with Julián and knows where he is, despite putting out an APB on him during the last episode. She tells Salvador's arch-nemesis Susana Torres who arranges to have Salvador fired. The team returns to the Ministry from 1808 to find Torres is now the Secretary of the Ministry of Time.
* The pastry the nuns give the team is "Yemas de Santa Teresa," a rich and creamy traditional Spanish dessert. Here's a recipe.
Quotes
"Have we heard from the team?"
"No, but whenever you say that, that’s when they phone, like in the movies." [phone rings]
--
"You won’t be alone! And you speak French, right?"
"Well, when I said on my CV that I spoke ‘intermediate to fluent’ I meant 'basic-basic' as in 'not a fucking clue’'"
Notes (contain spoilers)
* The team this week is Pacino, Amelia and Angustias, because Julián is AWOL and Alonso has been given two days off to move into his new house.
* This episode is Angustias' time in the spotlight. She sings! Badly. Very, very badly. She also gives cooking tips to Napoleon Bonaparte.
* Rodolfo Suárez uses his great-great-great-great-grandson's catch-phrase in this episode: “Puedo prometer y prometo.” ("I can promise, and I do promise...")
* In this episode, Irene discovers that Salvador has remained in touch with Julián and knows where he is, despite putting out an APB on him during the last episode. She tells Salvador's arch-nemesis Susana Torres who arranges to have Salvador fired. The team returns to the Ministry from 1808 to find Torres is now the Secretary of the Ministry of Time.
* The pastry the nuns give the team is "Yemas de Santa Teresa," a rich and creamy traditional Spanish dessert. Here's a recipe.
Quotes
"Have we heard from the team?"
"No, but whenever you say that, that’s when they phone, like in the movies." [phone rings]
--
"You won’t be alone! And you speak French, right?"
"Well, when I said on my CV that I spoke ‘intermediate to fluent’ I meant 'basic-basic' as in 'not a fucking clue’'"
This episode was delightful. I especially enjoyed the priest who forgave everyone for everything during confession, and the prisoners who return themselves to jail.
posted by tofu_crouton at 4:11 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by tofu_crouton at 4:11 AM on May 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
This episode was the best. The humour is so sly. Favorite quote: 'It's not a dream! It's porridge!'
There's a thing going on about 'Who do I fancy? Who fancies me? Why, wtf?' and a parallel thing about 'religion, what is this rubbish?' v religion as a habit of life, which will be familiar to Catholics I think.
Favorite visual thing: Alonso stepping over the back of the chair to sit on it in one fluid movement *swoon*
posted by glasseyes at 4:32 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
There's a thing going on about 'Who do I fancy? Who fancies me? Why, wtf?' and a parallel thing about 'religion, what is this rubbish?' v religion as a habit of life, which will be familiar to Catholics I think.
Favorite visual thing: Alonso stepping over the back of the chair to sit on it in one fluid movement *swoon*
posted by glasseyes at 4:32 PM on June 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
This one is just just as good on rewatch, though somehow my brain decided to expect a nonexistent scene where Angustias lipsyncs to Amelia singing.
posted by polytope subirb enby-of-piano-dice at 11:28 AM on April 12, 2020
posted by polytope subirb enby-of-piano-dice at 11:28 AM on April 12, 2020
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*Pacino saying that considering how difficult it is for him to adapt to the modern world, it must be so much worse for 16th century Alonso; cut to Alonso testing out the hot & cold water faucets and being absolutely thrilled with them.
*Ernesto giving Alonso his modern-day makeover
*Angustia's singing, and just every moment of her & Pacino being terrible at being clergy-persons.
*Every variation of the "lovers embracing passionately in the meadow" sequence.
And then the serious ending of Torres' takeover of the Ministry.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:18 PM on May 29, 2018 [2 favorites]