Tear Down the Wall

S1, E1: In the 18th century, the War of Spanish Succession resulted in all of Spain falling under the rule of a single crown, the Bourbon royal family. The country, as it is known today, was born. Episode 1 focuses mainly on the 19th century industrial expansion of Barcelona, the plight of the city’s workers, and the rise of the city’s Bourgeoisie. Significant events include the imposition of martial law over Barcelona, the destruction of a medieval wall corseting the city, the end of the Spanish colonial empire, the emergence of seminal Catalan and Republican political parties and politicos, the birth of Catalan Modernism, and a spate of anarchist bombings. Major series figures—Valentí Almirall, Enric Prat de la Riba, King Alfons XII, and Francesc Macià—are introduced, and the episode ends with the military closing ranks after the publication of a seemingly innocuous cartoon in a Barcelona magazine, a cartoon that single-handedly set into motion a series of events that would change the course of history for Barcelona, Spain, and indeed, all of Europe.