Crónicas marcianas

This article is about the Spanish talk show. For other uses, see The Martian Chronicles (disambiguation).

Crónicas marcianas
GenreLate-night talk show
Created by
  • Miquel José
  • Jordi Roca
Directed byJavier Sardà [es]
Presented byJavier Sardà
Opening themeCrónicas marcianas by Israel Delgado
ComposerIsrael Delgado
Country of originSpain
Original languageSpanish
No. of seasons8
No. of episodes1,277
Production
Executive producers
Production companyGestmusic Endemol [es]
Original release
NetworkTelecinco
Release8 September 1997 (1997-09-08) –
21 July 2005 (2005-07-21)

Crónicas marcianas (Martian Chronicles)[a] was a Spanish late-night talk show produced by Gestmusic Endemol [es] and broadcast by Telecinco from 1997 to 2005. It was directed and presented by Javier Sardà [es], and had Miquel José and Jordi Roca, with whom Sardá had created La ventana [es] on Cadena SER, as deputy directors and screenwriters.

It is the longest running and most watched late-night talk show in the history of Spanish television.[1] Despite being characterized by some as a classic example of telebasura [es] (trash TV),[2] it won several honors during its run, including one Ondas Award, two Iris Awards [es], and six TP de Oro Awards.[3][4]

In December 2023, it received a surprise return to screens with Crónicas marcianas: El Reencuentro, a series of episodes collecting memories of the programme from Sardà and other collaborators on the show. The show received a new title sequence and good ratings, however nothing has yet been confirmed regarding a full reboot.

History

Crónicas marcianas began airing on 8 September 1997 to compete with Antena 3's La sonrisa del pelícano [es], which was then the ratings leader.[5] In principle, Crónicas marcianas contributed less sensationalism and a softer form of humor, with comedians, co-presenter Martí Galindo, wild animals, videos of pratfalls, and interviews with celebrities such as Cindy Crawford, Marta Sánchez, David Copperfield, Enrique Iglesias, and Ricky Martin.[6]

Crónicas marcianas came to surpass La sonrisa del pelícano in audience, and became the undisputed leader in its time slot after the latter was canceled amid controversy. Boris Izaguirre began appearing on the show to give "semiotic" analysis of celebrity gossip, in addition to performing "transformism" and striptease numbers.[7] New comedians and public figures were often featured, such as Manel Fuentes [es], Mariano Mariano [es], Paz Padilla, and Rosario Pardo [es]. Political and social topics were discussed by guests such as Cristina Almeida, Anna Balletbó i Puig, Celia Villalobos, Begoña Ameztoy, Padre Apeles [es], Loles León, Javier Nart, Enrique del Pozo [es], Ramoncín [es], Ivonne Reyes, Juan Adriansens [es], and Empar Moliner. Francisco Pérez Abellán [es] moved to the program from Esta noche cruzamos el Mississippi [es] to host a crime segment, and Carmen Vijande hosted one on sexology.[8]

For his part, Javier Cárdenas toured Spain to find different characters to interview. Some of these interviews were criticized for mocking their subjects, and Cárdenas and Sardà were ordered to pay €15,000 in compensation after a 2002 segment in which a court found they had committed "illegitimate meddling in the honor" of a young man with a disability.[9] Some interviewees became popular, such as Paco Porras, Leonardo Dantés, Tamara, El Pozí [es], La Bruja Lola, Carmen de Mairena, and El Mocito Feliz, and they appeared together with Cárdenas in the feature film FBI: Frikis Buscan Incordiar [es]. The controversial singer Tamara (later known as Yurena) had a number one single with "No cambié", and the program also sponsored the release of several music compilations.[10]

In 2000, Crónicas marcianas began to exploit the phenomenon of reality shows such as Gran Hermano and Hotel Glam [es], to such an extent that many of their former contestants became participants, replacing the previous ones. Examples include Aída Nízar, Sonia Arenas, Jorge Berrocal, Dinio García, María José Galera, Kiko Hernández [es], Carlos "El Yoyas" Navarro, Silvia Fominaya, Marta López, Pocholo Martínez-Bordiú [es], Noemí Ungría, and Raquel Morillas. The discussion tables were occupied by Nuria Bermúdez, Borja Hernán, Erika Alonso, Mari Cielo Pajares (daughter of actor Andrés Pajares), Italian nobleman Alessandro Lecquio [es], Coto Matamoros, Sonia Monroy [es], Mayte Alonso, Mila Ximénez, and other personalities. Themes such as celebrity relationships, accusations of drug abuse and trafficking, and the practice of prostitution became more prevalent. In this last period, Carlos Latre, Xavier Deltell [es], and Rocío Madrid [es] joined Sardà as co-presenters.

The program's ratings declined in the 2004–2005 season, as it lost viewers to shows such as Buenafuente [es]. Its cancellation was announced at the end of the season, while it was still the late-night ratings leader.[11][12][13] Many of its production staff eventually moved to premiere El Hormiguero in 2006.

In November 2023, Telecinco surprised many by announcing Crónicas marcianas: El Reencuentro, a one-off special of the show with memories of the original from former collaborators, for 12 December 2023. While not considered a full revival, the show won the timeslot and improved Telecinco's late-night slot performance by five percentage points.[14] No word has, however, been given by Telecinco on a reboot of the show based on its favourable performance.

List of contributors

Coto Matamoros in 2018

Ratings by season

Season Beginning Ending Ratings Ref
Viewers Share
1 1997 1998 1,826,000 22.5% [1]
2 1998 1999 1,568,000 24.5% [1]
3 1999 2000 1,548,000 28.7% [1]
4 2000 2001 1,818,000 33.7% [1]
5 2001 2002 1,792,000 31.3% [1]
6 2002 2003 1,871,000 32.7% [1]
7 2003 2004 1,981,000 37.7% [1]
8 2004 2005 1,471,000 29.4% [1]
Average 1997 2005 1,734,000 30.1%

International versions

The TV format created in Spain, was exported in two countries on the world.

Country Name Presenter Channel Year Aired
 Italy Cronache marziane Fabio Canino Italia 1 2004-2005
 Portugal Noites marcianas Carlos Cruz SIC 2001

Notes

  1. ^ Other than the title, a play on the Spanish word crónicas, which can refer to historical and journalistic chronicles, the program bears no relation to The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Se despide 'Crónicas Marcianas', el programa que cambió la TV en España" ['Crónicas Marcianas', the Program That Changed TV in Spain, Says Goodbye]. eldiario.es Vertele! (in Spanish). 21 July 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  2. ^ Confuso, Jose (15 August 2016). "'Crónicas Marcianas', el programa que hizo un arte de la 'telebasura'" ['Crónicas Marcianas', the Program That Made an Art of 'telebasura']. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  3. ^ "'Siete Vidas' y 'Crónicas Marcianas', entre los galardonados con los premios ondas" ['Siete Vidas' and 'Crónicas Marcianas', Among the Winners of the Ondas Awards]. ABC (in Spanish). 18 October 2000. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Los críticos también hablaron bien de 'Crónicas Marcianas'" [Critics Also Spoke Well of 'Crónicas Marcianas']. eldiario.es Vertele (in Spanish). 22 July 2005. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  5. ^ "'Crónicas marcianas' por delante de 'La sonrisa del pelícano'" ['Crónicas marcianas' Ahead of 'La sonrisa del pelícano']. ABC (in Spanish). 30 October 1997. p. 131. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  6. ^ "'Crónicas Marcianas' cumple 1.000 programas" ['Crónicas Marcianas' Completes 1,000 Programs]. eldiario.es Vertele (in Spanish). 17 November 2003. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  7. ^ Oaknín, Mazal (2019). "The Reception and Marketing of Women Writers in Spain". Feminism, Writing and the Media in Spain. Peter Lang. p. 47. ISBN 9781787077904. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Muere el periodista Francisco Pérez Abellán" [The Journalist Francisco Pérez Abellán Dies]. Diez Minutos (in Spanish). 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  9. ^ Quílez, Raquel (19 January 2005). "Telecinco, Javier Sardá y Javier Cárdenas, condenados a indemnizar con 15.000 euros a un discapacitado" [Telecinco, Javier Sardá, and Javier Cárdenas, Sentenced to Compensate a Person With a Disability With 15,000 Euros]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  10. ^ "El quinto álbum de 'CQC' recoge lo mejor de la música de los años 60 de artistas como Simon & Garfunkel, Beach Boys, Tom Jones, Marvin Gaye o Mamas & the Papas" [The Fifth 'CQC' Album Collects the Best of the Music of the 60s by Artists Such as Simon & Garfunkel, Beach Boys, Tom Jones, Marvin Gaye, and Mamas & the Papas]. ABC La Guía TV (in Spanish). 6 March 2002. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  11. ^ "'Buenafuente' se impone a 'Crónicas marcianas' por primera vez en 5 enfrentamientos" ['Buenafuente' Bests 'Crónicas marcianas' for the First Time in 5 Confrontations]. Fórmula TV (in Spanish). 27 January 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  12. ^ "Javier Sardá deja 'Crónicas Marcianas' para tomarse un descanso" [Javier Sardá Leaves 'Crónicas Marcianas' to Take a Break]. Terra (in Spanish). 24 April 2005. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Informativo - Fragmento (22-7-2005)" [News - Fragment (22-7-2005)]. YouTube (in Spanish) (published 16 December 2023). 22 July 2005.
  14. ^ Redacción (13 December 2023). "'Crónicas marcianas' (14,2%) se reencuentra con éxito ante 'Hermanos' (13,6%) y 'MasterChef Junior' (8,1%)". FormulaTV (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 December 2023.