10 3Cat Shows You Might Not Remember (But Are Worth Watching)

BarcelonaCatalan public television has always had a dual mission: to inform and entertain, but also to innovate and take risks. Throughout its more than 40 years of history, we remember iconic titles such as Poland, Ventdelplà or the Super3 Club. However, there's a glorious archive of shows that only lasted one season, but still generate a smile and interest today. They also provoke an inevitable question: "Why didn't this succeed or continue?" Perhaps they were too ahead of their time, too risky, or had already run their course. Either way, we're delving into the 3Cat archive to resurrect those programs you might have erased from your memory. Prepare for a list that ranges from a speech contest to the adventures of a dragon history teacher.

A speech contest on TV3? Yes, it happened in 2018.. The glass of water wanted to find the best young speaker in Catalonia. Presented by Samantha Vall, it mixed the format of talent show with documentary touches to show not only the evidence, but also the preparation and pressure of the participants. The contestants had to convince with their arguments and ingenuity, and the audience and a jury had to evaluate them. The program had a unique charm and a nerve-wracking live show that many political debates would envy. Among the contestants, some we've seen on other programs from the Corporation, such as Long Li Xue. Despite being an original and risky venture, it only lasted one season.

At the end of the 1980s, in 1988, coinciding with the celebration of Catalonia's political millennium, TV3 launched an animated series with an educational vocation: History of CataloniaThe program was aimed at children and young people, with the aim of disseminating the country's most relevant historical events in an accessible way. The series, starring the character of Draghi—a dragon who guided viewers through the centuries—consisted of 39 15-minute episodes. The project was advised by historians such as Joan Soler Amigó and Anna Duran, and the drawings were the work of Francesc Capdevila. This production is considered a milestone in historical television for children, and is still often remembered on social media today. Draghi also became an icon for children of the 1980s.

Released in summer 2015, People of the world It was a docu-tour that took the viewer on a journey around the world with a different approach. It wasn't so much about discovering tourist destinations as it was about getting to know the people traveling in a group, with their stories, quirks, and unusual moments. Between fricandó recipes explained in a Tehran market and improvised songs on the Euphrates River, the program combined humor and humanity with exotic landscapes as a backdrop. The following year, it had a second and final season aboard cruise ships in the Mediterranean, the Baltic, and the Caribbean, with the same endearing spirit. The narration was provided by Joan Lluís Bozzo, who was already well-acquainted with organized trips thanks to the wonderful Oh! Europe and Oh! SpainIt's a shame it wasn't continued. We're here to ask 3Cat to send a camera operator and a scriptwriter with Imserso groups to liven up our hot summer nights.

At the beginning of the 21st century, TV3 experimented with political and informative satire through two formats that today we can consider precursors of Poland. 7th news (2001) and its derivative Night set (2002) combined information, parody and humor at a time when Catalan television was not used to seeing political cartoons in prime timeWith Toni Soler at the helm and a team that included actors such as Queco Novell and Toni Albà, these programs introduced iconic impersonations—such as that of King Juan Carlos, which drew complaints from the royal family—and a critical look at current events. Despite their short run, they paved the way for a tradition of political satire that still endures.

For seven months, a TV3 team recorded more than 300 hours of footage to show the inner workings of El Prat Airport. The result was Airport, a docuseries released in 2017, which opened a window into one of the country's most complex infrastructures. Narrated by Queco Novell, the episodes combined human stories—passengers, workers, unforeseen events—with a technical look at essential processes such as security, baggage handling, and flight coordination. The program introduced viewers to a whole collection of characters, some as essential as Ricardo, a Vueling check-in counter worker, who became part of TV3's history with his cutting edge.You were flying".

In 2005, TV3 turned the history of Catalonia into a popularity contest. The favorite, hosted by Toni Soler and Oriol Junqueras—still far from the political limelight—as the historian guiding his academic explanation, reviewed the great names in Catalan history to decide who was the most popular figure (the election was almost exclusively male, with only one female candidate, Ermesenda of Carcassonne). A live competition in which the public voted, combining television spectacle with historical information. It had rigor, but also a playful tone and memorable television moments, such as seeing Junqueras dressed as King James I, the winner of the program.

How do we consume? Are we sustainable? These questions were at the heart of the Small print, an informative program broadcast more than ten years ago, in 2010, and which, viewed today, remains relevant. Presented by Lídia Heredia, with support from Samantha Vall and Juanra Bonet, it explored everyday habits and the challenges of consumer society with practical examples and relatable stories. It ran for 11 episodes and addressed issues as relevant today as energy efficiency and responsible tourism. The program combined reports, interviews, and social experiments. It seems that, despite the passage of time, our habits have changed little.

This documentary format, broadcast in early 2000, sought to bring the great figures of Catalan culture and history closer to home from an intimate and familiar perspective. My grandfather It gave voice to the descendants of icons such as Pompeu Fabra, Mercè Rodoreda, Pau Casals, and Carmen Amaya, with the aim of discovering the most human side of these figures. The format humanized historical figures with witnesses ranging from those who knew everything to those who had little knowledge, such as their grandchildren. The program received the Òmnium Cultural Radio and Television Award, which recognized its quality and contribution to collective memory.

In 2004, Andorra made its Eurovision debut. However, the preselection process wasn't limited to the Principality; TV3 broadcast the competition. 12 points, a program produced jointly with Radio and Television of Andorra, consisting of nine galas from the National Auditorium of Andorra. Presented by Xavier Grasset and Pati Molné, it combined a professional jury with televoting from the public of Andorra and Catalonia. Marta Roure emerged victorious with We will play at loving each other. It wouldn't happen again. The few times Andorra participated in the Festival de la Cançó, it didn't have the support of Televisió de Catalunya in the preselection. The 2004 collaboration will go down in the history of both networks.

Gaspar Hernàndez brought the spirit of his radio program on Catalunya Ràdio to television, The craft of living, with Emotional DIY, in 2010. The format, dedicated to practical psychology and personal growth, addressed topics such as managing shyness, fear of flying, and emotional relationships. A paradigmatic example of synergy between radio and television within the CCMA, following a formula that would work successfully years later in programs such as Crimes.