On Thursday, during the 3/24 news roundup, there was a very comical narrative subtlety hidden among the headlines. It was a fleeting aside, only available to those who watch television closely. One of the news items explained that, this year, The habanera singing of Palafrugell would not end with My grandfather as was the tradition until now. And they explained the reason: "To José Luis Ortega Monasterio, the author, the documentary Walls of silence 3Cat linked him to a case of sexual exploitation that the family denies." And then they inserted some archive images of the Palafrugell public singing The beautiful Lola and waving handkerchiefs in the wind. The short fragment of the song they selected for the headline was, precisely, "Oh what a placeeeeer... I felt." The choice, premeditated or unconscious, made it inevitable to smile. That after recalling the discovery of Walls of silence about Ortega Monasterio, which allegedly linked him to a sexual exploitation network, the choice of these verses to close the news is somewhat comical. Be that as it may, the subtlety is appreciated. Considering the amount of tragic news we see on 3/24, it's good that they've given us this wink with such sly humor.
And speaking of connecting ideas through wit, it's worth recommending the program that La 1 has premiered. The connection is the new Wednesday night general knowledge quiz show. It's hosted by Lara Álvarez, whom private networks used to show us in a bikini, but now they've dressed her in pants and a blazer to appeal to the audience's intellect. The format encourages play and demands concentration. Four contestants compete by guessing words, concepts, and names hidden behind definitions, stories, images, and ideas. The answers always suggest some connection between them, so much so that the final test consists of guessing which term connects the entire universe of words answered during the show. The format unites the real world with the digital world. The set is a virtual background with augmented reality elements that represents a contemporary architectural illusion. It recreates a kind of imaginary post-industrial neo-Renaissance dome where images linked to the definitions and concepts are projected, meant to stimulate a response. In the center of the set, letters and words float out of this kind of coded fortress of knowledge. Visually, it appeals to classical solemnity, factory dynamics, and digital narratives. Lara Álvarez executes the game with order and discipline, and, from home, the viewer participates and answers, even if they don't want to. She encourages play with astonishing ease. It's very pleasant to recapture the playful spirit with a contest that stimulates the intellect without being pretentious.
