Grand Hotel

After watching The Time in Between, I admit I've developed a bit of a soft spot for Spanish period dramas. The story revolves around Julio Olmedo, who travels to the Grand Hotel to investigate his sister's disappearance. He manages to disguise himself as a waiter and learns that there's a lot more mystery surrounding the hotel.

There are several things that I like about this show already. First are the breathtaking visuals. I read that the scenes outside of the hotel are actually shot at the Palacio de la Magdalena in Santander, Spain. The palace sits on top of a hill overlooking the ocean and the cinematography really make the place pop. Second, I like that just from watching the pilot, the characters already feel 3D. By that, I mean that their personalities and mannerisms are quite distinct and each person really brings something different to the table. Lastly, kudos on the excellent props, settings, and costumes. You can really tell that they paid attention to details and everything looks real on screen.

The main story is about Julio trying to learn about his sister. The show also seems to have several sub-plots that sometimes, I think, are more interesting than the main conflict. You've got all sorts of strained relationships between the characters and you really want to find out what's going to happen with them. There's plenty to work with - pregnant women, marriage proposals, a troubled son, a corrupted mother, inter-class relationships, murder, etc.

My most favorite part, however, are the strange cliffhangers that Spanish dramas always seem to have. In this episode, the hotel manager just finished groping the maid's tits before the screen fades to black. Lovely ending, really.

RATING

Originality: 5/5
Attention Lock-ability: 5/5
Soundtrack: 4.5/5
Ep. 2 Worthy?: Despite the weird ending, YES