Gloria: A Portuguese Spy Series – Exciting and Different!

Gloria is a Portuguese spy series which take place in the 1960s during the height of the cold war. The young engineer Jaöa Vidal lands a job at RARET. An American radio station broadcasting to the countries in the eastern bloc. The Americans at the radio station are also closely collaborating with the Portuguese military regime. RARET is placed outside of the small village Gloria do Ribatejo. Many of the villagers work at the radio station.

However, there are some problems connected to João’s hiring. He happens to be a KGB spy, but he also happens to be the son of the Portuguese minister of state . His background means that he enjoys status and protection at the station. As always in a spy series it takes a while before the opposite side which in this case is the management at the station realize that there is a spy on the radio station. But don’t be mistaken of Joäo. Despite his good looks and manners, he is a cold-blooded killer who is responsible for several risky and deadly espionage missions. Missions orchestrated by the local KGB spy ringleader.

In the 1960s Portugal was a fascist country with massive surveillance of its inhabitants. Moreover, the country was at war with Angola. This war also plays an important role in the series as João’s active military service in Angola is key to him turning into a diehard communist and spy for the Soviet Union.

Gloria is exciting with lots of nail-biting situations. However, countless other spy series offer the same. But there are several reasons that Gloria differs from usual run of the mill spy series. First of all, Gloria takes place in Portugal during a time when the country was a fascist regime, a colonial power and at war with overseas colonies. This particular time and political environment give the series an interesting and different perspective. Next Gloria is set on an American radio station in the 1960s which was also a whole new environment to me.

I think that Gloria is a new and fresh take on the spy genre. Watch it by all means. Not only for the solid entertainment but also for the historical circumstances which Gloria takes place in.

You can watch Gloria on Netflix.

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