The Anatomy of a Moment

Based on Javier Cercas’s acclaimed book of the same title, The Anatomy of a Moment recounts the dramatic events of the failed 1981 coup attempt that nearly brought an end to Spain’s young democracy. As Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero stormed the Spanish Congress with gun in hand, only three men remained seated while everyone else ducked for cover: Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez, Communist leader Santiago Carrillo, and General Gutiérrez Mellado. Widely acclaimed in Spain, the series traces the political tensions, personal convictions, and pivotal decisions that brought the country to the brink of a return to the military regime.