The Rise of Noir in the Sun

This chapter analyses the recent development of television crime drama in Spain. After the economic crisis, Spanish television fiction started a process of renewal with the purpose of reaching the international marketplace. In the chapter, three cases are analysed: El Principe (2014–2016), Bajo sospecha/Under Suspicion (2015–2016) and Vis a Vis/Locked Up (2015–2016; Fox: 2018–). These three series were particularly innovative in terms of storytelling, style and representation, including special attention towards location and new topics. Their success helped pave the way for the genre to become a major trend in drama production in Spain.