The Lady's Companion
| The Lady's Companion | |
|---|---|
 Promotional release poster | |
| Spanish | Manual para señoritas |
| Created by |
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| Directed by |
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| Starring |
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| Country of origin | Spain |
| Original language | Spanish |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Gema R. Neira |
| Producer | Ramón Campos |
| Production company | Bambú Producciones |
| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | 28 March 2025 |
The Lady's Companion (Spanish: Manual para señoritas, lit. 'Handbook for young ladies') is a Spanish comedy-drama television series created by Gema R. Neira and María José Rustarazo. It stars Nadia de Santiago, Álvaro Mel, and Isa Montalbán.
It is set in an indeterminate historical era somewhat akin to the Madrid of the novelist Benito Pérez Galdós (Madrid galdosiano).[1]
Plot
[edit]The plot follows chaperone Elena Bianda, as she is hired by Don Pedro Mencía on a trial basis to supervise his three unmarried daughters (Cristina, Sara, and Carlota).[2][1]
Cast
[edit]- Nadia de Santiago as Elena Bianda[3]
- Álvaro Mel as Santiago[4]
- Isa Montalbán as Cristina[4]
- Zoe Bonafonte as Sara[4]
- Iratxe Emparán as Carlota[4]
- Tristán Ulloa as Pedro Mencía[2]
- Carloto Cotta as Gabriel[3]
- Paula Usero as Josefina[4]
- Candela Pradas as Esther Zapico[5]
- María Barranco as Doña Paquita[3]
- Itziar Manero as Adela[4]
- Nicolás Illoro as Lázaro[4]
- Iván Lapadula as Eduardo[4]
- Maria Caballero as Alicia[3]
- Gracia Olayo as Doña Angustias[3]
- Teresa de Mera[3]
- Daniel Ibáñez[6]
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Original title in Spanish | English title | Director | Writer(s) | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lección 1: Prohibido enamorarse | Lesson 1: Never Fall in Love | Carlos Sedes | Gema R. Neira, María José Rustarazo, Salvador S. Molina, Paula Fernández and Curro Serrano | 28 March 2025 |
| 2 | Lección 2: No contar mentiras | Lesson 2: Do Not Tell Lies | Carlos Sedes | Gema R. Neira, María José Rustarazo, Salvador S. Molina, Sara Alquézar and Ricardo Jornet | 28 March 2025 |
| 3 | Lección 3: El pasado, pasado está | Lesson 3: The Past Is in the Past | Carlos Sedes | Gema R. Neira, María José Rustarazo, Salvador S. Molina and Sara Alquézar | 28 March 2025 |
| 4 | Lección 4: Alejar la tentación | Lesson 4: Ward Off Temptation | Claudia Pinto Emperador | Gema R. Neira, María José Rustarazo, Salvador S. Molina and Sara Alquézar | 28 March 2025 |
| 5 | Lección 5: No traicionar a tu señorita | Lesson 5: Stay True to Your Lady | Claudio Pinto Emperador | Gema R. Neira, María José Rustarazo, Salvador S. Molina and Sara Alquézar | 28 March 2025 |
| 6 | Lección 6: Tus deseos no son prioridad | Lesson 6: Your Desires Come Second | Carlos Sedes | Gema R. Neira, María José Rustarazo, Salvador S. Molina and Sara Alquézar | 28 March 2025 |
| 7 | Lección 7: Mantener las buenas formas | Lesson 7: Maintain Proper Decorum | Carlos Sedes | Gema R. Neira, María José Rustarazo, Salvador S. Molina and Sara Alquézar | 28 March 2025 |
| 8 | Lección 8: Hacer feliz a tu señorita | Lesson 8: Make Your Lady Happy | Carlos Sedes | Gema R. Neira, María José Rustarazo, Salvador S. Molina and Sara Alquézar | 28 March 2025 |
Production
[edit]Created by Gema R. Neira and María José Rustarazo, the series is a Bambú Producciones production.[7] Carlos Sedes and Claudia Pinto took over direction duties.[7]
Release
[edit]The 8-episode series debuted on Netflix on 28 March 2025.[7][8]
In May 2025, Netflix Spain announced that the series was cancelled after the release of season one.[9][10][11]
Reception
[edit]Pere Solà Gimferrer of La Vanguardia lamented that everything is fake ("impostado") and that Nadia de Santiago goes too far in breaking the fourth wall to tell the viewer what they already see with their own eyes.[12]
HobbyConsolas gave the series 70 points ('good'), citing the "light-hearted tone of the narrative, the charisma of the protagonist and the effort of the production design" as positive elements.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Onieva, Álvaro (29 March 2025). "Los fans de 'Los Bridgerton' tienen nueva serie en Netflix a la que engancharse: española, romántica y con humor". Fotogramas.
- ^ a b Keller, Joel (28 March 2025). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Lady's Companion' On Netflix, A Spanish Costume Drama That'll Remind You Of 'Bridgerton'". Decider.com.
- ^ a b c d e f Osco, Nelly (26 March 2025). "Lista de actores y personajes de "Manual para señoritas": quién es quién en la serie española de Netflix". mag – via El Comercio.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Pardo Luz, Paula (4 April 2025). "Final explicado de 'Manual para señoritas': ¿tendrá segunda temporada en Netflix?". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
- ^ Ocaña, Carla (4 April 2025). "Fue parte de "Entrevías": quién es Candela Pradas, la actriz que hace de Esther Zapico en "Manual para señoritas"". mag – via El Comercio.
- ^ Sisí Sánchez, Alberto (26 March 2025). ""No es fiel a propósito": 'Manual para señoritas', la nueva serie de época de Netflix, explicada por quienes más saben de ella". Vogue.
- ^ a b c "'Manual para señoritas' – estreno 28 de marzo en Netflix". Audiovisual451. 24 March 2025.
- ^ Pérez, Laura (5 April 2025). "Nadia de Santiago rompe la cuarta pared en 'Manual para señoritas' de Netflix: "Me he visto muy expuesta"". vertele! – via eldiario.es.
- ^ Omotade, Lade (26 May 2025). "The Fate of Netflix's Ambitious Spanish Period Drama Has Been Decided After 87% Rotten Tomatoes Season 1". Collider. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Digital, Confidencial (12 May 2025). "Recortes en Netflix: no renueva 'Manual para Señoritas' por dificultades económicas". Confidencial Digital (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ "La serie española de época 'Manual para señoritas' finalmente no tendrá temporada 2 tras ser cancelada por Netflix". Diez Minutos (in European Spanish). 14 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Solà Gimferrer, Pere (28 March 2025). "Crítica de 'Manual para señoritas', la nueva serie de Netflix a lo 'Bridgerton'". La Vanguardia.
- ^ "Crítica de Manual para señoritas: las vicisitudes de una carabina en la época de Galdós". HobbyConsolas. 26 March 2025.