Podcast
In the middle of the presidential campaign, Ivan Nunes and Paulo Pena launched a series about the same election, but from the exciting year of 1986. A poorer country, more politically mobilized and with great candidates. What parallels can we draw? In the podcast “No Último Episode”, film and television critic José Paiva Capucho welcomes the authors of “A Duas Voltas”
“It was a country closer to the 60s than the 90s.” This is how Ivan Nunes, one of the authors of the series “A Duas Voltas: Mário Soares and the presidential elections of 1986”, begins by portraying that time he remembers so well. Alongside journalist Paulo Pena, the two created a series of five episodes for RTP, where we can learn some lessons for the electoral period that has just begun.
In the first episode of 2026 of the podcast “No Último Episode”, by film and television critic José Paiva Capucho, we become politicians. Or if it weren’t for that year (those years), which gave us the start for the first civilian president, Mário Soares, entry into the EEC, the end of the central bloc and Cavaco Silva’s two majorities. Another country or a repeat of history?
“There was, in fact, great enthusiasm among the crowds, despite everything being poorer. I believe that time is coming to an end. 1986 arrived after ten years with ten governments, the creation of a new party like the PRD. In other words, a historical period began that seems to be ending now”, adds Ivan Nunes. Maria de Lurdes Pintassilgo, Salgado Zenha, Mário Soares and Freitas do Amaral turned the electoral dispute into one of the fiercest — but also with the greatest elevation — in memory. And that was felt on the streets.
“In the slums there was political discussion. The consumption of information was increasing. There was no blackmail with the fear that there is now. And all of this made people participate in the campaign, they were not mere props stuffed in buses”, says Paulo Pena. A memorable campaign, very visual, that put the poor and rich country into debate. In the end, to the surprise of many — and even his own, who knows — Mário Soares won. These five episodes are worth visiting, full of archival work and relevant interviews. It doesn’t help decide the vote on January 18th, but it helps you do something that seems to be disappearing: think.
How many times have I wanted to know more about “that” last episode? Finding answers that create more questions and only leave you wondering when the next chapter will premiere?
In “In the Last Episode”, José Paiva Capucho offers no guarantee of reassuring series fans. Come to join the party.
Features behind-the-scenes stories, audience reviews vs. critics’ reviews, and scene analysis.
All this in a podcast that will be dedicated to the best national and international television of the year.
‘No Último Episode’ airs every Friday on Expresso and all podcast platforms. Listen to the trailer for the second season here.
