Conqueror, once a ratings titan on Basque television, has struggled to replicate its historic success in newer formats. The program, whose original run drew large audiences for nearly twenty years, premiered on La 1 in prime time on September 11 with viewership data that was solid yet did not meet the hoopla surrounding its return. The reception highlighted a widening gap between anticipation and actual audience engagement, a gap that became especially pronounced as the prime time debate began to unfold on screen.
During the broadcast window, the program space featured by hosts Raquel Sánchez Silva and Marc Calderón reached a 4.7% share, translating to about 394,000 viewers in the middle of prime time. Faced with this audience behavior, public television opted to move the debate to a new time slot in order to give the program another chance to find its footing and to maximize viewer reach. The strategic shift aimed to recapture momentum and broaden access to the discussion for households tuning in for the evening’s lineup.
TVE later confirmed that the second episode would be aired the following Monday, directly after the conclusion of Fatih. The scheduling decision positioned the debate to benefit from the lead-in audience of the earlier program, with the intention of encouraging viewers to stay tuned for the conversation as it moved into the next phase. In this arrangement, the debate partners would have the opportunity to exchange perspectives on recent developments in the camps once the main program concluded, creating a continuous evening of content for a broad audience.
Conqueror also presents a narrative arc that challenges its viewers with high-stakes adventures, coupled with high-quality production values. The series opened with ratings near the double-digit mark, confirming a strong initial interest with more than a million viewers. The second episode saw a modest rise, propelled by contemporary events, while the third installment registered a slight dip in audience share. These fluctuations underscore the unpredictable nature of broadcast television and the ongoing effort to maintain engagement across successive installments.