Paixão

Set between the sunlit Algarve and distant South Africa, Paixão follows João Galvão, a man whose life and greatest love were shattered by a lie. Ten years later he returns, determined to prove the truth, reclaim lost years and reconnect with Teresa, while old friendships and rivalries complicate every step. The series moves between family rows, legal pressure and romantic strain, peeling back layers of secrecy without giving away key twists. It keeps the focus on how trust, memory and loyalty fare when time and deception have taken their toll.

Created by Filipa Poppe and Joana Andrade, Paixão premiered in 2017. The Portuguese drama-comedy features António Capelo as João, Cláudia Vieira as Teresa, with Albano Jerónimo, Marco Delgado and Tiago Teotónio Pereira rounding out the main cast.

By using both Algarve and South Africa as backdrops, the show placed those locations at the center of its visual identity and helped showcase the cast to viewers beyond Lisbon. Portuguese press noted the scenic contrasts and the production's effort to blend local landscapes with a melodramatic plot.

Audience response was modest, with a 4.4/10 average from a small number of votes, and reviews tended to call out its melodramatic moments alongside strong performances. Recurrent themes include the fallout of lies, personal justice, the persistence of love over time, and how memory shapes identity, all treated through a tone that mixes humor with tense family drama.

There are no widely reported major awards associated with Paixão. While it didn’t make a splash on international prize circuits, the series contributed to the careers of several cast members and received attention in regional media discussions about television storytelling and location shooting.