Controversy over Catalan dubbing of new TV3 series 'Dia U'

Viewers criticize the production, filmed in Barcelona with local actors, for being originally recorded in Spanish.

Generic image of a television studio with monitors and professional microphones.
IA

Generic image of a television studio with monitors and professional microphones.

The 3Cat platform premiered the series Dia U this Sunday, facing a wave of social media backlash regarding the quality of its Catalan dubbing and linguistic choices.

Set during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the series features prominent Catalan actors like David Selvas and Àgata Roca. Despite the local setting and cast, the show was filmed in Spanish for Prime Video, resulting in a dubbed version for its broadcast on TV3.
Audience numbers reflected the mixed reception, starting at an 11.2% share but dropping to 7.7% by the third episode. Critics on social media described the dubbing as unnatural and questioned why public funds were used for a non-Catalan language production.

"There were certain tensions in the negotiations, always regarding the language and the broadcast date."

Sigfrid Gras · Director of TV3
Management at TV3 defended the partnership as a way to remain competitive in the global audiovisual market, noting that while they aim for more Catalan-language filming, their influence is limited by the financial weight of other partners.