The show was set to last until the death of dictator Franco, but the huge success made the producers keep doing more seasons. In a deliberate full circle moment, the last episode ends in September 2001, when the show premiered.
José Sancho left the show because he didn't like how the writers were portraying the Spanish history, arguing they had started to fable too much.
By getting the renewal for season 21, it became the longest running weekly Spanish drama in both episodes, with a total of 417, and seasons. It ended up having 23 seasons.
All the episodes have been aired on Thursday, with four exceptions: Fe, esperanza y caridad (2004) and Esos locos bajitos (2010), which were aired on a Friday; Aviones de papel (2014), which aired on a Monday, and the last season, which aired on Wednesdays. The first one because the night before had a debate because of the Elections for the European Parliament, and the second one because was a Christmas Eve special.
The third episode was postponed from its usual time slot on Thursday when then King Juan Carlos abdicated, and all the chains covered the news. The postponed episode was the last but one episode of the season, and it couldn't simply be rescheduled for the following Thursday, thus delaying the end of the season by one week, because the 2014 Football World Cup was due to start the following weekend, and the chain had the rights to broadcast it. So episode Aviones de papel (2014) was programmed for Monday, three days before the last episode which aired on its usual time slot the following Thursday.
The third episode was postponed from its usual time slot on Thursday when then King Juan Carlos abdicated, and all the chains covered the news. The postponed episode was the last but one episode of the season, and it couldn't simply be rescheduled for the following Thursday, thus delaying the end of the season by one week, because the 2014 Football World Cup was due to start the following weekend, and the chain had the rights to broadcast it. So episode Aviones de papel (2014) was programmed for Monday, three days before the last episode which aired on its usual time slot the following Thursday.
Third collaboration between Imanol Arias and Ana Duato. Both would meet again in Severo Ochoa. La conquista de un Nobel (2001). Previously they worked in Brigada Central (1989) and Querido maestro (1997).