Official: Christopher Columbus : "Boundless" ("Sin Limites") Amazon Prime TV Series Review

“Boundless” (“Sin Limites”) is a 2022 Spanish TV series with 6 episodes about Ferdinand Magellan’s journey around the world in the 16th century. The show coincided with the journey’s 500th anniversary. [1]

Simon West (Con Air, The Mechanic, The Expendables 2, etc.) was the director. It's available on Amazon Prime in Spanish and English.

The show is well made, well written, well-directed, well-acted, and has great production for a TV series. However, one doesn't need to be an expert to know some artistic license was taken. For example, in the first episode, Juan Sebastián Elcano, who is the second most important character of the story, hangs out in a particular bar with his friends and some harlots. Somehow he gets in trouble and ends up in jail, to be bailed out by Magellan in order to help him with his journey. Though it’s doubtful this happened that way, Elcano indeed had his share of troubles with the law.

There is a contrast between Magellan and Elcano that seems to be made purposely for the show. Like virtue and vice: Magellan being “virtue” and Elcano being “vice.” Another artistic license is Magellan and Elcano being on the same ship when they were not. In addition, a few good stories that happened on this journey were skipped.

Regardless of the above, which is not a big deal, the premise of the show is accurate and correct. Whereas "Conquistadores: Adventum" was an unfair fictional show, “Boundless” is fair and entertaining. We see good Europeans and bad Europeans, good natives and bad natives. We see places where Magellan was received peacefully by the natives, and places where he was not; places where the Spaniards made friends and peace treaties with the natives, and places where they had to fight. All of this is accurate by the way.

Magellan’s story has its parallels with Columbus. Both had their exploration proposals rejected by Portugal’s kingdom. Both moved to Spain to pursue it. Both were serious and determined with their goals. As leaders, they did not put up with their crew’s misconduct. Both experienced all sorts of dangers, including storms, battles, mutiny, etc. Both discovered bigger things than what they first intended to do.

I disagree with the ending subtitles of the show, claiming Magellan’s journey was the “greatest in history” (or something of the sort). Columbus’ journey in 1492 remains the greatest. It’s the one that changed history and opened the doors for other explorers, including Magellan, to finish what Columbus started.

“Boundless” is Rated 16 T, which is like an R rated for the USA. This is due to a few gory battle scenes, Indigenous nudity, and a quick scene where a sailor rapes a young sailor (and got punished for it).

Though the show sometimes dragged a little bit, I still recommend it. It could have been more epic, but they did a good job honoring the memory of Ferdinand Magellan.

The show is good, but the book is better. I would suggest reading Magellan’s primary source, written by Antonio Pigafetta, whose character appears in the show as well. That way one can see what the show got right, what they got wrong, and what stories were omitted.

Overall, I’ll give it 4 out of 5 stars.