This essay examines Portuguese contemporary memories of the end of colonialism as represented in the 2013 television series, Depois do Adeus. It argues, first, that a popular series such as this can perform useful memory work in society, and, second, that the series’ use of nostalgia can be regarded as a productive critique of prevailing views of the end of empire. The essay concludes by suggesting areas where a more critical discourse of cultural memory might contribute to a revision of Portuguese analyses of colonialism, postcolonialism and decolonization
