Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Essa série policial é interessante.

Essa série policial – that crime series (typically:
- something the other person has just mentioned, or
- something closer to the listener than to the speaker, or
- something mentally “in the middle distance” in the conversation).
Esta série policial – this crime series (usually:
- something close to the speaker – physically or in the speaker’s “mental space”, or
- something very “present”, like “this series we’re watching now”).
A série policial – the crime series (neutral / generic:
- a specific series both people already know about, without emphasising distance).

In everyday European Portuguese, the distinction between esta and essa is sometimes blurred in casual speech, but in careful or written language the contrast above is what’s taught.

Why is it essa (feminine) and not esse (masculine)?

Because adjectival demonstratives (this/that) in Portuguese must agree in gender and number with the noun:

série is a feminine noun → essa série
A masculine noun would take esse:
- esse filme – that film
- esse livro – that book

Forms to remember:

Masculine singular: este, esse, aquele
Feminine singular: esta, essa, aquela
Masculine plural: estes, esses, aqueles
Feminine plural: estas, essas, aquelas

What exactly does série policial mean? Is it like “police series” or “crime series”?

Série policial is the normal way to say crime series / police drama / detective show.

série = series, TV show
policial = related to the police / crime

So série policial covers things like Line of Duty, CSI, Midsomer Murders, etc. It’s a genre label, not “a series produced by the police”.

You could say série de polícia, but that sounds less idiomatic as a genre name. Native speakers strongly prefer série policial.

Why is the adjective after the noun (série policial) instead of before it, as in English (“police series”)?

In Portuguese, the default order is:

noun + adjective

So:

série policial – literally “series police-related”
filme interessante – interesting film
história longa – long story

Some adjectives can go before the noun, often with a change in nuance (more subjective, emotional, or stylistic), but policial as a genre label is normally placed after: série policial, romance policial, filme policial.

Is policial an adjective here, and does it change for feminine/masculine?

Yes, policial is an adjective here (“police-related / crime-”).

Adjectives ending in -al:

Do not change for gender:
- um filme policial (masc.)
- uma série policial (fem.)
But they do change for number:
- singular: policial
- plural: policiais

Examples:

um romance policial – a crime novel
dois romances policiais – two crime novels
duas séries policiais – two crime series

Why is interessante the same for a feminine noun? Why not something like interessanta?

Adjectives ending in -e usually have one form for both genders:

masculine singular: interessante
feminine singular: interessante
masculine plural: interessantes
feminine plural: interessantes

So:

um filme interessante – an interesting film
uma série interessante – an interesting series
filmes interessantes – interesting films
séries interessantes – interesting series (plural)

That’s why you see interessante with série (feminine) and not a special feminine form.

Why is it é interessante and not está interessante?

Portuguese uses ser and estar differently:

é interessante (with ser)
- describes an inherent or general characteristic:
  > That series (as a whole) is interesting.
está interessante (with estar)
- suggests a current, perhaps temporary state or change:
  > It is (has become) interesting now / at this point.

Both are grammatically correct, but:

Essa série policial é interessante. → a general opinion about the series
Essa série policial está interessante. → e.g. “It’s getting good now” (maybe it was boring before)

Could I just say Essa série é interessante and leave out policial?

Yes.

Essa série policial é interessante. – That crime series is interesting.
Essa série é interessante. – That series is interesting.

If the context already makes it clear that you’re talking about a crime series, dropping policial is completely natural. Adding policial simply specifies the genre.

Can I leave out essa and only say A série policial é interessante?

Yes, but the meaning shifts slightly:

Essa série policial é interessante.
- That particular series (previously mentioned, being pointed at, etc.) is interesting.
A série policial é interessante.
- The crime series (one known from context) is interesting.
- It can sound more general or neutral, almost like talking about it as a “known object” rather than pointing to it.

Both are correct; essa adds the “that”/deictic flavour.

Could I say Aquela série policial é interessante instead? What’s the difference from essa?

Yes, Aquela série policial é interessante is also correct.

Basic demonstrative nuance:

esta – this (near the speaker)
essa – that (near the listener / just mentioned)
aquela – that (far from both, or more “distant” in time/space/attitude)

So:

Essa série policial é interessante. – That series (we’re already talking about / you’re watching / near you) is interesting.
Aquela série policial é interessante. – That series over there / back then / that one we’re not so close to is interesting.

In practice, people often choose essa vs aquela just to reflect whether they feel something is “relatively close” or “relatively distant” in the conversation.

Is there any difference between Portugal and Brazil in using essa here?

The sentence Essa série policial é interessante. is fine in both European and Brazilian Portuguese.

Differences to note:

In Brazilian Portuguese, essa is very common, sometimes even where European Portuguese prefers esta, especially with time expressions (e.g. essa semana in Brazil vs more often esta semana in Portugal).
In European Portuguese, the classic grammar distinction esta / essa / aquela (near me / near you / far from both) is taught and used more consistently, especially in writing.

But for a TV series you’re talking about, Essa série policial é interessante. is natural in Portugal too.