A journalist, Roberto Saviano wrote the novel and screenplay of the 2008 film (directed by Matteo Garrone). The majority of these episodes are directed by Stefano Sollima (after having directed all 22 episodes of Romanzo Criminale 2008-10, and more recently Sicario 2) who also gets the lead credit of 'Supervisione Artistica'. Leonardo Fasoli is the lead writer, Stefano Bises, Ludovica Rampoldi, Filippo Gravino, and Maddalena Ravagli all contributed.
Follows Ciro (Marco D'Amore) and his buddy Attilio (Antonio Milo) who work for clan boss Don Pietro (Fortunato Cerlino). A feud with a drug dealer turns into war - Attilio is killed. Someone's snitching to the police - at one audacious point, we think it might be Ciro. But he's destined to become number 2 of the outfit, as Pietro's son Genny (Salvatore Esposito) is a bit of an arse. Maria Pia Calzone plays the mob matriarch Immacolata.
Anyway the Don isn't very clever, killing the wrong man and getting busted by the police, though his status is clearly recognized by the other prisoners. One, Pasqualino (David Power) tries to help him but commits suicide after getting ten years.
In prison, there's a power play between the black drug dealers that work for the clan, ending in a massacre. Whilst Don P appears to have the upper hand over the warden, finally, his phone is bugged ordering a retaliatory hit, and he's even more in the shit. Then Imma and the useless Genny travel to Milan to find out what's happening with the money - their accountant has been embezzling and she forces him to kill himself (I know, it's all going on) - she's beginning to become the boss. Then Ciro is sent to Spain to make up with a drug boss they tied to kill at the beginning - ends up having to broker a deal between he and a vicious Russian - he's very uncomfortable off his own turf.
I guess I'm writing all this down so I don't lose track in the next two series - like that lady on Gogglebox.
Anyway, when Ciro returns he's being treated at arm's length by Imma - she makes him set up a new dealing place within a shabby estate (shades of The Wire here). A young woman comes into the circle, briefly - she's shot in a butcher's. Imma rescues a dog - the dog is a shot by returning Genny. There's a pattern forming here. Genny has been brutalised into a hard nut, decides to get into politics (surely not his own idea?) Wastes an old school mate. Ciro enlists a young motorcycle mechanic to kill a Conte associate (Q thinks to start a war, as Imma has criticised him as merely being 'a good soldier'). On the run, Ciro tortures and kills the young man's nice girlfriend, at which point we suddenly don't like him. This is a dangerous moment for the audience as there's now no one left to empathise with.
In a great plot twist, the mechanic's brother is working for Conte, finds out what his brother's done, providing a good dramatic pull.
Imma has the evidence Ciro set up the killing, attempts to control him - she is wasted (didn't expect that one). As it concludes, Genny's younger clan associates get above themselves and kill Zecchinetta (Massimiliano Rossi), who we've liked since the off. This triggers counter-killings - almost all the old guard are decimated, then the same happens to the new guard - I'm pleased to say. And Ciro finally kills Genny. But - in an audacious final twist - Pietro, who's clearly been faking dementia - is sprung from a prison van. So.. two problems.. none of the clan are left, and we don't like anyone. So Two's going to be interesting...
It's very green, like Top Boy. It's exciting and depressing and well acted, and the locations are horribly interesting. Made by Sky Italy. Twelve 50 minutes episodes. Music by the band Mocadelic is suitably plangent. Paolo Carnera shot most of them (Michele D'Attanasio did two), Patrizio Marone edited. Matteo de Laurentiis is I guess from the famous producer's lineage. Other directors are Francesca Comencini, and Claudio Cupellini.
It's like The Killing in that you know when the episode's about to end as you hear this...
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