Italy knows how to make good TV series too

A week after the release of the enigmatic Dostoevskij on Sky Italia and NOW, the adrenaline-filled second season of The Bad Guy arrives on Prime Video, while the story of Lenù and Lila with L’amica geniale is set to conclude shortly on generalist channels after premiering in America and at the Rome Film Fest. But it doesn’t stop there. Almost simultaneously, Hanno ucciso l’uomo ragno ended its first season not only to the tunes of 883’s songs but also with applause from critics and audiences alike. Meanwhile, the arrival (again on Sky) of M - Il figlio del secolo is just around the corner. This is one of the productions that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats, as it has already done with the press and viewers at the 81st Venice Film Festival. To paraphrase the president of the Venice festival jury, Isabelle Huppert, during the 2024 awards ceremony: Italian serial productions are thriving. This isn’t just confirmed but evidenced. The Italian industry, often undermined by prejudice fueled by its own professionals, is thriving. Although complaints about the state of Italian audiovisual entertainment are frequent, numerous examples contradict this narrative, not out of contrarianism but to drive progress. Showing that Italy is not inferior even in serial production—long dominated by other, mainly Anglophone, countries—can lead to unexpectedly high results and maintain the standard of Italian serial productions.

The grandeur of Italian series is at risk, however, due to the new reform on cinema and audiovisual funding, which will hinder many independent or mid-small productions, including foreign ones, from accessing financing. Meanwhile, one must wonder when and how we will enjoy a third season of a gem like The Bad Guy. Directed by Giancarlo Fontana and Giuseppe S. Stasi, the latter also a screenwriter alongside Ludovica Rampoldi and Davide Serino, the series about a heroic magistrate turned fugitive to fight Cosa Nostra from within returns with the dynamic rhythm and bold vision of its creators. A mafia movie meets thriller about power dynamics, politics, and the nexus between crime and the state, it delivers irreverent and pop storytelling. With divine music and editing, The Bad Guy exemplifies Prime Video’s daring approach to proving that Italy can break from tradition when it comes to cinema and series. The platform has expanded its scope, adding an international genre flair.

Just days after the release of Citadel: Diana, Prime Video announced the series starring Matilda De Angelis achieved the best result for an Original on the platform, ranking in the Top 5 in at least 150 countries, from Spain to Brazil, Germany to Mexico, and beyond. A spy show set in a futuristic Milan, where the Duomo has been destroyed, and national security is at risk, Citadel: Diana is both a global communication operation and part of a broader project that connects with its U.S. counterpart, Citadel, by the Russo brothers, and continues with the Indian version Citadel: Honey Bunny. Whether working in teams or solo, the result is the same: the series resonates, and Matilda De Angelis deserves credit for her dual success. A month after the release of La legge di Lidia Poët 2, its return for a third season was announced by Netflix. This period drama about Italy’s first female lawyer blends historical depth with the entertaining resolution of mysteries, akin to Bones or Law & Order, albeit with a period-drama twist. Departing from the teen-oriented fare that previously dominated the platform, the show is a refined addition alongside gems like Adorazione.

Hanno Ucciso l'Uomo Ragno, with its creator Sydney Sibilia, adds that touch of irreverence that Italian series needed. The project can be closely linked to the operation carried out with Dostoevskij by the D’Innocenzo brothers: it’s no coincidence that both titles are attributed to Sky, which is showing a particular commitment to the identity of its products and, even more, to the creators it selects. This has been the case since their first globally famous Italian productions (think of Gomorra), but this time the platform allowed Sibilia to retrace the story of Max Pezzali and Mauro Repetto, weaving the threads of his own narrative lineage, from *Smetto quando voglio* to the show about the 883 band. Once again, the director and screenwriter turns the ordinary into something extraordinary, with characters who live common lives (sometimes inspired by real events, sometimes not) but possess a unique spark, elevating them above the everyday while never exempting them from their consequences. The triumph of small inventors and self-made artists, from The Incredible Story of the Rose Island to the lighthearted—and equally musical—Mixed by Erri. 

With Dostoevskij and the D’Innocenzo brothers, Sky does the same but in reverse. From light, we move to the darkness of the Roman twins' cinema, who don’t stray an inch from the disquiet of their previous films (La terra dell’abbastanza, Favolacce, America Latina), instead embracing it desperately, forging a pact with viewers: take it or leave it. It’s authentic, real pain. It’s an unexpected crime. Not easy to consume, but it earned the brothers a spot at the Berlin festival, where another Italian series had already debuted and triumphed, The Good Mothers by Disney+ in 2023. The platform also won a small legal battle with Avetrana, renaming its latest show simply This Is Not Hollywood. Whether it was the media buzz (as it was for the Sarah Scazzi case) or its ability to generate conversation, the series directed by Pippo Mezzapesa didn’t go unnoticed when it came to capturing the audience’s attention and admiration. 

It is therefore clear that there is international interest in Italian productions, complete with accolades. Dostoevskij and The Good Mothers are not the only series that have been showcased at major festivals around the world. At Cannes 2024, a spot was reserved for The Art of Joy by Valeria Golino, based on the novel by Goliarda Sapienza, while the already mentioned M - Il Figlio del Secolo was presented in Venice. Two other Sky productions, two more small miracles: on one side, the adaptation of a controversial story centering on nuns, youth, and sexuality; on the other, the reconstruction of the rise of fascism based on Antonio Scurati’s novel of the same name, with a touch of international flair thanks to the direction of Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice). In M - The Son of the Century, we see perhaps the greatest performance of recent times and what will likely stand out for years to come. Luca Marinelli is a grotesque and fierce Benito Mussolini, swaggering and unyielding. He is monolithic when appearing before others but reveals all his flaws to the audience by breaking the fourth wall. The series establishes itself as one of the most important works of 2024, 2025 when it arrives on Sky in January, and the future yet to come. Proof that in Italy, we know how to make (great) TV series.