Suburra: Blood on Rome
ItalianSuburra - La serie
GenreCrime drama
Romance
Based on
Developed by
  • Daniele Cesarano
  • Barbara Petronio
  • Ezio Abbate
  • Fabrizio Bettelli
Starring
Composers
Country of originItaly
Original languagesItalian
Sinti
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes24 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Matteo De Laurentiis
  • Erik Barmack
  • Kelly Luegenbiehl
  • Jennifer Breslow
  • Sandra Bonacchi
Producers
  • Giovanni Stabilini
  • Marco Chimenz
  • Riccardo Tozzi
  • Gina Gardini
  • Sara Polese
  • Filippo Rizzello
Production locationRome, Italy
Cinematography
Editors
  • Patrizio Marone
  • Lorenzo Peluso
Running time42–62 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original networkNetflix
Picture format4K (Ultra HD)
Original release6 October 2017 (2017-10-06) –
30 October 2020 (2020-10-30)
Related
Suburra

Suburra: Blood on Rome (Italian: Suburra - La serie) is an Italian crime drama streaming television series set in Rome. It is based on the 2015 film Suburra, in turn inspired by the novel of the same name by Giancarlo De Cataldo and Carlo Bonini. The series was developed by Daniele Cesarano, Barbara Petronio, Ezio Abbate and Fabrizio Bettelli for Netflix, making it its first Italian-language original television series.[1][2] The show premiered on 6 October 2017 and ran for three seasons totaling 24 episodes until 30 October 2020. It was produced by Cattleya in association with Rai Fiction and Bartleby Film. Rai Fiction was not involved in the production of the third and final season.

Suburra draws from the real life events of the Mafia Capitale investigation and focuses on power clashes and corruption among organized crime, politicians and churchmen.[3][4] The series revolves around Aureliano Adami (Alessandro Borghi), an Ostia-based gang member, and his relations with Alberto "Spadino" Anacleti (Giacomo Ferrara), a Sinti gang member, and Gabriele "Lele" Marchilli (Eduardo Valdarnini), the only son of a policeman who becomes involved in crime. Samurai (Francesco Acquaroli), an antagonist to Adami, is the head of Roman organized crime and contact for the Sicilian Mafia in Rome; he approaches politician Amedeo Cinaglia (Filippo Nigro) to aid in his Ostia affairs. Sara Monaschi (Claudia Gerini) is a Vatican financial auditor for lands in Ostia.

The world premiere of the series was on 1 September 2017 at the 74th Venice Film Festival, where the first two episodes were screened as part of the Il Cinema nel Giardino section.[5][6] All episodes of the first season premiered worldwide on 6 October 2017.[7] The series was also set to air on the Italian television network Rai 2 in 2018,[7] but its premiere was postponed to 15 February 2019.[8] On 30 January 2018, the series was renewed for a second season,[9] whose production began on 3 April 2018[10] and ended on 8 August 2018.[11] The eight-episode second season was released on 22 February 2019.[12] On 2 April 2019, Netflix announced the renewal for a third season.[13] On 4 December 2019, Netflix announced that the series' third season would be its last.[14] The season was released on 30 October 2020.[15]

Cast and characters

Alessandro Borghi, Filippo Nigro and Claudia Gerini (left to right) portray Aureliano Adami, Amedeo Cinaglia and Sara Monaschi respectively.

Main

Recurring

Episodes

Main article: List of Suburra: Blood on Rome episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
1106 October 2017 (2017-10-06)
2822 February 2019 (2019-02-22)
3630 October 2020 (2020-10-30)

Season 1 (2017)

The series follows the story of some characters including politicians, criminals and ordinary people, involved in the criminal affairs of the city of Rome, against the background of the awarding of contracts for the construction of the tourist port of Rome in the Ostia district. In February 2008, following the announcement of the resignation by the mayor of Rome, Samurai, criminal boss of the Roman underworld, has only 21 days to conclude the purchase of some land on the Ostia seafront, part owned by the Vatican and part owned by the Adami family, and have it approved by the commission to the building industry. The contract for the construction of the tourist port is in the sights of the mafias of southern Italy, strategic for drug trafficking, the main activity of the Adami and Anacleti families.

Aureliano Adami lives with his father Tullio, who cannot stand it, and with his sister Livia, and dreams of building a chalet on the land in Ostia belonging to his mother, who died many years earlier. The Adami family strongly opposes Aureliano's project; in fact, both Livia and her father do not inform Aureliano of the plan to cede the land to Samurai. The other main character, Spadino, belongs to the Anacleti family, of Sinti ethnicity, dedicated to loan sharking and to a lesser extent drug dealing, but is disinterested in the criminal activities organized by his community and does not accept the role attributed to him by his brother Manfredi and his mother, who arranged a marriage for him with the daughter of the patriarch of another important Sinti family. Spadino is homosexual but keeps this hidden from his family. The Anacleti family and the Adami family are adversaries for the control of criminal activities in the Ostia area, historically under the control of the Adami family as regards drug trafficking.

Gabriele "Lele" Marchilli, the third protagonist, the son of a policeman, dreamt of a future for him as a police officer. He lives with his father, but unbeknownst to him he juggles university and the dealing of narcotics, supplying wealthy parties in Rome, during which political, clerical and criminal personalities usually participate. He is used as a pawn by Samurai for his interests. Sara Monaschi is an unscrupulous auditor who works in the Vatican, and together with her husband manages a company interested in the lands of Ostia, targeted by Samurai. Amedeo Cinaglia is a politician, municipal councilor of the municipality of Rome, honest and idealistic, he strongly feels the sense of duty towards the voter but is full of resentment against the party in which he feels not represented, indeed, undervalued despite his work in the committee and his integrity. He lives an internal conflict related to his morals, but will be forced to compromise with Samurai to achieve his goals. Both Sara Monaschi and Amedeo Cinaglia are reluctantly involved in the Ostia land deal, the first as an antagonist of the Samurai, the other as a pawn.

Season 2 (2019)

The events take place three months after the end of the first season, in the 15 days before the election of the new mayor of Rome, from 14 to 22/23 June 2008. These are crucial days for the future of the capital. Precisely because of this deadline with a high social impact, the battle between corrupt politicians, the Church and organized crime becomes even more intense. The power over the city of Rome is at the center of the dynamics of the second season which, therefore, broadens its "range of action" compared to the first which revolves around the Vatican and the grounds of Ostia. The competition for power is fierce and the characters are increasingly eager to obtain it. In the race to gain fame and respect in the capital, the protagonists of the first season participate who, however, have changed.

Season 3 (2020)

The events take place a few days after Lele's suicide and Manfredi's awakening from a coma, now in intensive care and under house arrest. Now Aureliano and Spadino intend to avenge Lele and all the victims of Samurai. After taking revenge, they try to come to an agreement with Cinaglia. Cinaglia has in mind to involve them on the occasion of the Extraordinary Jubilee announced by the Pope, in Africa. The new goal of the two is now also the management of the affairs of Northern Rome, proclaiming themselves as "the new Kings of Rome".

Reception

Season 1 received a 100% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 8.0/10.[16] Hanh Nguyen of IndieWire called it "Netflix's Italian Answer to Narcos", and praised the series for its soundtrack and filming.[17]

Suburra: Blood on Rome is noted for being the first Italian television series to feature a Sinti mobster character that is gay (Spadino Anacleti).[18][19]

Notes

  1. ^ Gerini only appears in one episode of season three, although credited as a main cast member.
  2. ^ Marchetti only appears in one episode of season two, although credited as a main cast member.
  3. ^ Santospago only appears in one episode of season two, although credited as a main cast member.
  4. ^ Ribon only appears in one episode of season two, although credited as a main cast member.
  5. ^ Venturiero only appears in one episode of season three, although credited as a main cast member.

References

  1. ^ "Sul set di Suburra, la prima serie Netflix italiana - Wired". Wired (in Italian). 27 June 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  2. ^ Malara, Marilyn (5 October 2015). "Netflix to produce Italian-language series 'Suburra'". UPI. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Placido: "Suburra senza censure su mafia capitale"". LaStampa.it (in Italian). 5 October 2017.
  4. ^ "L'anteprima di "Suburra", Netflix racconta al mondo la Roma di Mafia Capitale". LaStampa.it (in Italian). 3 September 2017.
  5. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (27 July 2017). "Venice Film Festival Sets Lido Launch For Aronofsky, Clooney, Del Toro, Payne & More As Awards Buzz Begins – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Festival di Venezia 2017/ Film in concorso e ospiti: il giorno di Suburra". Il Sussidiario (in Italian). 2 September 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Suburra, la nuova serie tv arriva il 6 ottobre - Wired". Wired (in Italian). 13 July 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  8. ^ Scalise, Piera (15 February 2019). "Cast e personaggi di Suburra La Serie su Rai2 dal 15 febbraio: Alessandro Borghi è di nuovo Aureliano". OptiMagazine (in Italian). Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Suburra, stagione 2: Netflix svela teaser trailer, prima foto ufficiale e cast della serie". Il Cineocchio (in Italian). 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  10. ^ Novarese, Simone (3 April 2018). "Suburra – La serie: partite oggi le riprese della seconda stagione". BadTV (in Italian). Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  11. ^ Valdarnini, Eduardo (8 August 2018). "Una foto all'inizio, un'altra alla fine... e quello che succede nel mezzo lo vedrete presto! Buone vacanze a tutti 🌞🎬🌞 @suburranetflix @netflixit #suburralaserie #netflix #netflixitalia". Instagram (in Italian). Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  12. ^ Iemmino Pellegrino, Maria (18 February 2019). "Suburra 2: trama, cast e quando inizia la seconda stagione Netflix". Termometro Politico (in Italian). Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Suburra: Blood on Rome Renewed for Season 3 at Netflix, Releasing in 2020". What's on Netflix. 3 April 2019.
  14. ^ Italia, Netflix (4 December 2019). "Sul trono di Roma c'è posto per un solo re. #Suburra 3, la stagione finale. Prossimamente.pic.twitter.com/y4zNTRMT4J". @NetflixIT (in Italian). Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  15. ^ Mautone, Carolina (18 September 2020). Coming Soon Italia (ed.). "Suburra 3 su Netflix il 30 ottobre: Il videoannuncio e le prime immagini della stagione finale" (in Italian). Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  16. ^ "Suburra: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. 2017.
  17. ^ "'Suburra' Review: Netflix's Italian Answer to 'Narcos' Is a Stylish Mix of Violence, the Vatican, and at Least One Orgy". indiewire.com. 6 October 2017.
  18. ^ Boni, Federico (15 October 2017). "Suburra, la prima serie italiana Netflix con criminale gay". Gay.it. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Suburra, the first Italian Netflix series with gay criminal
  19. ^ Fumarola, Silvia (5 October 2017). "Gioventù bruciata". la Repubblica. Retrieved 20 October 2018. Wasted Youth

External links

Netflix original ended series (2012–2018)
Rai – Radiotelevisione italiana original series
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