Picking up right where it left off, Gomorrah’s second season starts with Genny Savastano (Salvatore Esposito) in the hospital and Ciro Di Marzio (Marco D’Amore) holding together a fragile alliance with former rival Salvatore Conte (Marco Palvetti). Behind the scenes, Don Pietro (Fortunato Cerlino) works to regain the territory the Camorra have lost while still in hiding.
A loyal capo provides him with eyes and ears on the outside in the form of his niece, Patrizia (Cristiana Dell’Anna). She is the Don’s only contact to the outside world, juggling her daily life and responsibilities with keeping her connection to Pietro Savastano secret. These and other players butt heads, again and again, vying for control of the same territories and narcotics supply lines.
The situation changes as one group in Ciro’s “alliance," The Alley Boys, begin leaving corpses across Naples in the hopes of expanding their own territory, going so far as to attack their own allies. The season ends as the power vacuum collapses once again, gearing Gomorrah up for another tense and bloody season.
While not lacking in blood and violence, the second season of Gomorrah is a bit calmer than the first. It is slightly disappointing that the excellent gunplay and tense mid-combat moments were given less attention, though the focus on character and plot are very welcome. We get to know Conte, Genny, Ciro, and Patrizia very well as we watch them navigate the unsure waters of the Napolitan organized crime scene.
Old connections, as well as new ones, come up in intriguing ways. New characters like Patrizia breathe new life into the series. Much like the first season, the second season has a large body count, and fans of the series will want to see who ends up in a body bag. This outstanding addition to the series is a must-have for any film collection of crime stories. Gomorrah: The Second Season is highly recommended for library shelves specializing in television dramas.