Romanzo Criminale—The Series: Season 1

In the late 1970s, an ambitious young thug hatches a plan to leave petty robberies behind and—partnering with another gang—take over the drug trade in Rome, a city that is divided up by a number of small, unorganized gangs. Libano (Francesco Montanari), the big-thinking criminal with a perpetual scowl, joins forces with Freddo (Vinicio Marchioni) to pull off a major kidnapping and put their ransom money into drugs, challenging a big shot whose Mafia connections have made him untouchable until now. Smart but impulsive police detective Scialoja (Marco Bocci) traces some of the marked ransom money to Dandi (Alessandro Roja), a big-spending member of the gang who is in love with an expensive prostitute (Daniela Virgilio), and he figures out that a major criminal power shift is underway, but his investigation is sidelined when the Red Brigade kidnaps Italian politician Aldo Mora (a real-life event) and all resources are focused on squaring off against the Communists. Based on the 2002 novel by Giancarlo De Cataldo, which was inspired by the true story of the Banda della Magliana organization that ran the Roman underworld for over a decade, the story was previously made into a 2005 film. This series takes a much deeper dive into the material, showing the mechanics of the group's criminal activities, their negotiations with the Camorra (centered around Naples) and Mafia (based in Sicily), and the ongoing police investigations. It also explores the political era, including the anxiety over Communists and the police hostility toward students. This well-made series was a major hit in Italy and should appeal to those interested in true crime dramas and Italian culture and history. Compiling all 12 episodes from the 2008-09 debut season, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)