Netflix's brilliant new drama is going to be the next show everyone is talking about
Get ready to become obsessed
Look out for the name Suburra – it’s coming to Netflix on 6 October, and could be the next big show that everyone is talking about.
It’s an Italian mafia drama set in modern day Rome, and is the very first Netflix Original to come out of Italy. It’s produced by major Italian production company Cattleya, and is set four years before the 2015 movie of the same name, including many of the same characters.
If you’re a fan of The Sopranos or Narcos, or if you watched Gomorrah, the huge Italian hit show from 2014, then Suburra could be exactly what you’re looking for. The original movie has 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, but the show could well eclipse that.
“The movie is dark and melancholic, the series instead is emotional,” says Gina Gardini, who produced the movie and developed the series. “Though I worked on it for two years, once finished I was still surprised how much of the story is driven by feelings. That is easy to understand considering how a two-hour movie has to compress events and twists, compared to a ten hour series, which has more time to explore the characters.”
Power is a key theme in the show, with the characters struggling to come out on top and take their destinies into their own hands.
“In a world dominated by uncertainty having the power to rule your destiny and control your life is a common desire,” explains Gardini. ”It’s not only the fear of terrorism, but also economic crisis and the job instability. In such a scenario having the power to obtain what you want is a sexy and universal theme”.
The show is named after a part of ancient Rome, where important people would meet in secret to discuss the likes of politics, crime and religion. Gardini thinks Rome is the perfect setting for the show, because of its size and political struggles from all angles.
“You have to imagine the power of Washington DC, with the economic force of New York City and the biggest mega-church in the world, all working and plotting together in a very small city,” she says.
Suburra will appear on Netflix in just over a month. Until then, here is the official trailer:
(Images: Netflix)
