Rabo de Peixe

A top-notch cast, brilliant plot, excellent realization. Finally a Portuguese product of such quality. All those involved deserve congratulations and it's a giant step forward for Portuguese television.

Pepe Rapazote proved once again to be a high-flying actor and made the series even more interesting when he started to appear. José Condessa played the role of the protagonist excellently. The entire cast was very well chosen, and well played in having given the Italian role to Marcantonio Del Carlo.

The town of Rabo de Peixe is very well represented and makes you want to visit the filming locations. The whole island was very well used for the filming. I can't wait for the second season.

In a worldwide perspective it's another gangster/historical/fictional show, which considering the budget, it came out with an excellent result in terms of production.

In a local perspective (as a Portuguese) it's the best in that genre show that we have made. For us, it has all the actors, all the scenes, all the beauty of S. Miguel, attached to one of the most iconic dark event of Rabo de Peixe community that marked a generation, very well fulfilled with a fictional story that "forces us" to want to see more.

For those who complain about the lack of Azores actors, according to Wikipedia there are 8 Azorean actors... I know there are many more irl but why is that such an issue?

10*

A couple of actors are really good in their roles in just the right balance between caricature and naturalism. Namely Rodrigo Tomas. Others, like Afonso Pimentel, are over-the-top and right down unbelievable, playing characters that behave as randomly as being catholic in one scene and muslim in the next. But the worst part is that some of the options taken by the directors are simply in poor taste: the cringe voice-over by Pepe Rapazote, the extended disco scenes, the exhausting drone shots, the fact that no-one so poor would look as fit and groomed as Jose Condessa or Helena Caldeira, the fact that almost nobody in the cast has the unmistakable accent of that particular island. In fact they mostly speak in a very metropolitan central-Portuguese accent. Moreover, the difference in quality between the episodes directed by Augusto Fraga and the ones directed by Patricia Sequeira is ENORMOUS, with her episodes very often lacking in ideas, structure (her cutting is absolutely random whereas Fraga's is almost cinematic), or rhythm. It doesn't help that she also gets the least eventful episodes, but still, what she chooses the do with them seems devoid of purpose and often borderlines the telenovela.

This is an amazing show-a tour de force of writing, acting, directing, filming, story-telling. The plotting is remarkable, in that it unfolds as it must have had to, but is surprising at every turn. It is a series fully aware of itself in the history of such movies as it mentions-Dirty Harry, Carlito's Way, even Matrix-but never derivatively. It's rammed with life, history, local and world culture. It's wicked and delightful all along, and every single performance, every line of dialogue and voiceover narration, hits home with the viewer and with the characters in the action. It's themes of poverty, the will of God, and the motives that animate the human condition suffuse every scene and shot and situation. Great too is the the use of language-Portuguese, Italian, English-and of the actors who move in and out of them as they work out their fates.

Rabo de Peixe is a true gem that effortlessly captures the spirit of community, resilience, and hope. Set in a picturesque Portuguese fishing village, this captivating series weaves together multiple narratives, delving into the lives of well-developed characters who feel like real people. The attention to detail in the set design and cinematography immerses us in the vibrant world of Rabo de Peixe, while tackling important social issues with grace. With top-notch direction and production values, this must-watch series creates an unforgettable viewing experience, portraying the strength of community and the power of dreams.