Maltese - Il romanzo del commissario

Maltese is an Italian TV series that brings to life the tension, fear, and political corruption of 1970s Sicily in a very realistic way. Unlike the more dramatic Gomorra or the lighter Inspector Montalbano, Maltese has a darker, more serious tone. It's rooted in real history and full of emotion.

The story follows Police Commissioner Dario Maltese (played by the talented Kim Rossi Stuart). He returns to his hometown, Trapani, for a wedding, but things take a dark turn when his childhood friend is murdered. What starts as a personal loss quickly becomes a deep investigation into the mafia, dirty politicians, and long-hidden secrets - even some from Maltese's own past.

The show looks amazing. The sunny Sicilian scenery, 1970s fashion, and stylish camera work make it visually stunning. The use of colour and lighting gives it a movie-like feel, and the music fits the time perfectly. From classic car chases to shady backroom deals, every detail feels real and true to the era.

The story moves slowly at times, especially in the middle, but this helps create a rich and believable world. The last few episodes pick up speed and are full of excitement and twists.

The acting is strong across the board, especially Rike Schmid as a clever photographer named Elisa Ripstein. The show also avoids glamorizing the mafia, making it feel more serious and relevant today.

If you like European crime dramas, political thrillers, or old-school Italian detective stories, Maltese is definitely worth watching. It's powerful, poetic, and unforgettable.

This Italian drama is set in the mid '70s and follows Dario Maltese, a police commissioner who returns to his hometown on Sicily to attend the marriage of his childhood friend who is now the commissioner of the local police. Maltese hasn't been there long when his friend and his fiancée are gunned down. He requests a transfer to he can investigate his friend's murder. It isn't long before authorities are linking the death to an unknown woman he was seen with; Maltese is convinced that it was no crime of passion though... he is sure it has all the hallmarks of a mafia hit. He, and a few trusted police officers started digging deeper and soon believe that there are links between the local political authorities and organised crime. It won't be easy to prove though; these are incredibly dangerous people willing to kill anybody who betrays them and anybody trying to expose them.

When I saw the trailer for this, featuring our protagonist driving a motorboat with his suit and '70s moustache I thought it might be a pastiche but it quickly became apparent that this was going to be a fairly gritty drama. It doesn't do anything to glamorise the mafia; they are depicted as thugs who have corrupted those in power through a combination of bribery and fear. There is a real sense of danger as the investigation progresses; this escalates exponentially as Maltese closes in on the evidence he so desperately seeks. The makers nicely captured the '70s feel; at no time did I feel that details were obviously wrong as is often the case with dramas sent in the not too distant past. The acting is impressive; most notably from Kim Rossi Stuart, who plays Maltese and is rarely off screen; and Rike Schmid who play Elisa Ripstein, a photographer at the local paper who gets involved with Maltese. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of European crime drama; especially those who enjoyed 'Inspector Montalbano' and want to see something else set on Sicily, even though this is much gritter.

These comments are based on watching the series in Italian with English subtitles.

The acting and the plot development are really good as mentioned in other reviews. However, what really sets this apart from other shows is the settings they have used, the filters that bring out a wide Mediterranean palette and the overall gorgeous cinematography. It's a TV show, but it's been shot as if it was being put on a cinema screen. The opening credits (superbly soundtracked by a sub-house theme tune from Ralf Hildenbeutel) are a good collection of the quality of the cinematography on play. The Sicilian landscape and architecture become practically the main character of the show.

The plot gets quite complex over the first several episodes before straightening out, but it also works somewhat as a mood piece, where you can just soak into the setting.

A bit slow but atmospheric and believable. Fairly gritty. I watched 8 episodes, whilst each actor appears to only have 4 in their biography. Am assuming that there are plenty of loose ends to tie up for another series!

'Gomorra' is the Italian equivalent to 'The Wire', a drama that explores the entire basis of a crimilaised society from top to bottom. 'Maltese: The Mafia Detective' was conceived by some of the same people, but it's a different sort of story, focused on a single heroic protagonist, featuring a mystery to be unravelled, and set in beautiful Sicily (it's true, 'Gomorra' is set in beautiful Naples, but that show offers a very unattractive view of its host city). But if you were to think that 'Maltese' might be, say, a clone of 'Inspector Montalbano' (a fun but essentially lightweight series), you'd be mistaken. It's well-acted, immaculately shot and scored, and has a historical setting (the 1970s) while still feeling of contemporary relevance; while the mafia-themed plot is sufficiently complex to carry eight episodes, yet without descending into ridiculouslness. The ending is both surprising and appropriate. If 'Gomorra' has an operatic feel at times, 'Maltese' is more softly poetic; but still very good