The Sea Beyond

I really enjoyed season 1, and found it to be really addictive, like the best prison dramas. The dramatic pull was so strong that I could easily suspend my disbelief at all the crazy goings on. However, they cranked up the melodrama in season 2 beyond my what I could handle, so I dropped it after episode 4. The death of a key character at a significant moment in a very suspicious manner, and the operatic, slow motion reactions to it was one of the last straws. I wish the creative staff had practiced a little more restraint and tastefulness. However, their strategy seems to have paid off, at least in the Italian market, even if it doesn't displeases someone like me. I'm glad I watched season 1 though.

This is a story - not only that characters are fictional as stated but I am fully aware , even if I am neither Neapolitan nor Italian, that situations and relationships among them are not even close to realistic.

But that's not the point. Because it's a story - about the most profound of human experiences, especially when lived at a tender age, it is a story about love and friendship and devotion, about hate and violence , about joy and pain, about the warmth of an embrace when in the depths of despair, about choices, about courage and meekness, about weakness, about redemption and growth, acceptation and reject, about the complexity of human's inner being, about selflessness, about winning battles - with others and with yourself. There's a whole bestiary deployed to impersonate these themes as characters are interestingly making us think of the relations in the animal world: there are dogs (Pino, Filippo, even if of different breed), a panther (Skubra) and a splendid wolf (Carmine), a sheep (Gemma), a nightingale (Naditza), a snake (Viola), a lion (Ciro), a bear (Massimo), a monkey (Toto) and a rooster (Eduardo), all bathed in the beauty of the Italian scenery - what would one want more? Applauses to Massimiliano Caiazzo, Pia Lanciotti and Valentina Romani for captivating the screen and creating so colourful characters!

A downside (in my opinion) : as it unfolds, the serie frequently abbandons its characters leaving stories open-ended after having invested a lot of energy in, leaving the public in a quite consumming sort of quest for an end.

One more thing: having made this serie during those dark years (from 2020 on) it is remarcable how it pleas for freedom, breaking the rules, not losing morality and stay on the truth's side while cherishing relationships above everything. Maybe, in the spirit of the serie, it was the boldest act of all.

I have to say the acting is phenomenal considering the actors are newbies. It's a story about love, hate and revenge. Young teenagers making mistakes and learning from them, making friends and memories along the way. The chemistry between couples like Rosa & Carmine and Cardio & Gemma is just perfect. The first season was really sad. The second season was good and the third season was the best. Rosa honestly carried the third season I love her character. I hope Edoardo ends up with Carmela. I do have to say there is a lot of unnecessary nudity in the third season. Overall i love the soundtrack and the actors. You feel sympathetic towards the characters as you watch them. It's an addicting show.

It does hold your interest in a hard to explain way. The plot is like The Godfather for kiddies, except these "juveniles" look anything but juvenile, perhaps young adults in their mid twenties at least. They are also the best dressed juvenile delinquents. Ciro and Eduardo have a permanent frown, as all of the characters have their quirks. I have never seen so much crying and hugging as on this show between men, or supposedly boys. Carmine started with a hairy chest which got lost along the way along with him and Fillippo growing crazy helmets of hair. Another irksome thing was the repetitive soundtrack. Ok, qualms aside, the acting was good for sure, and even I shed some tears. Did I enjoy this, am I looking forward to more seasons? You bet!

In the series we often speak in Neapolitan dialect and many actors are unknown.

This thing in the first few episodes could lead us to give lower ratings than necessary.

But once the first impact is made, the plot grabs you and you realize that these young "non-professional" actors are really good. Certainly many of them play parts that are congenial to them and perhaps they would not be able to do as well in other roles but this does not detract from the wonderful acting of this work.

As you go along you can't help but continue with the next episode and now I'm waiting for the new season to come out.

Even in Italy we know how to do beautiful things, even with not all professional actors and even when the budget is not millionaires.

Well done, really good everyone.