Nero a metà

Is racism that archaic in Italy? Goodness, I hope not. Maybe it's just the translation? Well, barring that wretched part, it's a pretty good cop show.

This show has a decent plot and actors and I am enjoying it. Glaring is the portrayal of overt racism against the cop Malik...every 10 minutes someone either refuses to believe he is policeman, and asks for a "real cop", girls run up to "see the black cop" and then run away, people don't believe his partner would ever agree to have a black partner...it just goes on and on....like watching something out of the '60s. Is it really that bad in Italy? Wow. depressing. And of course, they have to keep repeating that he was way at the top of his detective class...as that seems the only way he would get a job like this...yikes.

I am usually into Scandinavian and British crime series, but from time to time, for widening my horizon, I try to keep up with related productions from other countries. Nero a metà included no performer known to me and the focus was more on colleague relations than on solving crimes, but it was somehow pleasant, seemed realistic (features of Italians still on the surface though). The "racism issue" did not distract me at all.

True, the creators have evidently watched BBC Crime and not all cases were of even interest, but unless you think that only e.g. Bron/Broen and The Millennium series are worth watching, the series in question can be well recommended. At least, Rome seems a more realistic crime scene than a small English village...

PS Season 2 was somewhat more protracted, the disbalance of the "main crime" and other crime episodes bigger, personal feelings of the main characters too confusing -- so 7.5 points meaning still 8. And I have plans to watch Season 3.

This my first time writing a review. It's a good crime show with a concept of a racial issue in Italy but it has little bit of everything so give it chance.

Okay - I really thought a lot about this crime show... Many here think it's a good show that covers also the racism Malik is confronted every day. One could think that's an interesting plot that gives room for a lot of social and political discussions - BUT - there is basically NO real reflection or controversy regarding this topic. Quite the contrary - racism is shown and lived in every single episode in such an normal and regularly way, that one starts to think, it is completely OKAY and nothing out of the ordinary... Also some of the acting is really poor. I rolled my eyes so many times my head is spinning ;) Bottom line - the show is ok, but nothing really special.