La mafia tue seulement l'été

'Mafia Only Kills in Summer' tells the story of Sicily circa 1980 by interweaving the lives of a prototypical Italian family with the real leaders of the Cosa Nostra and the heroes they killed. It's alternately charming, funny, and full of righteous anger; and it gets the balance just right, showing how the Mafia permeated through civil society.. While aspects of the humour are somewhat stereotypical, they go down well anyway because of the sheer heart of the portrayals. A favourite moment of mine is when the central protagonist, a boy on the brink of adolescence and obsessed with the Mafia, is taken by his parents to a psychologist, and in the Rorsach blots he is presented with sees alternately breasts, and (Prime Minister) Andreotti meeting with a Mafioso. Two series have been made to date; it's creator wants take the story through to the 1990s, and I hope he gets the chance to do so.

This was the best tv series I've watched I've never loved a cast more. I felt invested in every one of them. It's heartbreaking and joyful and jarring all at the same time.

When you have a great story and quality actors you can appeal to any audience. Mafia only kills in summer delivers on all points. This is a really well done production that weaves a Sicilian family's day-to-day life with Italian socio-political problems in the late 70's and 80's. The setting is beautiful. The actors are compelling and believable. And the story all hangs together with a blend of comedy and drama in each episode. My only regrets when watching the series were a) I don't speak Italian, b) my inability during the pandemic to get on a plane destined for Palermo, and c) the series only lasting 2 seasons.

I've never felt moved to comment on a series before but just had to say that this was great TV. The script was superb even in translation it captured the bittersweet experiences of the family as it was caught up in the machinations of the Mafia as well as the more typical events of family life. The cast was uniformly excellent and each member was a delight to watch and the chemistry between the actors only enhanced the pleasure of watching. It was truly a gem - as beautiful as any found by Angela on the beach!

I have not seen the film with the same name, so I have no opportunity to compare, but the Series captivated me from the 1st episode. Wonderful and apparently realistic atmosphere (with real events and real persons included), skillful mix of comedy and tragedy, great performances (Francesco Scianna as Massimo and Edoardo Buscetta as Salvatore Giammarresi excelling others a bit)... And pleasantly and surprisingly free family relations in a Catholic country, with reference to love and growing pains. With 2 generations constantly visible, it should be both interesting to parents and children, with apparent explanation what was going on in Sicily in the late 70ies / early 80ies.

Although the Season 2 is somewhat less interesting / more protracted than Season 1, yet 9 points from me, well done! And again, as after watching Montalbano series, I am very keen on visiting Sicily, still never been there.