Netflix has unleashed a gripping crime saga that is being celebrated by fans as a masterpiece of television, with many drawing direct comparisons to the legendary series Gomorrah. The show, Suburra: Blood on Rome, has captivated audiences with its intense portrayal of corruption and power in the Italian capital.
Viewer Acclaim and Stellar Ratings
Since its release, the series has amassed glowing testimonials from viewers and an impressive 7.9/10 rating on IMDb. One fan awarded it a 9/10, praising the "amazing acting" and "addictive plot", declaring it shows "Rome as you've never seen it before" and is a "must watch for every mafia-related movie fan". Another review scoring 8/10 dubbed the programme "just about perfect", highlighting "great actors" and "wonderful" scenery, concluding: "I think Netflix is on to something good here."
Perhaps the most telling endorsement comes from a viewer who gave a perfect 10/10, stating: "Having seen the amazing Gomorrah, I started this saying it can never be as good. Well, we have just watched the final episode and even my husband was affected by it." They urged newcomers to "stick with it" as the story "gets better and better", confessing it would be "a long time before I can forget about this series".
A Gritty Tale Inspired by Real-Life Scandal
Suburra: Blood on Rome is an Italian crime drama inspired by the 2015 film of the same name, which was itself based on the 2013 novel by Carlo Bonini and Giancarlo De Cataldo. The narrative is rooted in the real-life Mafia Capitale investigation, which exposed a vast network of corrupt officials in Rome involved in embezzlement, money laundering, and bribery.
The series intricately weaves together the lives of gangsters, politicians, church members, and ordinary citizens, blurring the lines between right and wrong. The first season centres on a fierce power struggle over a valuable plot of land in Rome's Ostia district, contested by citizens and gangsters alike. Central to the drama is the rivalry between two mafia families: the Anacletis and the Adamis.
Cast and Critical Success
The drama features a standout cast led by Alessandro Borghi as gang member Aureliano Adami and Giacomo Ferrara as Alberto 'Spadino' Anacleti. The ensemble includes Eduardo Valdarnini, Francesco Acquaroli, Filippo Nigro, and Claudia Gerini.
As Netflix's first Italian-language Original series, Suburra has achieved significant critical acclaim, boasting a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 94% score on the Popcornmeter. The source novel has been described on Amazon as a "fast-paced crime thriller set in Rome: Gomorrah meets House of Cards". One reader's 5-star review called it "an important exposé of Italy's criminal underbelly" and "the epic story of modern Rome".
The show initially served as a prequel to the 2015 film for its first two seasons, with its third and final season taking a new narrative direction. Suburra: Blood on Rome is available to stream on Netflix now.
