GOMORRAH Season Three Review

Gomorrah (2017)
Directed by: Claudio Cupellini, Francesca Comencini
Written by: Lewis Alsamari, Roberto Saviano
Starring: Andrea Di Maria, Arturo Muselli, Carlo Caracciolo, Cristiana Dell'Anna, Cristina Donadio, Fabio De Caro, Fortunato Cerlino, Ivana Lotito, Loris De Luna, Marco D'Amore, Pasquale Esposito, Salvatore Esposito

GOMORRAH (2017)
The Complete Season Three
Italian Language with English Subtitles

With Pietro Savastano murdered, Gennaro Savastano is left to take over Secondigliano but has bigger problems to contend with in Naples and Rome where he is looking after the affairs of his father-in-law, Don Avitabile, whilst he’s in prison. Upon his release, Don Avitabile suspects that Genny may have been screwing him over and in retaliation destroys all of what Gennaro stands for and strips him of his wealth, his power and his family.

Meanwhile, Ciro di Marzio flees to Bulgaria following his revenge on Pietro Savastano, working for drug dealer and human trafficker Valentin but when things turn south, Ciro decides running away from his past isn’t the best option and returns to Naples where he takes the hungry and ambitious Blue Blood under his wing.

With Gennaro on his knees and Ciro looking for redemption, the two join forces to take down the System and regain control of what’s rightfully theirs.

Following on from the bloodthirsty second series, GOMORRAH Season Three seems to settle down a little, tired from all the wars and bloodshed endured throughout the previous two seasons. Gennaro is in the best position of his life before being rumbled. Now he finds himself broken and without a dime to his name with his beloved wife and baby son taken away from him whilst Ciro has seemingly given up on life altogether, finally realising what he’s lost in these drug and turf wars, much by his own hand. Having lost everything dear to him, Ciro appears to reevaluate his life choices and, though he cannot stray from who he is, decides that the only chance of redemption is by helping those around him, the unfortunate ones, to get what’s rightfully theirs.

Having killed off a large number of characters in Season 2, it’s no surprise to see the introduction of new characters in the third season to help keep the momentum going. Like in real mob wars, when one goes another one takes its place. In this series we’re introduced to Enzo and his clan The Saints – young crooks from Forcella with ambition and drive to better themselves in an area once run by Enzo’s grandfather and father but now run by ‘the Charmer’ Don Eduardo. Nicknamed Blue Blood thanks to his ancestry, Enzo desires nothing more than to claim what’s rightfully his for his family and his Saint brothers and a chance meeting with Ciro in Bulgaria sets them on a path to greatness. However, as we all know, claiming turf isn’t without sacrifice.

On the other side of the Camorra, we get to learn more of the Confederate ‘System’ run by The Wizard, The Charmer and brothers The Graduate and Crazy and how their power compares to that of Gennaro Savastano. As sworn enemies, the System become the antagonists of the show, if a series where all characters are corrupt and unlikable can actually have antagonists but you get my point. The war isn’t small time anymore like it was in Secondigliano. This time it has escalated and Genny, Ciro and Blue Blood find themselves competing against the big boys. Can they find help from old associate Annalisa ‘Scianel’ Magliocca to help fund their impending war?

New characters means new storylines and although the goals never really seem to change – they all want power, turf, money or revenge – the programme still keeps it fresh for viewers thanks to the partnerships forged throughout the show. You never know which way it’s going to turn as one moment two characters can be the best of friends and the next sworn enemies. Relationships forged in Gomorrah are as fickle as the wind and ultimately there’s only one person you can trust: yourself. However, there’s one thing guaranteed with Gomorrah – there’s never a dull moment. Sure, it can have its slow starts but once its current storyline is established, chaos ensues and anything goes… and anyone. Something I learned very quickly with this remarkable series is that no-one is safe from the writer’s pen and many characters, major and minor, can meet a sticky end at any given moment. That is what I love about this show. It simply doesn’t give a damn and will be ruthless when it comes to carnage reflecting the brutality of real life organised crime.

With a lot of the major characters having been offed previously, Season Three of GOMORRAH is perhaps not the strongest out of the three seasons but it doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. Everything what made the previous seasons shocking and addictive are present here except this season reflects how time has changed people with Ciro being the main embodiment of the sentiment; older, out of shape and having lost everything. However, that fire isn’t completely out and they still know their trade better than anyone else. To me though, this series is all about “out with the old, in with the new” which I suspect will be the focus of Season 4.

An insight into the gritty, brutal reality of Naples, documented by author Roberto Saviano, GOMORRAH is a compelling, if frightening, expose of organised crime.

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‘GOMORRAH – THE SERIES’ SEASON 3 and ‘GOMORRAH – THE SERIES’ SEASON 1-3 are released on DVD & Blu-ray on Monday 12th March by Arrow TV.