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“Gomorrah” – the best mafia series in the world is approaching its bloody end
In season 5 of “Gomorrah” the heroes have become heavy and tired
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In five seasons and one film, the series “Gomorrah” describes the underworld of Naples – more authentically and brutally than any other. In the last season it is time to say goodbye to the doomed.
The following text contains slight spoilers – if you don’t want to know anything about the plot of the fifth season, you should read no further
The TV series “Gomorrah” is in its fifth and final season. It is based on the novel by Roberto Saviano – whose authentic portrayal of the Mafia has earned him death threats and lifelong police protection. The action of the series now ends where it began: in the dilapidated, brutalist housing estates of Scampia in Naples. And that’s a good thing, because the real strength of “Gomorrah” was never subtle character drawings or complicated plots. The series convinced in the dense and detailed description of the criminal milieu of Naples. In the encounters, the gestures, the clothes and the interior design. When a door opens in a filthy shantytown and you find yourself behind it in a monstrous explosion of gold, mirrors and antiques.
Back in the dirt of Scampia
The fifth season reunites the dream couple of the series, Ciro Di Marzio and Gennaro “Genny” Savastano, at the old location. The two regularly switch back and forth between arch-enemies and brothers. The last season is about enmity. It comes to the inevitable showdown of the two.
As befits this type of series, the characters don’t develop at all. Giro is still the cold killer and superior strategist. As he was when he was appointed nanny to the then young Genny. And believed him in his first murder when the teenager’s nerves were failing him. Ciro is called “L’Immortale”, the immortal, because he was the only one who survived the collapse of a house when he was a baby. He lives up to his name – he survives every attempted murder, even if he has to be brought out of the grave by wondrous coincidences of the screenplay.
Gennaro is and remains what he was in the first season, his father’s unhappy chubby son, even if he has traded his baby fat for muscles and his helplessness for sadism. Neither of them have to act. The immortal looks sad out of his faithful dachshund eyes, slightly hunched over, before drawing his weapon. And Gennaro scowls from deep circles under his eyes and nervously rubs his rings – and then beats his opponents to a pulp with an iron bar, just like he has in the four previous seasons.
Strong actors in the supporting roles in “Gomorrah”
The demanding tasks are taken over by the supporting roles. Donna Nunzia, for example, the wife of a clan leader. It looks exactly like it’s straight out of an old-fashioned advertisement for homemade pasta. And yet the little old woman is driven by an eerie fire. One of her bravi hesitates because he is supposed to kill a child. A sin that cannot be forgiven, according to popular belief. Because the Holy Virgin will turn away from the infanticide on the last day and will not intercede for him. The nice grandmother confides in her capo that hatred lives deep inside her like a creepy animal. This hatred would devour her if she didn’t feed it constantly – even with a five-year-old child. In general, it is the women who give depth to the story. Azzurra, for example, as the wife of Don Gennaro, who is once again driven close to her estranged husband by the murderous circumstances.
O’ Maestrale is one of Don Pi’s main characters. He sees himself as a man of honor, trudges stiffly from scene to scene and knows only one facial expression. However, his wife, the gaunt and ambitious Luciana, more than makes up for this as she greedily sucks on her cigarettes and slowly and measuredly dribbles the poison of betrayal into her husband’s ears.
Despite the simple type drawing, the viewer has to be careful not to miss the plot threads. In the previous season, Pietro shot his confidant Patrizia Santoro, his father’s former lover. Only from a subordinate clause does he and thus the viewer learn how senseless this act was.
Endgame with Death Lyrics
The plot boils down to the inevitable – the immortal gathers the malcontents who worship him almost religiously. There’s resistance with old acquaintances like the tragic Highborn and loyal goon Pitbull, and plenty of intrigue and action. There can be little doubt about the outcome. Men like Ciro and Gennaro are born to die, in five seasons they had to learn that they are not fit for life.
“Gomorrah” comes up sky.