Watched the whole thing now and here are my thoughts:
The first two seasons are absolute classics. I caught myself thinking that it was even better than The Wire. Great acting, gritty, great plot. As good as tv gets. People talk about Breaking Bad(which I like, but still think is hyped), but this is better. For anyone who hasn`t seen it, watch season 1 and 2. I dare you to come up with anything better in tv history. The Wire was the benchmark for me- I think those two seasons overtakes it.
I think something changes from season 3. Still great, but different, and some parts that I think are not as great.
First of all, some(most) of the best actors die in the first couple of seasons. I also think the style of the show somewhat changes. In the first couple of seasons there are great normal conversations between characters about daily stuff, like which sofa the Savestanos are going to have, that one of the guy`s shoes are ugly or what the meaning of Facebook is. I think that make those episodes very realistic, almost gives it a documentary feel. Kind of.
From season 3 there`s more of a cinematic feel. Not so gritty. It looks great and the plot is still strong, but it seems like every character needs to say something "meaningful" ,philosophical, powerful and deep in every conversation. The dialogue is more pompous. I don`t think people really talk like that. While in season 1 and 2, I don`t get the feel that people act, I get that from season 3. I`m not a fan of that Sangue Blue character. Tries so hard to be a ruthless character, but the weight of him compared to for instance Pietro Savestano is laughable. The actor who plays Pietro is a badass,the scary personality is very believable. Sangue Blue and his crew dont`t feel anything Gommora-or streetlike to me compared to the hotheads like (what`s his name) O-track from the first seasons. I would believe those characters would try to stab me at an away Napoli game. The Sangue Blue crew I`d believe could serve me cappuccino at a coffe house.
Sangue Blue, for such a big character in some of the seasons, I caught myself not caring for him and wishing him dead just so he wouldn`t take up so much time in the show . And first and foremost, I didn`t find him believable as an intimitating person. Too stylized. If I met him in a dark alley I would think I could take him. I wouldn`t do that with Pietro Savestano. He could probably choke me to death. Or Conte. He would probably do something cool that caught me off guard. Skinny frame, but still believable as a intimitating person because of his aura.
I think the plot is weaker at the end of the show(some decisions in the Ciro/Genna relationship are thin)and some of the actors aren`t that great either. I think Genny overall were greater in the first seasons, though it`s a hard thing to make the transition he does from the son of a mafia boss to being one himself. He has a tough job. Ciro himself at the end has too many moments where he smokes a cigarette, looks intensely in the air and says too much deep shit like he`s Jesus.
Still, I binged this show, was hooked from episode to episode and it was a beautiful journey that made me want to travel to Napoli and buy a Vespa. Overall, I think this is one, if not the best tv show ever made.
