Suburræterna review: Gripping crime drama with themes galore

Suburræterna picks up on the world of Suburra as it takes a new turn with emerging clans and the generational enmity between families engulfing one and all. The series is currently streaming on Netflix.

Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers

Story

The Lucianis have slaved under the Anacletis for far too long, and now seek vengeance against them for killing all their family twenty years ago.

After a heavy blow dealt to the Anacletis, Alberto aka Spadino returns, with intentions of only wrapping up formalities before returning to a new life he’s carved out for himself in Germany.

Ercole of the Bonatestas seeks Independence from his grandfather and shoes in for the seat at the council and the contract for the building of a new stadium in Rome.

Ercole and Tronto — a priest at the Vatican, work together to secure funds from the Vatican’s Foundation that Cinaglia was intending to use.

Tronto becomes the president of the Foundation, and Ercole becomes the Commissioner of Construction. Alberto plans to get back to the Lucianis and get his family back to the villas they’ve been displaced from.

Nadia ends up dead in the crossfire between Alberto and the Lucianis. Tronto’s secret makes him vulnerable but it’s eventually taken care of.

Cinaglia makes a desperate move but it fails before Ercole and Miriana conspire a plan of theirs.

Alberto and Cinaglia are turned against each other by Ercole, but the two realize they’ve been manipulated before either gets killed.

Meanwhile, Ercole also backstabs Damiano, whose relationship with his wife Angelica reaches a turning point, thanks to a lot of instances of distrust between the two.

Suburræterna ends with Ercole and Tronto coming out on top and getting the stadium project for themselves.

Performances

Cinaglia, played by Filippo Nigro with an effortless candor, remains one of the more interesting characters in the story, as he moves about through sticky situations with a calm demeanor that would otherwise feel off or dissonant.

Bonatesta is played masterfully by Aliosha Massine, who brings a quiet rage that’s very integral and crucial to the character, making his clever and daring political maneuverings that much more authentic.

Giacomo Ferrara reprises the role of Alberto and does tremendously with the new flair and fervor he carries. Florian Krüger-Shantin plays Tronto with a gravitas and authority instrumental for the character.

Marlon Joubert brings a lot of subtle shades to his character and plays both the caring and firm parts of his personality really well.

Positives

The drama in Suburræterna is compelling and the plot, gripping. The characters, many of whom have gone through major development in the previous chapters of the story of Suburra, feel very authentic.

The never-ending cycle of generational enmity, hate, and revenge feels very real and lends that grit to the series that makes it so grounded even if such dramatic turn of events keeps happening all around.

The political maneuverings both by Ercole and Tronto are also a lot of fun to follow. The dynamic and chemistry between these two collaborators make matters all the more exciting.

Negatives

It gets bogged down by the smaller subplots and the amount of time some characters switch teams makes it seem really repetitive at times.

Ercole’s backstabbing at the end of Suburræterna makes little sense, even if it’s consistent with his character and drive.

However, he was just saved from death by Damiano and he had no real threat from his clan. Disposing them all would be ideal and rid him of all the headaches but this move seems a bit off.

Verdict

Suburræterna is a gripping crime drama dealing with ambition, politics, faith, family, and trust — and the forces within man and on the outside that malign them all.

With a generational revenge cycle at its center, this crime drama manages to hook the viewer in with nearly all its subplots and characters, thanks to the immaculate writing and performances.

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