Sara, la mujer en las sombras

I can sit through almost anything, but this show is hard to watch. Keep in mind I am watching the English dubbed version in which some actors are constantly over acting. Maybe that was in hopes of covering for those who were not acting at all. The whole show seems to be about some really unlikable people who don't like other people, yet somehow, we are supposed to take an interest in their lives. I genuinely like European dramas, but this one left a bitter, borig taste in my mouth.

Both the positive and the negative reviews by others are correct: This show is slow to develop (and annoying with a giant McGuffin), not always credible, and often awkward. Plot development relies far too much on the central character's modest superpowers -- lip-reading and uncannily precise body-language interpretation. The series' threadbare budget is problematic (e.g., a supposedly big end-of-campaign rally for a populist politician with maybe 30 extras in attendance). But the acting is quite good, the gritty settings in Naples are powerful, and the story becomes more complex and more engaging as the series progresses.

If you are looking for action, forget it, there isn't any. If it offends you that all male characters are some combination of incompetent, evil, morally compromised, and unfaithful, then look elsewhere. (The women are morally compromised and highly competent.)

One collateral complaint: There are at least a dozen actors in substantial roles who are not identified in any cast listing. It's bizarre: The cast list has people with one or two lines in one episode, but does not identify actors playing characters who appear in multiple scenes in almost all of the episodes and have meaningful functions in the plot.

A lot is going on in this thriller, but most of it doesn't make sense until the later episodes when key revelations all seem to happen at once and often through a secondary character's exposition. Great mood, locations, and characterizations aren't quite enough to drive the story, which is often muddy. Translation may play a part but I suspect several novels were combined to make a series, which can create a chaotic tale. Others have mentioned budget, which seems to be a factor with some substandard effects e.g. Car scenes with obviously filmed backdrops.

Sara: La Donna nell'Ombra is a quietly powerful thriller that stands out not through explosive action, but through its masterful restraint. What lingers most is how the solitude-both chosen and suddenly imposed-of the main characters is rendered with remarkable subtlety. Silence, whispers, and pared-down dialogues carry emotional weight, allowing moments to breathe and tension to simmer.

Though set in Naples, the series resists cliché. It offers glimpses of the city's beauty alongside its rougher edges, and refreshingly, the Camorra is kept in the background, if present at all. Casual touches of black humour bring levity without undercutting the story's seriousness, adding a unique texture to an otherwise taut narrative.

A thoughtful, atmospheric series that values nuance over spectacle-Sara stays with you longer than you expect.

I found this series enjoyable to watch and completed the series over 5 nights. It is different from US dramas and has its own Italian history to deal with Mafia and fascism. Some viewers may not fully understand their historical importance to Italian society and therefore may struggle with this series. I enjoyed the story and the characters.