The Sea Beyond

The previous review I red says that the series does not claim to be realistic. Surely it is imaginary but it is certainly very close to reality. It was a while since I didn't get involved in a good TV show. After watching Gomorra, Suburra and of course Narcos I was convinced that there wasn't much else worth to watch on that topic. I was wrong. Characters are so real and human. Their human side is investigated and analyzed with mastery. The show does not pretend to divide the world between bads an goods but investigates the psychology and social motivations of the phenomenon. Looking on a social-cultural context mixed with teenage problems.

Great job. Can't wait to go home and watch the rest.

Of course now I'm working with two nice drawn dark circles ;)

It does hold your interest in a hard to explain way. The plot is like The Godfather for kiddies, except these "juveniles" look anything but juvenile, perhaps young adults in their mid twenties at least. They are also the best dressed juvenile delinquents. Ciro and Eduardo have a permanent frown, as all of the characters have their quirks. I have never seen so much crying and hugging as on this show between men, or supposedly boys. Carmine started with a hairy chest which got lost along the way along with him and Fillippo growing crazy helmets of hair. Another irksome thing was the repetitive soundtrack. Ok, qualms aside, the acting was good for sure, and even I shed some tears. Did I enjoy this, am I looking forward to more seasons? You bet!

First of all i'm gonna say don't watch this show if you're sensitive to certain topics like abuse, violence or assault.

This show is great and I honestly got addicted from the first few episodes. One thing I love about this show is that you can't tell who the main character is because everyone is given equal time to shine and everyone's story is beautifully explained. The actors are almost all newbies but the acting is awesome. The chemistry between couples (especially Gemma & Cardiotrap and Rosa & Carmine) is just perfect. Plus I love the soundtrack.

Also not gonna lie Rosa and Carmine's relationship carried the third season. I wish season 4 would come soon, can't wait to watch!

This is a story - not only that characters are fictional as stated but I am fully aware , even if I am neither Neapolitan nor Italian, that situations and relationships among them are not even close to realistic.

But that's not the point. Because it's a story - about the most profound of human experiences, especially when lived at a tender age, it is a story about love and friendship and devotion, about hate and violence , about joy and pain, about the warmth of an embrace when in the depths of despair, about choices, about courage and meekness, about weakness, about redemption and growth, acceptation and reject, about the complexity of human's inner being, about selflessness, about winning battles - with others and with yourself. There's a whole bestiary deployed to impersonate these themes as characters are interestingly making us think of the relations in the animal world: there are dogs (Pino, Filippo, even if of different breed), a panther (Skubra) and a splendid wolf (Carmine), a sheep (Gemma), a nightingale (Naditza), a snake (Viola), a lion (Ciro), a bear (Massimo), a monkey (Toto) and a rooster (Eduardo), all bathed in the beauty of the Italian scenery - what would one want more? Applauses to Massimiliano Caiazzo, Pia Lanciotti and Valentina Romani for captivating the screen and creating so colourful characters!

A downside (in my opinion) : as it unfolds, the serie frequently abbandons its characters leaving stories open-ended after having invested a lot of energy in, leaving the public in a quite consumming sort of quest for an end.

One more thing: having made this serie during those dark years (from 2020 on) it is remarcable how it pleas for freedom, breaking the rules, not losing morality and stay on the truth's side while cherishing relationships above everything. Maybe, in the spirit of the serie, it was the boldest act of all.

The show explores themes of loyalty, identity, redemption, trauma, and how these young people navigate a harsh system. In my opinion, this isn't for everyone--but if you want to see a different cultural setting and what teen incarceration looks like with a "coming-of-age under extreme pressure" element, it's worth watching.

Some may say it's exaggerated and unrealistic, which might be true, but these things do happen in real life--we just don't always know about them. The first two seasons might feel dragged and a bit boring at times, but it really picks up in Season 3. You can clearly notice the shift in directing, camera work, production design, colour grading--even the script, acting, and soundtrack have improved. I'm glad I didn't give up.

The series has become a pop-culture phenomenon in Italy. It's gritty--set in a juvenile detention centre--so it's more adult in tone despite featuring younger characters.

P. S. I usually watch it in its original audio with subtitles because I couldn't stand the English dub, but I noticed it got better in Season 3 as well. And Netflix, I need Season 5 now.