How To Watch Italian TV Series on Netflix
You don’t have to be an advanced learner to appreciate watching Italian TV series. Even if you’re just starting, there are ways to make the most of this educational opportunity.
You can learn the language by watching an Italian movie with English subtitles if you’re a beginner. Even if you don’t grasp the vast majority of it, that’s fine. This will help you become more attuned to the rhythms, intonation, and tempo of the language as a whole, which will in turn enhance your ability to understand what is being said.
Subtitling a show you already watch in your mother language with Italian is another great approach to incorporating the language into your study regimen gradually. You may also put the show on pause every once in a while to study sentence structure, new words, or idioms.
If you are a beginner or intermediate language learner and would like to concentrate on the language rather than the plot, you can do so by first watching the episode in your original language. If you know how the narrative ends, you’ll have an easier time following along. Watching an Italian show again will help you fill in the blanks and understand new words from their context.
If you’re an expert student of Italian, watching a show in Italian with Italian subtitles is the best approach to developing your skills. With this strategy, you may link what you say to what’s on the screen. If you listen and read at the same time, you will be able to memorize new words or speech patterns far more quickly.
Here is a curated list of popular Italian TV series that are suitable for language students of any level, along with brief descriptions of their plots.
Best Italian Series on Netflix To Watch To Improve Your Italian
Note: The following list of Italian shows may or may not be available to stream on Netflix, depending on your area. We advise making use of a VPN if you want access to Netflix libraries in different countries (including Italy).
1.Fedeltà (Fidelity)
Loosely based on Fedeltà, a best-selling novel by Marco Missiroli, this Italian drama miniseries on Netflix follows the story of Milanese couple, Margherita and Carlo, who are very much in love with each other. However, something slithers into their relationship which leads them to question everything – even themselves.
Released in 2022, Fedeltà tackles themes of betrayal and desire – and the results of both.
2. Blanca
The 2021 Italian series Blanca, which originally aired on the Rai Italia network, is currently streaming on Netflix.
Young police consultant Blanca, an expert in interpreting audio files, is given an internship at a precinct in the northern Italian city of Genoa. After losing her older sister Beatrice in a horrific fire when she was just twelve years old, the woman lost her sight and has never recovered. Her tragic experience gave her a deep commitment to serving the community through law enforcement.
Listening to the show can help you improve your Italian listening comprehension because the characters don’t speak with any sort of accent.
3. Gomorra
This Italian series, which spans five seasons and is based on the best-selling novel by Roberto Saviano, immerses viewers in the world of the Camorra, a local mafia group in the Naples area.
There is an emphasis on the criminal exploits of drug dealers and members of criminal organizations with ties to the commercial and political worlds.
The prominent Savastano family, headed by Pietro, one of the most influential figures in the region, is featured prominently in the series. People respect and fear him, making him a fascinating character to watch out for in the series.
4. Il nome della rosa (The Name of the Rose)
The Name of the Rose, the novel written by Umberto Eco, is considered a literary masterpiece in Italy and has sold millions of copies around the world.
The story is set in a majestic and isolated abbey in the 14th century, where a friar and his apprentice unravel the mystery of a series of murders. The film adaptation stays true to the novel’s mysterious and gloomy tone.
The TV series version of Umberto Eco’s acclaimed mystery novel isn’t the first time it’s been attempted on screen, but it remains to be a must-watch if only to see another take on the story.
In this Netflix series, a detective is dispatched to an abbey to investigate a string of killings that have taken place there.
5. Il Processo (The Trial)
One of the best Italian series recently, The Trial premiered on Netflix in 2019.
Here, we watch how prosecutor Elena Guerra is affected by the murder of a 17-year-old girl and how lawyer Ruggero Barone will stop at nothing to advance his career throughout eight intense episodes. Additionally, there is the suspect’s (Linda’s) account, who insists she is not guilty.
Filming locations for the series included Mantua’s lakes, Piazza Sordello, Palazzo Te, Palazzo D’Arco, Palazzo Beccaguti, Palazzo Cavriani, and Palazzo Andreani. Additionally, some filming took place in Rome.
6. Incastrati (Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery)
The show premieres in 2022 and stars Ficarra and Picone, two well-known Italian comedians.
The series is set against the beautiful Sicilian backdrop and chronicles the [mis]adventures of Valentino and Salvatore, two television technicians who stumble across a crime scene.
They use their understanding of crime dramas to clean up the scene and leave it alone so that they won’t be the major suspects. That sets off a chain reaction of comical occurrences in their life.
Also read: 17 Greatest Italian Movies of All Time You Must Watch
7. Liberi sognatori (Ordinary Heroes)
In this heartfelt series, we learn about the lives and tragic ends of brave Italians who dared to stand up to organized crime in their country.
The main characters include Sicilian clothing manufacturer Libero Grassi, who refused to pay the Mafia’s protection money, or il pizzo.
Then there’s journalist Totò Francese who was put down for writing on the criminal activities of Totò Riina and the Corleone family; his son fought for justice 20 years later.
There’s also the first female victim in Salento, Renata Fonte. She was a politician who sought to protect the natural park of Porto Selvaggio in the region’s south.
8. Luna Nera
Luna Nera, which means “Black Moon” in English, is a fantasy drama that takes place in Italy around the 17th century and focuses on a young woman named Ade who discovers her fate while living with a family of witches.
A group known as the Benandanti will persecute anyone who exhibits behaviors consistent with witchcraft. When Ade falls in love with the Benandanti leader’s son, she is forced to conceal the fact that she is developing psychic abilities.
The reception that this series has received from critics has been mixed, but it remains to be a must-watch if you are looking to improve your Italian skills.
9. Non mi lasciare (Don’t Leave Me)
Elena, a policewoman, is tasked with investigating a novel and complex type of criminal activity. She has a specialty in crimes committed online, particularly against children, where the victims frequently vanish.
Her most recent investigation brings her back to Venice, her hometown, where the dead body of a young child has been found floating in a lagoon. There, she can get back in touch with her ex-lover Daniele, who is now the commissioner of the Homicide Squad.
Vittoria Puccini, Alessandro Roja, and Sarah Felberbaum are the three main actors in this procedural drama.
10. Suburra: Blood on Rome
After a dispute over some property in a beach town close to Rome, the Vatican and some corrupt politicians as well as some members of organized crime all end up at odds with one another in this intriguing Italian TV series.
The series focuses on three major characters: Aureliano Adami, the son of a local police officer; Alberto Anacleti, also a mobster, but from a different gang; and Gabriele Marchilli, a rival gang member.
The first Italian-language original series produced by Netflix is based on the 2015 film Suburra, which was in turn inspired by the novel Suburra (also called Suberra) by Giancarlo De Cataldo and Carlo Bonini.
11. Leonardo
This historical drama about Leonardo da Vinci’s ascent to fame breathes a new life into his amazing existence.
In this Italian TV series on Netflix, we learn about the personal struggles and scientific breakthroughs that inspired Leonardo da Vinci.
The drama focuses on his time in Renaissance Italy, where he lived and worked, and the challenges he faced in all three areas. The plot of Leonardo follows da Vinci as he develops into a revolutionary genius and renowned polymath.
Leonardo’s voracious appetite for information fuels his insatiable interest in art, science, and technology; and he is motivated to uncover the mysteries of the world.
The mystery surrounding this amazing individual is revealed throughout the series, which also explores his undeniable passion for storytelling.
12. Carlo & Malik
This Netflix Italian series, released in the late 2018 in Italy as Nero a metà (which means “half black”), is a crime drama that follows the investigations of veteran cop Carlo Guerrieri of the Rione Monti police station in Rome; his young partner, Ivory Coast-born Malik Soprani; and Carlo’s daughter, Alba, who is a forensic medical examiner.
The series features interesting cases in the locality, which are investigated by the unique team whose approach of solving them will amaze viewers from all over the world.
13. The Medici: Masters of Florence
Medici, a co-production between Italy and Britain, has been called “one of the best Italian TV shows of recent years.”
The Medici were the most powerful family in Italy at the time of the Renaissance. However, they would eventually fall from power due to wars, political intrigues with the Vatican State, and battles to retain their economic and political dominance.
This series, which is also available in English, is a must-see because of the intriguing look it offers into the life of the most renowned family of the Renaissance.