Tag: Makari

“Makari” Season 3 – TV series review

A scene from the Italian light murder mystery series “Makari.” Courtesy of MHz Choice

It’s been almost two years since I reviewed the earlier seasons of this light, charming Italian murder mystery series, “Makari,” set in sunny Sicily. I encourage you to read the prior reviews to refresh your memory (as did I), to better understand the players and relationships for this third season. Here’s the link to that review: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2023/07/makari-season-2-tv-series-review/.

This round includes four separate cases, with some significant story arcs running throughout. The episodes are a bit longer than before – each about 2 hours – but the light tenor of the series continues. Peppe helps Saverio with everything, while providing the rest of us with the comic relief of his clumsy, overly-friendly puppy personality.

This year, Saverio is enjoying some success as a novelist, leading to his being offered a guest teaching position at a nearby school. The students couldn’t possibly be less interested in books at the start. But he, of course, wins them over. Suleima has completed her architecture studies and is working on a project for Saverio in their eponymous village of Makari. Their blissful co-habitation is threatened when an old beau of hers, Guilio (Eugenio Franceschini), suddenly appears with a sob story of failed romance that makes him turn to his former best friend for solace. He becomes a thorn in Saverio’s side throughout the season, as ulterior motives emerge.

In the first episode, Saverio is asked for help from an old girlfriend who is being sued by another of his exes; one of their husbands is killed, making the other’s a prime suspect. Suleima becomes suspicious that one or both of the women might still have the hots for her guy. In the second, the restoration of a nearby village leads to sharply divided factions among the locals on its direction; one side demands emphasis on historical purity; the other wants to create more of an active arts center. That results in one of the leaders gettin’ hisself kilt. Also, it starts to appear as if the foxy teacher Michela (Serena Iansiti) who recommended Saverio to the school may have more intimate aspirations.

The third is both the funniest and most irritating of the lot, as Suleima’s parents arrive unexpectedly to also stay in their house. Her overbearing dad still thinks of Giulio as the son he never had, and the son-in-law he should have had, fawning over him endlessly, while criticizing and nitpicking at everything about Saverio. That drags on alongside a vendor’s murder at a major book festival. The last episode takes place at a swanky spa that may not be the miraculous new-age health and healing operation that it purports to be. Naturally, while our little crew of protagonists is there, a doctor turns up dead. As has happened several times in the series, Saverio first has to convince the cops that it wasn’t an accident before working towards a solution.

As before, the series thrives on Saverio’s easygoing charm and Peppe’s levity, plus the rocky course of his love for Suleima. The mystery element continues to remain well-written, maintaining suspense throughout each. No need to binge, but watch them in order to follow the course of several relationships. By the end, you’ll likely join me in hoping for a fourth season.

“Makari” Season Three, mostly in Italian with English subtitles, begins streaming on MHz Choice on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

“Makari” Season 2 – TV Series Review

(L-R) Ester Pantano as Suleima, Claudio Gioe as Saverio and Domenico Centamore as Peppe, in Italian crime TV series “Makari.” Courtesy of MHzChoice

“Makari” Season 2 brings three more cozy light crime dramedies from this Italian TV series. It’s named after a Sicilian coastal village (Macari) that provides the lovely setting for a season of three mysteries in which our set of amateurs become involved. The star is Saverio (Claudio Gioe), a fortyish writer who’s lost his high-profile political press-agent gig due to an even higher-profile screw-up. Tail between his legs and nearly broke, he returns to the village where his father still owns a run-down vacation home, and tries to start a new life in safe, familiar environs.

He’s greeted by old pal Peppe (Domenico Centamore) – a lovable, overly chatty lug who variably helps and annoys our putative hero as he settles in. Saverio’s next acquisition is a girlfriend. He meets a charming, bright waitress, Suleima (Ester Pantano), interrupting her architecture studies to earn money during the town’s tourist-laden summer, and gradually wins her over.

Saverio is no action figure, nor does he go out of his way to get involved in these cases When he does, it’s to be helpful to others, and possibly provide material for the novels he’d meant to write before the call of journalism and politics changed that game plan. His sleuthing is mainly dependent on his friendly, approachable demeanor and intellect. Suleima is helpful, albeit largely from a distance. Peppe is the more active cohort, though his big, friendly puppy nature tends to provide more comic relief than useful support.

The tenor is akin to Terence Hill’s “Don Matteo,” or more familiar British series like “Father Brown” and “Doc Martin,” in the way it’s fleshed out by casts of locals we get comfortable with. Gioe’s Saverio is quite likeable. Pantano’s Suleima is a real gem, looking just beautiful enough to realistically fit the rest of the premise while showing intellect, independence and street smarts to make her an engaging character. Centamore’s Peppe is sort of a cross between Italy’s late, great Bud Spencer, and Zorro’s buffoonish Sergeant Garcia.

Season 2 picks up shortly after the events of the first quartet. Saverio has been back in his eponymous hometown for about a year and isn’t thriving financially. His last book didn’t sell. The publisher is delaying the release of the novel he’s trying to finish, forcing him to accept a gig writing and hosting travel pieces for the web. He needs the paycheck, and raising his profile via the exposure should also boost book sales whenever he finally finishes the one he’s been blocked on for months.

This season again mixes comedy (largely surrounding Peppe) and romance with the easygoing mysteries. Saverio’s relationship with Suleima is strained by geographic distance, exacerbated by how closely and constantly she works with her boss, Teodoro (Andrea Bosca), who seems like a guy few women could resist. He’s handsome, rich, smart and almost unbelievably altruistic. He envisions creating a huge multi-purpose facility that could greatly benefit Sicily’s economy and culture; all meant for the good of the regular people, not the fat cats. Since Saverio is at an all-time career low, his insecurities flourish.

His first assignment is an archaeological dig of great import, overseen by a professor widely considered at the top of the field (no Indiana Jones to compete with in this version of the world). On the eve of announcing whether newly-unearthed stones come from the ruins of an ancient theater scholars have been seeking for centuries, he’s killed. Saverio lands in another sleuthing challenge for himself and Peppe. This death at least brings the unforeseen upside of giving his videos far more hits than expected.

Episode 2 takes him to a tourism village hosting a conference aimed at reducing Mafia influence in Sicily. Two of its leading advocates are valued former colleagues. When one is found dead, Saverio first has to convince the cops that it was murder, rather than the work-avoiding suicide they initially assumed. Were Mafiosi trying to squelch their critics? Or were there other players and motives to consider? The third involves a death that looks accidental, but must be otherwise, or we wouldn’t have much of a story. This one poses a threat to Teodoro and Suleima’s grand project. Again, Saverio has to convince the police not to settle for easy answers, and spearhead the path to solution.

This round is one crime shorter, offering three 110-minute episodes, with less sex and violence than our usual prime-time fare. It ends without cliffhangers, leaving the protagonists in suitable places if it proves to be the end, without precluding a third season. Since these aired in 2022, that remains possible, and would certainly be welcome.

“Makari” Season 2, mostly in Italian with English subtitles, begins streaming on MHzChoice on Tuesday, July 18.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars