User reviews

Roco Schiavone is a touching and beautifully made mystery series. A brilliant detective who grows up in Rome with thieves as friends, but thieves with honor and a belief in only taking from those who deserve it. Rocco loved his wife, and continues to be haunted by her as she tries in vain to get him to "live his life' without her. He is sent to work in a beautiful but freezing location in the Italian Alps. Everything about this show is wonderful from touching and often funny dialogue between the motley crew Rocco works with, to the moments he spends with his wife's ghost, to the adorable dog he adopts after his owner is found dead, to the exceptional and pitch perfect acting. A special show indeed. The only other mystery I like as much right now is Vera, they are both beautiful, rich and moving mysteries.

These comments are based on watching the first season in Italian with English subtitles.

Protagonist Rocco Schiavone is a cop from Rome who has been demoted and sent to the alpine town Aosta; he hates the mountains, he hates the cold and he hates most of his new colleagues. As the series starts he is in a relationship but it is clear that the only woman he truly loves is his late wife. He also smokes cannabis, in the office and isn't above a little breaking and entry to obtain evidence! Other regular characters included younger officer Italo Pierron, who Rocco usually works with; the competent Caterina Rispoli and Michele Deruta and Domenico D'Intino, a duo dubbed 'Laurel and Hardy' by Rocco thanks to their infuriating behaviour. Each episode contains a self-contained murder mystery, which often forces Rocco to head into the mountains he so dislikes after a few episodes longer plot arcs start to emerge with cases being linked and Rocco being in considerable danger.

I really enjoyed this series; each mystery is intriguing in its own way but it is the characters that make it such fun, once the longer plot arc begins the tension rises nicely. Marco Giallini is great as Rocco; a grumpy character could so easily be unlikable but he makes the character easy to like. The rest of the cast are impressive too. I can see why this series is compared to earlier Italian export 'Inspector Montalbano'; there are many similarities, with scenic alpine settings replacing the scenic Sicilian settings and some character similarities; however it doesn't feel like a copy of that show. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of subtitled crime drama or those who understand Italian. I hope we don't have to wait too long for more seasons to be released in the UK; I need to know what happens next.

Taken from Manzini's series of novels, the TV show depicts fairly well the humor and the dark moods of inspector Schiavone. The actor Giallini is absolutely perfect for the part, the filming is good and the plots well transposed from the book series. The similarity with Montalbano is only superficial: Schiavone character is sad and disillusioned while Montalbano deeply believes in his duty and loves life (and to eat well) but of course they are both excellent detectives... So far the three seasons are very good.

Funny, touching, good stories with great characters: American cop shows could take lessons from Rocco!

/refers to all 4 Seasons and episodes/

Well, I mean, no constant sunshine, lambent sea, people with a few sexy clothes, but high snowy mountains, cold and moisture - this is Aosta, almost Switzerland, far away from Rome, a real hinterland... But crimes occur there as well, although not often, so the personnel is not too gifted and experienced. So Mr. Schiavone (splendidly performed by Marco Giallini, who was before unknown to me) has to deal with both current crimes and his "demons" from the past, sometimes helped by some dubious childhood friends and balancing on a thin line of right and wrong...

In spite of some evident exaggerations in depicting some officials, the Series is pleasant to watch, gloomy crimes are stressed by the bad weather, and the wrongdoer is not revealed too soon. Schiavone´s past enables to include leitmotifs in addition to the cases to be solved (usually 1 per episode), thus being part of the modern, 21st century approach and moving beyond Poirot-Wallander type of series.

Happened upon this series & I'm so glad I did. Characters are great & the episodes are paced well. Love the humor sprinkled throughout and the underlying love story. Give this a try - I believe you'll like it if you like crime stories.

Overall interesting to watch. The sets, the camarawork, sound, lightning, editing an screenplay, it all works out. The maincharacter Rocco is.credible in a cinematic way. Most of the other characters aren't. Rocco makes me think of the Tatort series with Schimanski. I wouldn't dare to say Rocco Schiavone is as good. However it's very well done because it doesn't copy other detectives in which there are scenes with endless chasing and long boring scenes in cars.

My wife and I loved the series. Like many series, it got better as it matured over its 3 seasons. It wasn't overly violent compared with many US cop shows and had humor throughout just like the somewhat similar Montalbano. The Aosta scenery was often beautiful and we enjoyed seeing the various locales used. Our main complaint was that Rocco smoked constantly.

For U.S. sensibilities the way the Italians make TV may be a bit too much. That is exemplified here by the main character who apparently has zero morals when it comes to how he deals with and treats women.

I'm sure this will be off-putting for some viewers. The Italians, the French... well, either you have to get use to the way they portray some of the men in their shows, or you'll stop watching.

Schiavone is not a very likable guy in some ways. He smokes ALL THE TIME. He treats women badly. Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching the first season on Amazon Prime. If there comes a time the later seasons are available, I'm pretty sure I'll watch them as well.

All the sort of stock elements are there that are so perfected in Montalbano. In fact the resemblance becomes a bit uncanny (if not intentional). Rocco is sort of a mixture of Mimi and Salvo. Fazio is here. Pasquano is here. Caterella is here. The mountain scenery is beautiful, but it is not Sicily. It is maybe unfair that I say these things, but if you have not watched Montalbano, I'd recommend it before this show.

My wife and I enjoyed the series. Schiavone is a serious detective. The show also has some characters who provide comic relief. The background material is a little hard to believe: the young, beautiful women who are always attracted to Schiavone; the ongoing relationship with his deceased wife. We gave it a 7.3, which forced us to give it an actual 7.

An excellent series....best I've seen in a long time....give it a chance and you'll be hooked

The great English lexicographer Samuel Johnson once responded to an unsolicited manuscript from a correspondent: 'Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original and the part that is original is not good.' And that's the trouble here. Great acting and presence by the lead, and some quirky turns by supporting actors (and excellent use of snowy Alpine locations, and regional Italian rivalries) does not make up for the fact that one of the biggest 'twists' in this otherwise ordinary enough detective show is stolen (no other word from it) from the absolutely brilliant 6-part TV series River, the acme of this genre in the last decade. Copying and borrowing are often how new things begin to take form, but it's a real worry when the best element here is in fact someone else's, right down to the timing of the reveal in the last seconds of episode one. After that, well, it's hard to forgive a show that, with people smuggling, gun-running, and drug-dealing (not to mention skiing!) was looking like a cut above the competition.

There was a good, atmospheric murder tale here, completely ruined by the unrealistic middle aged fantasy of some chain-smoking lush of an old guy (could definitely do with some gym time as well) being somehow irresistible to a never ending stream of young elegant models, endlessly tolerant of his philandering and always ready for 'action'. None of this contributes, but rather interferes with the plot. How on earth this idiot can concentrate on the crime he's meant to be solving (even without the weed) means some deus ex machina plot twist is definitely required. To be honest the guy was so irritating I had to switch off so never got to the end. All of particularly the Italian dramas have a bit of this rampant chauvinism (aging guys, young modelly girlfriends), but whereas it fits into the general flavour of Montalbano, in this it was laid on so thick it grated. I can only imagine a room full of aged male script writers, story editors, producers etc. Indulging their fantasies with no thought of the audience they're meant to be doing this for. You wouldn't want to be a lone woman meeting this lot in a pub, they'd surely think your telling them to get lost would simply be you playing hard to get :) I just wonder what Italian women think of this constant stream of chauvinism in their crime dramas?

I loved this series. I binge-watched it. Rocco was such an interesting character, philosophical and sexy. I think it was the first Italian series I've watched.

The detective makes this show. His outlook on life with his dead wife haunting him for 7+ years is incredibly realistic. He cares deeply for people but hardly cares about himself at all and isn't afraid to cross a few lines along the way. The show takes a hit with the stupid detective comic routines, but if you're a bit melancholy yourself you won't be disappointed by this one. It could also help if you speak Italian. I only found English subtitles. I found the dangerous battle against organized crime realistic as as well. In many countries there are criminal organizations that are nearly as powerful as the government and they are not afraid to assassinate cops. Overall, very entertaining.

After watching season 1, I can't help but compare it to the series "Montalbano" and "Young Montalbano". Quirky lead characters are fine, but Rocco who continually talks with his dead wife which is morbid, smokes pot in the office and doesn't carry a firearm, makes it hard to believe. Writers love characters who go after the system, go out to avenge a wrong against them and skirt all the rules, but that's not real life it's fantasy. In real life employers weed out problem employees especially ones that act like vigilantes, they are a huge political and financial liability. In real life Schiavone would probably have been retired instead of transferring him to Aosta.

The location is beautiful, the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps north of Turin. I laughed when his buddies thought he was being sent to Ostia, which is west of Rome on the Mediterranean. I like his odd team, especially Italo who can't stand the sight of blood.

Andrea Camilleri's Montalbano series is safe, this one is good but Camilleri's stories are better. Marco Gaillini is a good actor as are the others. I watched the full 5 seasons and since Montalbano ended it's the only Italian series. They're filming a 6th season.

This is a fusion of Dirty Harry with Columbo but with the gravitas of Happy Valley or Line of Duty. There are themes of love, loss, betrayal and guilt -but foremost camaraderie. The fraternity of grade school friends with different paths to late middle-age is powerfully done.

The European root comes across in the female characters. The women are mature in age overall, and pretty but not vapid or just for scenery. The female characters are strong, smart - often courageous - but always with agency and insight and maturity. They are crucial to the narrative.

There is some comic relief with the police squad. At times it is a cross between the Keystone cops and Barney Miller, which can be detracting.

If you remember the saying from George Carlin "scratch a cynic and you will find an idealist underneath" then you will appreciate the lead character.

My title says it all. The 9 is because of the subtitles. Otherwise - 10! My love for the Italian language is supported by the dialogue as I hear it. There's: the murder, the suspects, the police, the police procedural gone askew by Schiavone, the humor, the pathos. Everything. ¡Molto bene!

Pot head inspector who beds all the decent looking gals is far fetched. Chain smoker and wears same clothes everyday? Smells like an ashtray and women love to sleep with him? Lol-laughable...scenery is good and charachters are good but the main guy being a sex symbol is a joke.

I've given 10 stars before - but man this show has everything. So well done!! Schiavone is a real piece of work. But he's absolutely someone to root for. He's a hero because he's flawed. And unapologetically short on manners but his life and his perspective is absolutely hilarious. For such a wide variety of interesting cases and subordinates surrounding him, the show is brilliant. To be able to write about a detective with a serious attitude but include laugh out loud belly laughs- it's perfection. After watching countless detective shows you kind of get used to guessing what trope they'll use next. This show has kept me hooked by not being like any other series I've seen. It's interesting, he's cool, the women are beautiful and not written as idiotic, the jokes are so funny and well-played, the conversations are so well-written they're real and seamless and I'm so happy it's in Italian. I don't speak Italian but the whole show works precisely because it's in Italian...truly brilliant. BRAVO!

Great stories, acting, and writing. Captivating, hilariously funny characters! Rocco is a charming brute with a big heart but mets out justice to the scumbag murderers and crooks. So much more imaginative than American police dramas.

Highly recommend this drama. Enjoyed ever minute. Lovely change from the long Scandinavian series. Full of character. Just like a Agatha Christie. So interesting to watch this after Delhi crime on Netflix and the Faroes crime drama. We are all culturally so very different and international crime dramas highlight this so very well. Also a nice change from montoblano. I hope this series continues It would be a shame if it doesn't. All the characters are very interesting and we love the dog lupo. So nice to see a little dog in the crime drama, giving it a light-hearted touch. Long live crime drama.

One of the best if not the best tv serials. Rocco is such a gentle human being, his relationship with Marina, Lupa and Gabriely so touching and with his team so funny. We will be looking for more work with Marco Gilliani and the director of these series.

One of the best if not the best tv serials. Rocco is such a gentle human being, his relationship with Marina, Lupa and Gabriely so touching and with his team so funny. We will be looking for more work with Marco Gilliani and the director of these series.

One of the best if not the best tv serials. Rocco is such a gentle human being, his relationship with Marina, Lupa and Gabriely so touching and with his team so funny. We will be looking for more work with Marco Gilliani and the director of these series.