The television future of the television series appears increasingly closed, while one of the symbolic places of the universe created by Andrea Camilleri is preparing to change its face
The television series Commissioner Montalbano has represented for years one of the pillars of Italian fiction, a TV series capable of spanning generations thanks to the unmistakable writing of Andrea Camilleri and the interpretation of a cast that has left a profound mark on the collective imagination.
At the head of everyone is Luca Zingaretti, a face inextricably linked to the character of the commissioner. Recently, Rai 1 concluded the broadcast of yet another cycle of reruns, which once again recorded very high ratings. A success that rekindled, as often happens, the public’s hopes of being able to watch a new season. However, according to what was stated by the protagonists of the series themselves, these expectations are destined to remain so.
At the same time, unexpected news emerges on the future of the commissioner’s famous home, destined for a significant transformation.
Because there won’t be a new season
Over the years, the consensus gathered from Commissioner Montalbano has fueled repeated rumors about a possible return with new episodes. After 15 seasons and more than 90 episodes in total, however, the hypothesis of a continuation today appears extremely distant. The reasons are numerous and complex, although there are still two novels by Andrea Camilleri that have never been adapted for television.
A determining element is represented by the disappearance of central figures for the series. In 2019, Andrea Camilleri, author and soul of the entire project, died. Subsequently, the world of Montalbano also had to deal with the loss of the director Alberto Sironi, the actor Marcello Perracchio, Roberto Nobile and the set designer Luca Crugnola. Absences that had a profound impact on the identity of the production.
This was underlined several times by Cesare Bocci, interpreter of the historic inspector Mimì Augello, who declared that he could not even imagine a new season without these fundamental protagonists. Added to this is the position of the main actors, including Luca Zingaretti himself and Cesare Bocci, who explained that they no longer felt completely comfortable returning to roles played for such a long period of time.
In the meantime, the public continues to carefully follow every update related to the universe of the series.
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The house in Punta Secca and its new destiny
If the commissioner’s television future now seems defined, the situation is different for one of the symbolic places of the series. In the last few hours, news has emerged regarding Montalbano’s historic house in Punta Secca.
As reported by the newspaper the Republicthe building overlooking the sea, which has become one of the most recognizable homes in Italy thanks to fiction, is ready to embark on a new phase in its history.
The residence will in fact be transformed into a gourmet restaurant, which will be built on the lower floor, while the upper floor will continue to act as a bed and breakfast for visitors. Chef Joseph Micieli will lead this project.
If the program is respected, from next spring it will be possible to dine inside one of the most famous and iconic sets of Italian television, thus marking a new chapter for a place that has long been part of the symbolic heritage of the country.
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A cornerstone of Rai fiction
Inspector Montalbano is an Italian television series produced between 1999 and 2021 and broadcast by Rai, created by Palomar for Rai and SVT. The television adaptation was born from Andrea Camilleri’s detective novels and is set in the fictional Sicilian town of Vigata.
The narrative follows the investigations of Salvo Montalbano, police commissioner played by Luca Zingaretti, committed episode after episode to deal with cases of crime and malfeasance linked to the territory. The production structure of the series is characterized by a limited number of self-contained episodes per season, conceived as real television films connected to each other only by a very light horizontal plot.
The first three seasons were broadcast on Rai 2, while since 2002 the series has landed permanently on Rai 1. In total, 37 episodes were made distributed over 15 seasons.
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Critical and public success
Over the years Inspector Montalbanohas obtained broad consensus both from television critics, who have repeatedly praised the settings, the quality of the writing and the charisma of the main and secondary characters, and in terms of ratings, achieving audience results considered excellent. The series has established itself as the most followed product on the contemporary Italian television scene and has been broadcast in over 20 countries around the world.
In 2016 it was among the ten most watched programs in the United Kingdom, confirming its significant international diffusion. The long programming extends from the first season of 1999, made up of 2 episodes, up to the fifteenth season of 2021, made up of a single episode, passing through intermediate cycles that vary from 2 to 4 episodes per year, with airings distributed between 2000 and 2020.
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Plot and universe of characters
At the center of the story is Salvo Montalbano, police commissioner of Vigata, a man with a gruff but deeply responsible character, rigorous at work and capable of being open and kind to those he deems worthy of his trust. Thanks to his ingenuity and the support of internal and external collaborators at the police station, he always manages to precisely reconstruct the criminal facts he investigates.
Working alongside him are now iconic figures: deputy commissioner Domenico “Mimì” Augello, played by Cesare Bocci, a brotherly friend and capable policeman but marked by an unstoppable passion for women; Inspector Giuseppe Fazio, the face of Peppino Mazzotta, a profound expert on Vigata and its inhabitants; the assistant Agatino Catarella, played by Angelo Russo, a switchboard operator and IT expert known for his slurred speech and exuberance; the elite agent Galluzzo, played by Davide Lo Verde, reckless behind the wheel; and the medical examiner Pasquano, played by Marcello Perracchio in seasons 1-11, characterized by a grumpy manner and a great passion for cannoli.
Outside the police station are Ingrid Sjöström, Nicolò Zito, a Retelibera journalist played by Roberto Nobile, and Pasquale, son of Adelina, Montalbano’s cook. On a private level, the commissioner lives in a long distance relationship with Livia Burlando, played over time by Katharina Böhm, Lina Perned and Sonia Bergamasco, voiced by Claudia Catani in seasons 1-9, a relationship that is often complex but always based on a profound feeling.
