Netflix releases a barrage of foreign language content, and it recently released the second season of its famed Italian comedy. The Framed A Sicilian Murder Mystery Season 2 review shares how this buddy comedy show does well in creating a storyline with interesting characters and intertwined plot points. However, doesn’t do a great job of keeping viewers hooked on the narrative.
Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery (Incastrati) is directed by Salvatore Ficarra and Valentino Picone. The duo also star in the series as protagonists along with Anna Favella, Tony Sperandeo, Marianna Di Martino, Mary Cipolla, Alessandro Agnello and Sasà Salvaggio, among other cast members. It is co-created by Leonardo Fasoli and Maddalena Ravagli. This season has six episodes, each running for about 28-40 minutes.
-Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery Season 2 Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
Italian is already interesting to hear because of its melodic sound inflexions, but the humour that brings into the show is perhaps only understood when you understand the language. Sadly, this writer had to rely on the subtitles to make sense of the show. It started off pretty strong, taking audiences right in the middle of the narrative, choosing not to pick up where they left off last season. We are already made aware of this lifelong friendship within the first few minutes of the show.
They have this unsaid chemistry and an ease with each other that comes with a lot of trust, which is evident between the characters. Interestingly, they were also distinct and built specifically in order to contrast each other, bringing out moments in their interaction that make the narrative more appealing to follow. However, it cannot be said that the same amount of effort was lent to the female characters. Firstly, there are hardly any in the first place. Secondly, even when they are on screen together, they do not pass the Bechdel Test.
All their interactions are short and give little to no contribution to the larger narrative of the show. Even though they have a police commissioner who is a woman, it doesn’t do away with the fact that she is the only one in the show with some control over the story. Not only that, but she has no interaction with other women who work in similar professions. She seems like a tokenised character that conveniently fit the creator’s vision for the story.
It must be admitted, though, that the story was tied up so neatly like a bow on the top of a perfectly wrapped gift. There are loose ends from the last season, but they were slotted into place by a fantastic method of premeditation and motive. The end is quite victorious, and honestly, while it was a little cringe to watch something normal be celebrated too wholeheartedly, it might have moved people a little bit because it was quite wholesome.
What is fantastic about this show is that it never loses its tone and really toes the line between genres when it comes to storytelling. In one episode, it tells a tragic love story. Meanwhile, another could be about two comedic characters struggling to solve their problems by creating much bigger ones. Other times, it could be a serious story about politics and greed forcing people to do things they wouldn’t have done otherwise.
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Framed A Sicilian Murder Mystery Season 2 Review: Final Thoughts
It is a particularly enjoyable television show when you don’t feel like watching something too dark or intense. Apart from its great potential to become a comfort show, it is also just a great watch, teaching people about Italians and the highly diluted version of what the Mafia is like there. Funnily enough, it also does a great job of talking about corruption and internal loopholes within the law enforcement system. This writer didn’t enjoy the show as much, but it is definitely a refutable take because the show has something everyone is looking for.
The comedy is rich and nuanced without being too slapstick, and the subplots are heartfelt enough to root for the characters as they carry the narrative forward. There may be issues with feminist and LGBTQ representation, but the show does well in showing that the story was not compromised while bridging the previous season to this one.
Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery Season 2 is currently streaming on Netflix. What did you think of the show’s ending? Let us know in the comments below.
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