Good Morning Lovelies,

In my house, having an Italian dad means that when something represents his homeland, we normally get made to watch it. One thing that he has shown us over the years is the great Inspector Montalbano, which is releasing its 9th collection on DVD today. Having reached its 9th collection, the famous Sicilian detective is back with a bang in his latest adventure, which touches on some very relevant messages.

Only two episodes long, the current series sees Montalbano, played by Luca Zingaretti, dealing with the migrant crisis in Italy, as he races across a beach to save a small child in the sea. Unfortunately, he is too late. Yet, the series follows him as he witnesses the large number of migrants, as they begin to arrive in the local port in their hundreds. Amongst them is a young girl, who on the journey to the island was sadly raped. It is up to the inspector to find out who committed the crime and to get justice.

Played out in feature-length episodes, the show gives audiences all the answers they need, but not in a way that makes it feel rushed or unplanned. Each episode is well-written, and it is easy to see why the show has been the most successful in terms of being picked up around the world. A moment on screen can be the most gripping of elements and the added beauty of the island (somewhere I am very proud to be half from if I do say so aha!) makes for dream like viewing too.

Every piece of scripted drama and the casting dynamic has been crafted to work for all viewers. Not one person could deny that when it comes down to picking Zingaretti as the Inspector that it wasn’t the right choice. Even after all this time he still manages to thrill and bring audiences into his world. It is like an Italian version of Luther on so many levels.

Whilst the topics may be controversial, they are important to what the world is seeing and to make a whole series on it is a clever and important move. When the inspector rushes to save the young boy, it is a chest holding moment that will not only make you hold your breath but also make you afraid to watch. Yet, it is a very real thing and that is what viewers must begin to face up to.

Cleverly made for a modern audience with relevant themes and topical moments, the newest series of Inspector Montalbano is one of its best. Bring on the next for even more gripping viewing.