My husband and I could have purchased all the Montalbano DVDs ($500) but instead began subscribing to MHZ in 2020, which has been the wiser option because we wouldn't view these mysteries more than once and also because subscribing to MHZ provides access to many other European programs. Montalbano is a good but not great mystery series because (1) there is too much "tell" rather than "show" - it is hard to follow complex, rapid fire explanations full of personal and place names rather than being shown the action that summarizes the endings of many plots - a big no-no in fiction writing (2) subplots are so tenuous they are hard to connect to the main plots (3) Montalbano's "friend" Livia (played by 3 different actresses over a 20 yr period) travels the 500 miles that separate her from Salvo - often without prior notice, as if she hopes to catch him w/other women. Why don't they live together? How did they meet? What does she do way up in Genoa? Why does he confide police business in her? Why does he so seldom visit her? I find their relationship strange, static and tiresome - especially when she does exactly what he wants her not to do. (4) Montalbano has a dangerous job yet he puts himself at risk in every episode. His face is well known to one and all from TV appearances and newspaper photos. He swims in the sea and resides alone at the seaside where anyone who wanted to could do him in. There is usually no one on the lonely street where he lives, no other cars, no neighbors, no security system. He has no visitors or relatives apart from Livia and his fellow workers. Often he fails to have his handgun with him even on a police stakeout. His casual attitude about safety continuously reminds me that this is mere fiction. (5) Montalbano's assistant Catarella really needs to learn how to open and close a door properly. I don't know why or how Salvo puts up w/this silly fellow, yet Catarella has saved the day a few times proving he takes his job seriously. (6) the old crude barking coroner should retire. He is obnoxious, unprofessional, horrid - yet he like Catarella knows his job. It's a shame he forever insults the courteous Montalbano for no reason whatever and makes the inspector beg for relevant information. (7) being Sicilian-American myself, I had a strong Catholic straightlaced upbringing as did most of my friends and family but the church, other than aerial and street views of crumbly old cathedrals, doesn't impact Montalbano, his colleagues or their witnesses and victims. There are no priests, no rosaries, no bells, no festivals, no church goers, no sacraments. (8) sometimes I find the investigators terribly naiive when they can't figure out a mystery that is so obvious to me - especially Latin Lover Mimi. (9) Before viewing the last episode in this series, I devised a dozen possible endings but was wrong about them all. I found the actual ending much less than I had imagined it could have been. (10) I think the calm, cool-headed super efficient Fazio would be the logical replacement to Montalbano and he might keep me watching if the series continues. ~~ The Montalbano series is good but not great entertainment, with beautiful outdoor scenery and haunting musical themes. When I visited Sicily a few years ago, it was very calm, quiet, almost unpopulated in most places, dry and sunny but empty, as if most everyone had moved elsewhere, taking Sicily's treasures away with them. I get this same haunted impression whenever I watch Inspector Montalbano.
Review of Detective Montalbano
