User Reviews

As this episode opens Inspector Montalbano's morning gets off to a bad start; first he is almost arrested by the Carabinieri when he tries to break up a fight outside his house then just as he gets to work he gets a phone call from his housekeeper who has knocked out an 'intruder'. It turns out the 'Intruder' was in fact somebody who wanted to see the inspector. Before he gets to say what he wants Montalbano is called away; there has been a case of arson at an electronics store and the proprietor is missing. Soon a second rather strange case emerges; a woman is chloroformed and abducted but released unharmed... Mimi speculates that this could be linked to a stolen car he was investigating. When a body is found the case takes a more sinister turn.

This episode marks a welcome return for this Sicilian detective. It starts well with some amusing scenes; the sight of his housekeeper bashing the 'intruder' was priceless and not surprisingly Catarella also provides plenty of laughs. The cases are intriguing; while few people will be surprised that the cases turn out to be linked the exact details aren't obvious. There are also enough suspects to keep one guessing. As expected Luca Zingaretti impresses as Montalbano and Cesare Bocci and Peppino Mazzotta are solid as colleagues Mimi and Fazio and Angelo Russo is hilarious as Catarella despite it being a relatively small role. Away from the story we are treated to some lovely views of the Sicilian countryside. Overall I'd say this was classic 'Inspector Montalbano' which fans of the series are sure to enjoy.

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

Love detective mystery dramas, particularly those from the UK and US ('Inspector Morse', 'A Touch of Frost', 'Foyle's War', 'Inspector George Gently', 'Midsomer Murders', 'Law and Order', 'Criminal Minds', 'Monk' and 'Murder She Wrote' for examples, and non-English/American ones (i.e. The Swedish 'Wallander' and the Danish 'The Killing') also fascinate me.

'Inspector Montalbano' is one of the best and most entertaining examples. It is not easy breathing freshness into a well-worn genre but 'Inspector Montalbano' manages to do so with aplomb. Watching 'Inspector Montalbano' is like eating a delicious Italian meal that immensely satisfies and leaves you wanting more. There may be very familiar tropes, but in a way it's inevitable and doesn't detract from the enjoyment at all.

"Carousel" is a more than welcome return for the Sicilian detective and is a great episode in its own way. Not one of the best episodes by all means, the link between the cases not being much of a surprise, but there is an enormous amount to like as usual with 'Inspector Montalbano'.

One always expects 'Inspector Montalbano' to look good. As always with 'Inspector Montalbano', "Carousel" is beautifully shot and the scenery is stunning, making those who've never been to Italy want to book a holiday there as soon as possible and is a treat for anybody who loves all things Italian. The scenery as always is atmospheric and the use of it very clever, the locale as always is suitably colourful. The music is never over-bearing or low-key with a nice atmosphere and flavour, a lot of it is very cleverly used. The sound effects are remarkably authentic.

The script is thought-provoking and intriguing, with a healthy balance of never less than amusing and light-hearted if more eccentric than usual humour, some tension and some charming drama with Montalbano's complicated personal life. The English subtitles are not hard to follow at all and helps one to really understand the Italian language. The story is effectively complicated, while still being logical and not too convoluted. The denouement is not an obvious one and not a simple one strictly speaking, but it's cooked all the way through and is comprehensible.

Characters may be stereotypes but well-written ones, especially one of the most fascinating foreign detective mystery dramas titular characters there is to me.

Acting is terrific, especially from Luca Zingaretti who is a treasure in the title role, having a perfect balance of comedy and drama and playing it straight while always engaging with his material. Cesare Bocci, Peppino Mazzotta and Angelo Russo are joys, Russo in particular is hilarious. The supporting cast are solid.

On the whole, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox