L'Amica Geniale - Season 4

The final season of L'Amica Geniale (My Brilliant Friend) shows that a television series can end on a (another) high note. When watching this final season of this Italian masterpiece, there is often an oppressive silence. This certainly happens when the two leading actresses, who have now grown up, return to the neighbourhood where it all began. The developments follow each other quickly but also slowly. The mutual relationship between the two friends is further explored. The mutual attraction but also the effort they make not to see or speak to each other. The changing world around them. The hope, the disappointment and everything that makes life so complex finds its place in L'Amica Geniale.

The first episodes of this final season mainly focus on Elena Greco (Alba Rorhwacher, Il Miracolo). Her complex love affair with womaniser and childhood friend Nino (Fabricio Gifuni, Esterno notte) develops through trial and error. Elena preaches emancipation in her books and lectures but is hopelessly in love with Nino. This means that her life is always in the service of his wishes. Even her two children do not receive the attention that Nino does. Her guilt about this is only temporary, because her ambition and blind love make her easily step over it. At the same time, it ensures that her relationship with her two daughters is not exactly optimal.

This is a must-see series.

Elena does not want to have contact with her best friend Lila (Irene Maiorino, Gomorra (2014)). Lila will disapprove of her relationship with Nino. Moreover, Elena feels an unhealthy dependency on Lila. When Elena becomes pregnant by Nino and the developments pile up, Elena comes into contact with Lila again. The latter turns out to be a successful businesswoman. Someone with standing in the neighborhood. The neighborhood where both friends grew up. Old rivalry is still raging there. Lila's temperament and fighting spirit have not disappeared. However, she also turns out to be vulnerable. She and Elena are reminded of this when various intense events occur.

The story in this review does not do justice to the quality of this series and this season. There are multiple storylines around the two best friends and just as many different themes that receive attention. The distinction between the scientific elite and the working-class neighborhood where both friends come from shows a deep division. Something that we still recognize today. It is fantastically portrayed. Not only because of the impressive atmospheric images but also because of the actors and the storylines themselves. Everything about this television series is of high quality. This while the previous actors have been largely replaced by adult and new actors.

Now that I've seen four seasons, I can't help but call L'Amica Geniale brilliant.

I won't go into all those other storylines too deeply in this review. That prevents me from getting into spoilers. Moreover, this is a series that you must have seen if you like drama. In my first review of this fantastic series I didn't want to call it that because it would be too obvious. Now that I have seen four seasons I can't help but call L'Amica Geniale brilliant. In terms of theme, depth and the way in which this is portrayed I can only conclude that this is one of the best television series that has been released in recent years. Of course I have to rate it that way. That is why I give this series the unusual rating that it deserves.