# Romanzo criminale - La serie (2008)

> A 1970s-1990s Rome gang saga, inspired by the real Magliana gang, follows criminals chasing the illusion of conquering the city.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/38114

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 22
- Episode runtime: 57 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Stefano Sollima, Giancarlo De Cataldo, Daniele Cesarano, Barbara Petronio, Leonardo Valenti
- Network: Sky Cinema
- Cast: Francesco Montanari, Vinicio Marchioni, Alessandro Roia, Andrea Sartoretti, Marco Bocci, Mauro Meconi, Riccardo De Filippis, Edoardo Pesce
- TMDB rating: 8.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1242773/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: graphic
- Tone: gritty, brooding, bleak, tense, operatic

## What critics say

Critics and viewers broadly regard the series as a gritty, acclaimed crime saga whose performances and sharp depiction of the Magliana gang's rise and fall stand out.

## Synopsis

Romanzo Criminale: The Series (2008-2010) is an Italian crime drama series created by Stefano Sollima, Giancarlo De Cataldo, Daniele Cesarano, Barbara Petronio and Leonardo Valenti for Sky Cinema. Loosely inspired by the true story of the Magliana gang, it follows a group of ambitious criminals led by the Lebanese (Francesco Montanari), with Freddo (Vinicio Marchioni) and Dandi (Alessandro Roia) among the close circle whose loyalties are tested by love, money and rivalry. Their engine is a shared illusion that they can conquer Rome, and every episode turns on the shifting alliances, feuds and violence needed to hold that ambition together. Commissioner Scialoja (Marco Bocci) pursues them from the other side of the law, adding pressure from the state. The first season of this two-season, twenty-two-episode run concentrates on the criminal exploits themselves, while the second looks at the aftermath and the consciences of those left standing. Set in 1970s and 1980s Rome, the series is a sprawling, brooding Italian crime epic with a bleak, grimy atmosphere and a strong sense of decade and place. Fans of Gomorra, The Sopranos and Narcos will find resonance in its gritty power struggles and its portrait of criminals who mistake crime for empire.

## Shows like Romanzo criminale - La serie

- [Rosa Elettrica - In fuga con il nemico (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1105046)
- [1992 (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/55527)
- [Baby (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/70627)
- [Bang Bang Baby (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/83041)
- [ZeroZeroZero (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/78040)
- [Public Disorder (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/185354)
- [Carlo & Malik (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/74577)
- [Mafia Only Kills in Summer (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/60343)
- [The Hunter (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/67444)
- [Corleone (2007)](https://ember.film/tv/7371)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt