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.
All the previous 'Inspector Montalbano' episodes are very good to outstanding (the weakest being "The Terracotta Dog" and my favourite up to this point being "A Trip to Tindari"). "Artist's Touch" is yet another great episode, my only complaint being agreed a few loose ends that didn't quite add up or feel explored enough.
One always expects 'Inspector Montalbano' to look good. As always with 'Inspector Montalbano', "A Trip to Tindari" 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 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.
Writing is tightly structured and taut, with very funny to hilarious humour, nail-biting tension and involving and poignant human drama balanced beautifully. The subtitles are not hard to follow and the story, a few loose ends aside, is absorbing and a real brain-teaser, suitably challenging the viewer while still being logical and 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 (seeing a softer and more human side to him is always welcome) and the scene-stealing Catarella (hilarious comic relief but more than that). The supporting characters intrigue too.
Acting is terrific, especially from Luca Zigaretti who is a treasure in the title role, effectively bringing humour, grit and humanity. Angelo Russo's comic timing is a refreshing and always perfectly timed joy and the supporting cast are strong across the board. Katharina Bohm is just as good here as she was in the previous episodes and Peppino Mazzotta plays Fazio with relish.
In summation, great and electrifying. 9/10 Bethany Cox
