15 Posts

My Brilliant Friend

So far, I've written about the first season of "My Brilliant Friend," Saverio Costanzo's adaptation of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan novels. Eventually, I will get to the next three seasons.

My Brilliant Friend Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 3: The Metamorphoses

Quick summary: During (Elena's dream of) Don Achille's funeral procession, the children of the neighborhood grow up: the young cast is replaced with an older one and many fantasies (e.g. Louisa May Alcott) give way to practical reality. With Elena (Margherita Mazzucco) in middle school
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My Brilliant Friend Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 2: The Money

Quick summary: "The Money" begins where "The Dolls" ends: with Elena and Lila outside Don Achille's (Antonio Pennarella) door, steeling themselves for a confrontation. Predictably, this middle-aged mobster is clueless about their dolls and sends them away with a wad of condolence cash,
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My Brilliant Friend Lindsay Pugh

'My Brilliant Friend' Season 1, Episode 1: The Dolls

Elena Ferrante is one of my favorite writers and I was terrified when I heard that "My Brilliant Friend" (2011), the first novel in the series, was getting the small screen treatment. Although I've occasionally loved book adaptations, I typically find they pale in comparison to
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