# The Bastards of Pizzofalcone

The Bastards of Pizzofalcone (Italian: I bastardi di Pizzofalcone) is an Italian police procedural crime drama television series based on the I bastardi di Pizzofalcone novels by Maurizio de Giovanni. It premiered on Rai 1 on 9 January 2017, and ran for four seasons.

## Plot

A group of ragtag detectives from the Pizzofalcone police station in Naples investigate complex cases.

## Cast

* Alessandro Gassmann as Inspector Giuseppe Lojacono
* Carolina Crescentini as Prosecutor Laura Piras
* Massimiliano Gallo as Commissioner Luigi Palma
* Tosca D'Aquino as Deputy Superintendent Ottavia Calabrese
* Gianfelice Imparato as Deputy Commissioner Giorgio Pisanelli
* Antonio Folletto [it] as Agent Marco Aragona
* Simona Tabasco as Agent Alessandra "Alex" Di Nardo
* Serena Iansiti [it] as Medical Examiner Rosaria Martone
* Gennaro Silvestro [it] as Assistant Chief Francesco Romano
* Maria Vera Ratti as Commissioner Elsa Martini

## Episodes
### Series overview

| Series | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released | Originally released |
| Series | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released | Network |
| 1 | 6 | 6 | 9 January 2017 (2017-01-09) | 6 February 2017 (2017-02-06) | Rai 1 |
| 2 | 6 | 6 | 8 October 2018 (2018-10-08) | 12 November 2018 (2018-11-12) | Rai 1 |
| 3 | 6 | 6 | 20 September 2021 (2021-09-20) | 25 October 2021 (2021-10-25) | Rai 1 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 23 October 2023 (2023-10-23) | 13 November 2023 (2023-11-13) | Rai 1 |

### Season 1

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Duration | Original release date |
| 1 | 1 | "Bastards" (I bastardi) | 104 min | 9 January 2017 (2017-01-09) |
| 2 | 2 | "Anger" (Rabbia) | 97 min | 10 January 2017 (2017-01-10) |
| 3 | 3 | "Neighbors" (Vicini) | 104 min | 16 January 2017 (2017-01-16) |
| 4 | 4 | "Cold" (Gelo) | 106 min | 23 January 2017 (2017-01-23) |
| 5 | 5 | "Mercy" (Misericordia) | 108 min | 30 January 2017 (2017-01-30) |
| 6 | 6 | "Darkness" (Buio) | 97 min | 6 February 2017 (2017-02-06) |

### Season 2

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Duration | Original release date |
| 7 | 1 | "Babies" (Cuccioli) | 106 min | 8 October 2018 (2018-10-08) |
| 8 | 2 | "Bread" (Pane) | 105 min | 15 October 2018 (2018-10-15) |
| 9 | 3 | "Jewelry" (Gioielli) | 101 min | 22 October 2018 (2018-10-22) |
| 10 | 4 | "Tango" | 107 min | 29 October 2018 (2018-10-29) |
| 11 | 5 | "Souvenir" | 105 min | 5 November 2018 (2018-11-05) |
| 12 | 6 | "Betrayals" (Tradimenti) | 105 min | 12 November 2018 (2018-11-12) |

### Season 3

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Duration | Original release date |
| 13 | 1 | "Fires" (Fuochi) | 99 min | 20 September 2021 (2021-09-20) |
| 14 | 2 | "Empty" (Vuoto) | 104 min | 27 September 2021 (2021-09-27) |
| 15 | 3 | "Roses" (Rose) | 97 min | 3 October 2021 (2021-10-03) |
| 16 | 4 | "Wedding" (Nozze) | 107 min | 11 October 2021 (2021-10-11) |
| 17 | 5 | "Blood" (Sangue) | 105 min | 18 October 2021 (2021-10-18) |
| 18 | 6 | "Truth" (Verità) | 99 min | 25 October 2021 (2021-10-25) |

### Season 4

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Duration | Original release date |
| 19 | 1 | "Music" (Musica) | TBA | 23 October 2023 (2023-10-23) |
| 20 | 2 | "Flowers" (Fiori) | TBA | 30 October 2023 (2023-10-30) |
| 21 | 3 | "Angels" (Angeli) | TBA | 6 November 2023 (2023-11-06) |
| 22 | 4 | "Deceptions" (Inganni) | TBA | 13 November 2023 (2023-11-13) |

## Production

The series is filmed in various locations around Naples, including the Palazzo Carafa di Santa Severina, the Certosa di San Martino, the Toledo station, the Quartieri Spagnoli, Mergellina, the Universitá Monte Sant'Angelo, Santa Caterina a Formiello, Sant'Anna dei Lombardi, Largo Tarsia, the Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, Largo Sellaria, Villa Gallotti, and the Centro Direzionale.

## Release

The pilot episode was aired on 9 January 2017, while the second episode aired the following day.
The second season premiered on 8 October 2018.
The third season began production in late 2018 and premiered on 20 September 2021.
The fourth season began airing on 23 October 2023.

## Reception
### Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| 2022 | Nastri d'Argento Grandi Serie | Best Crime Series | I bastardi di Pizzofalcone | Won | |

## Controversy

The lesbian relationship between Alex Di Nardo and Rosaria Martone resulted in complaints from the Catholic newspaper Avvenire as well as from Maurizio Lupi, a member of the Italian Parliament and Popular Area coalition. In response, star Alessandro Gassmann tweeted, "I want to thank Avvenire for the controversy over the lesbian scenes in Pizzofalcone! They bring luck! See you Monday!!"