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Season 1 – Portobello

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Portobello Sep 2025 Biography Drama Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 8 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
The stranger-than-fiction true story of beloved Italian TV host Enzo Tortora, who was falsely accused of involvement with a Neapolitan crime syndicate in the 1980s.
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Portobello — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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John Anderson Wall Street Journal Feb 20
The level of indignation, courtesy of the masterly Bellocchio, may be even more than a viewer will be comfortable with; the cynical perspective of so many Milanese jurists is appalling. But it is television with teeth. Go to Full Review Xan Brooks Guardian Sep 2
4/5
It’s potent and serious, mordantly funny and bitingly cynical. Go to Full Review Damon Wise Deadline Hollywood Daily Mar 3
It takes its time, features very specific cultural references, but it pulls together for a breathtaking final episode that wraps up all the loose ends of what appears to be a highly complicated plot but actually isn’t. It’s all quite devastatingly simple. Go to Full Review Ricardo Rosado Fotogramas Feb 25
4/5
Always respecting the rhythm demanded by its compelling narrative cadence, [Marco Bellocchio] manages to compose a portrait as entertaining as it is profound, depicting a man overwhelmed by injustice, fury, and dignity. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Joel Keller Decider Feb 24
Despite the length and dodgy pacing of the first episode, Portobello is an entertainingly detailed retelling of one of the strangest stories in recent Italian history. Go to Full Review Diego Batlle Otroscines.com Feb 20
4/5
The first two episodes of Portobello are masterpieces, and while the following four become somewhat repetitive in their denunciation of corruption within the justice system, the series never loses its grip...[Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Enrico S. @Enrico 6d Really well done and convincingly acted. Bellocchio’s use of restrained dream sequences adds a layer that reinforces the tragic absurdity of this sad chapter of Italian history. See more Francis S @Francis101 Feb 21 This must be the least entertaining TV show on HBO Max. The script is confusing and slow. Characters act like children. The picture looks rushed. In an EP01 scene, three adults walk into a church (of all places) to look for a parrot who flew through an "open door" (walking, I guess). When they find it (flying), they act like they have never seen a bird in their lives. It seems to be the biopic of a person in jail with square glasses, but I'm not sure what's his story. Pass. See more Read all reviews
Portobello — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Fabrizio Gifuni

Enzo Tortora

Alessandro Preziosi

Giorgio Fontana

Romana Maggiora Vergano

Actor

Barbora Bobulova

Anna Tortora

Lino Musella

Actor

Mauro Aversano

Marciano

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 1, 2025 28 Million Viewers Telling the story of Enzo Tortora, the famous host of the television program "Portobello", accused by some collaborators of justice of being part of a Camorra organization dedicated to drug trafficking. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 1, 2025 Jail After his arrest, Enzo is paraded in front of the press and thrown into prison; isolated and powerless, Enzo watches from his cell as the media frenzy intensifies; in Naples, Giovanni tells prosecutors a detailed story about Enzo's ties to the Camorra. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 1, 2025 Infallible While a deteriorating Enzo gets a rare visit with his daughters, Judge Fontana prepares his case against the Camorra. Details Episode 4 Aired Sep 1, 2025 The Infamous Column Granted house arrest due to his heart condition, Enzo returns home as the media storm continues and accusations pile up. Details Episode 5 Aired Sep 1, 2025 Merchant of Death Naples, 1985, in the first trial in Italy against the Camorra, Enzo is among 700 other defendants; he and his lawyers believe the trial clears his name, but contradictory testimonies intensify the public spectacle. Details Episode 6 Aired Sep 1, 2025 Where Were We? Judge Michele Morello re-examines the evidence and uncovers errors and preferential treatment given to former Camorra members; Enzo and his family, exhausted, await the final verdict. Details
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Portobello — Season 1

Portobello View more photos

Season Info

Director
Marco Bellocchio
Screenwriter
Stefano Bises, Marco Bellocchio, Peppe Fiore, Giordana Mari
Network
HBO Max
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Biography, Drama, Crime
Original Language
Italian
Release Date
Sep 1, 2025