Originally titled ‘Incastrati,’ Netflix’s Italian series ‘Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery’ revolves around Alberto Gambino’s mysterious murder. Salvo and Valentino, two best friends and colleagues, are falsely accused of murdering the deceased accountant and must fight to prove their innocence. Salvo and Valentino are eventually kidnapped by the Holy Father, the Sicilian Mafia boss for whom Gambino works. The crime series, which follows the aftermath of the abduction, is deeply rooted in Sicilian culture, making one wonder about the show’s origins. So, here’s what we have to say about it!
Is Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery a True Story?
‘Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery,’ on the other hand, is not based on a true story. Salvatore Ficarra and Valentino Picone created the show from the ground up, writing and directing it while playing Salvo and Valentino, respectively. The renowned Italian comedy duo wondered what would happen if two “morons” walked into an apartment and discovered a dead body, only to clean their fingerprints and leave rather than calling the cops. Ficarra and Picone created Salvo and Valentino, who walk into Gambino’s apartment to find him dead, using the same basic plotline. The series progresses through the hilarious ways they try to escape the complications caused by Gambino’s murder.
The show’s central plot, devised by Ficarra and Picone, is not based on a true crime. However, as a satire, the duo’s show is deeply rooted in the reality of Italy, specifically Sicily. The intricate story of Gambino’s murder was used by Ficarra and Picone to comment on the various sociological elements in Sicilian society, beginning with the Mafia. In an interview given in March 2023, Picone said that the political aspect of the series explores the Mafia’s presence in Sicily even if it isn’t an obvious or explicit one. The writers incorporated the series’ subtle presence of criminal organisations through the character Padre Santissimo, also known as the Holy Father.
Like the criminal organisations that supposedly hide in Italian society, Santissimo, the Mafia leader, hides in society as a doorman. Nobody considers him significant because of his profession, which gives him the freedom to commit crimes as the Holy Father. Ficarra and Picone show us how criminals or criminal organisations hide in Italian society through the character. The comedy duo also criticises the criminal justice system in Italy, or any country for that matter. In the second season, Salvo meticulously plans to assist Santissimo’s associate Primo Sale in escaping from prison, only for the latter to walk free for an unacceptable reason.
‘Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery’ is also a commentary on contemporary journalism. Reporter Sergione’s attempts to sensationalise every crime that occurs in the neighbourhood in order to instill fear in the public and Bellomo’s reliance on lies to increase viewership can be compared to how a group of journalists works to increase viewership or readership without adhering to any ethical code. Ficarra and Picone’s show, through these two reporter characters, depicts how reality differs greatly from the supposed reality projected in the media, including news channels.
Finally, ‘Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery’ is the result of Ficarra and Picone’s efforts to find comedy in a serious subject or genre, such as the thriller. The murder mystery portion of the story was also inspired by classic American procedurals by the Italian writers. The influence can be seen in ‘The Touch of the Killer’ and ‘The Look of the Killer,’ two television shows that inspire Salvo to solve the murder of Gambino. To summarise, Ficarra and Picone’s show is a blend of thriller, satire, and comedy that reflects contemporary Italian society.
