Sometimes when you see something so beautiful that it's harder for you to praise it appropriately. Something that hits you so starkly that you fail to put together words behind it. It is not an everyday occasion that you see something like that and you won't certainly see it in TV dramas. Yes, there have been prestigious shows over the years but as far as one can remember it is certain that the golden age of television has ended and then there you encounter shows like My Brilliant Friend which makes you forget about all that is missing from prestigious tv because it is that good.
My brilliant friend is the HBO's adaptation of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan quartet. The book series is already quite famous in Italy and around the world has sold more than 10 million. But when you read a book it may not always come to life as you have thought but when I saw the first episode back in 2018 I instantly knew how refreshing that was. And 4 years later nothing has changed except it being elevated to a higher level. The third season beautifully adapts the third book those who leave and those who stay. From the shores of Naples, the story has now spanned over Florence, but nonetheless, it is groovy and enticing just like their bond over the years.
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For the readers who have not seen the first two seasons, the story is about two intelligent girls who lived in the same neighborhood. Who became friends while growing up. Turned into each other's rivals. Into their harshest critic. But also the one they can really rely on or can look up to in times of despair. The thing about their friendship is it began from bonding by the worst treatment of the male in the family. It began to grow over the years when those kids turned into adolescents and then grew apart and turned into women in the sophomore season. Lenu, who is brilliant in academics continued to study and impressed everyone with her results. On the other hand, Lila who was the brilliant friend of Lenu eventually drops her study due to family constraints, but her impeccable charm continues to grab attention everywhere she goes. These two spent moments together in their childhood, witnessed each other's misery in the course of patriarchy, grew apart from each other, crossed paths again, and changed one other in the most captivating way.
At the end of the second season, we saw how Elena and Lila part ways from their respective places. Elena passed from the university and Lila breaks out of the marriage and joins a sausage house. This chapter of their life begins with some pleasant and unpleasant events. Lenu debuts as a writer, gains praises from publishers and critics as well, sits with elegant people, and have fancy dinners. But at the same time back at home she receives eyes and backtalk due to the raunchy part of her book. She tries to neglect those, but one can hardly escape from society especially if those include her own family. On the other side, Lila now left Stephano, living with Enzo and her son. Her family no longer speaks with her, everyone named her a whore, she resents her job which drains her energy day by day and she eventually ends up in the middle of a protest while opposing the owner. But she finds happiness within her little home, far from family, ex-in-laws, and Lenu. Lila already got ahold of motherhood and suffering and still defied society's rule. In this season, Lenu gets the taste of motherhood, having a family, and dealing with emotions while trying to become a creative person among all. Their life becomes completely opposite to what they think of. They delved into different career tracks, into different realities, and yet they continued to come across one another. And it is really remarkable how they continued to present the story to the audience. Lenu is the humble, less-speaking woman whereas Lila is outspoken and outrageous and can really get into the skin of everyone specially Lenu. But still, it's Lenu who can sense and feel the emotional drench Lila is going through apart from everyone else. It's before Lenu where Lila is comfortable enough to let herself wash away with tears.
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Aside from the thematic exploration such as friendship, ambition, lust, and loyalty over the seasons, this season included political tension, marriage, and family in the upper-class society's view, affairs, and freedom. Evidently, it's a show set in the 70s but it's a living showcase of the current society where society is called developed yet the man runs the circle and women tries to fit in the circle ring. Despite being a period drama, it continues to resonate with the audience. And the great thing about this season is how beautifully it's shot. One frame in and it completely engulfs viewers in the lives of these two women. One can easily get lost in the streets of Naples where now cars making traffic instead of the empty streets or in the beautiful houses of Florence. The camera work is directly inspired by the 70s US films according to the director of this season and it couldn't have been looked better. The music choice is impeccable again due to composer Max Richter. He uses classical pieces in the most melancholic way. Both these combined, every single scene looks and feels stunning and purely cinematic.
My Brilliant Friend is a triumph in telling a tense storyline. Portrays complex characters having classical dilemmas, clashing with each other in the most memorable way. They make decisions in their not-so-best interest, partly because they hate the other person or partly because they hate themselves. But things occur in this show so subtly that it amazes a viewer. Within a simple glance or saying a single dialogue it carries such a heavy expression that an audience can be taken aback. It establishes how powerful storytelling this show has. With this style of minimal ques, two great actresses, and some gorgeous cinematography, My Brilliant Friend created the most attractive drama of all time about female friendship and complex relationships on the known tv.
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For the last couple of months, my attention span has been brought down to near zero especially when it comes to subtitled media. But when I started watching this season, I couldn't move my eyes for a single second. The magnetic power of attracting the viewers of this show only increased by this season and all the tension paid off in the end. And the way this season ended one can expect nothing but greatness in the coming fourth and final season. Absolute heartstopper.