“Boris” turns a TV set into a satire of Italian television drama. Created by Luca Manzi and Carlo Mazzotta, the show follows Alessandro, a young man who lands an internship on the set of “Gli occhi del cuore 2,” a fictional drama that mocks the many dramas airing on Italian TV networks. The premise is simple: Alessandro expects glamour. He gets dysfunction instead.
Alessandro’s Dream Job
Alessandro wants to work in film and television. He gets an internship on a low-budget show, and the show’s director, René Ferretti, openly calls the production “total crap.” Ferretti carries a goldfish named Boris everywhere he goes, a symbol of the show’s absurdity. The cast around him is worse:
- Stanis La Rochelle, the lead actor, acts like a Hollywood star and complains about Italian acting.
- Corinna Negri, the female lead, has no talent at all.
- Arianna, the assistant director, is the only one who supports Alessandro.
- Augusto Biascica, the head electrician, is grumpy and uncooperative.
- Duccio Patanè, the director of photography, is a drug addict who has worked with René for years.
- Sergio Vannucci, the production manager, cuts costs obsessively.
- Diego Lopez, the network executive, balances public taste with political pressure.
The Satirical Target
The show’s aim is clear: it mocks the way Italian TV drama is made. The writers are lazy, unmotivated, and only interested in earning money. They write absurd, unrealistic plots. The satire is pointed, and the show doesn’t hold back.
The Revival Season
The original run ran from 2007 to 2010, with a revival season that premiered in 2022. Now the show streams on Star with an English dub. The revival added new characters to the mix:
- Cristina Avola-Burkstaller, a rich girl brought in to replace Corinna.
- Nando Martellone, a comedian.
- Karin, a voluptuous actress.
- Fabiana, René’s talented young daughter.
Where It Lands
“Boris” works best when it stays focused on the absurdity of the set itself. The jokes about the writers, the producers, and the actors land consistently. The show knows its own subject well enough to mock it without losing its sense of humor.
The show’s weakest moments come when it reaches for broader social commentary. Those stretches don’t land as well as the set-based jokes. Still, the core of the show — the backstage chaos, the cynical director, the talentless stars — remains sharp throughout.
Final Word
“Boris” is a confident, funny satire of Italian television that knows exactly what it’s doing. The revival season proved the show still had legs. It’s worth watching for anyone who wants to see how a show can mock its own medium without losing its audience.
For fans of satire, “Boris” remains a sharp, consistent piece of television.
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