Elena Greco sits alone in a room filled with books. She types on a computer, writing the story of the girl who raised her. That opening image sets the tone for My Brilliant Friend, a four-season television series adapted from Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet. The show follows the lifelong friendship between Elena and Lila Cerullo, two girls born into a working-class neighborhood in Naples, Italy, during the 1950s.
The series premiered on Rai 1 in Italy on November 27, 2018. It ran until December 9, 2024, across 34 episodes split across four seasons. Created by Saverio Costanzo, the show is a co-production between Italian companies Wildside, Fandango, The Apartment Pictures, Mowe, and international partners Umedia and Fremantle. It also aired on HBO and TIMvision.
Elena and Lila
The show centers on Elena, played by Alba Rohrwacher, and Lila, played by Irene Maiorino. Their bond begins in childhood and deepens through marriage, motherhood, and betrayal. Elena becomes a writer, while Lila remains a force of nature whose intelligence and ambition set her apart from everyone around her.
The first episode introduces the two girls as children in a poor neighborhood. They are curious, competitive, and deeply attached. The series tracks their lives through adolescence, marriage, and the early years of adulthood. Elena’s decision to write about Lila comes late in the story, after Lila has vanished without a trace. The framing device of the elderly Elena typing on a computer adds weight to the narrative, making the past feel urgent and present.
Rohrwacher plays Elena with a quiet intensity. She carries the emotional core of the show, moving from wide-eyed child to weary adult. Maiorino gives Lila a fierce, unpredictable presence. Their scenes together are the engine of the series.
The Neighborhood
The setting is central to the show. The streets of Naples are filmed with a documentary realism that makes the poverty and violence feel tangible. The neighborhood is not a backdrop but a character. It shapes the girls’ choices and limits their futures.
The series does not romanticize the past. It shows the harsh realities of life in a working-class community: unemployment, crime, and the daily struggles of a neighborhood defined by its limits. The show also captures the small joys of friendship, the way a shared secret can bind two people tighter than any family.
The cinematography is sharp and unflinching. The production design recreates the period with care, from the clothes to the furniture to the architecture of the buildings.
Nino and the Other Characters
Fabrizio Gifuni plays Nino Sarratore, Lila’s husband and Elena’s former love interest. He is a complex figure, intelligent but often cruel. His relationship with Lila is toxic, and the show does not shy away from the pain he causes. Filippo Beltrami plays Moreno, Elena’s husband, who is kind but overshadowed by the dynamic between Elena and Lila.
The supporting cast fills out the world with depth. The show presents its characters with complexity, showing their flaws alongside their strengths.
The Adaptation
The show adapts the entire quartet of novels into four seasons. Each season corresponds to one book, though the pacing varies. The first season covers the girls’ childhood and adolescence. The second season spans their marriages and the arrival of children. The third season deals with separation and loss. The fourth season brings the story to its conclusion.
The adaptation is faithful to the spirit of the books, though it necessarily compresses some events. Some readers of the novels may notice omissions or shifts in chronology. The show also takes creative liberties, expanding scenes and altering the timeline in ways that serve the visual medium.
The Final Season
The fourth season, based on the final novel The Story of the Lost Child, was announced as the last. It premiered on Rai 1 on December 9, 2024, bringing the series to a close. The final episodes deal with the consequences of the earlier seasons, including the disappearance that opens the story.
The ending is open-ended, leaving questions about Lila’s fate unresolved. This mirrors the novels, which also leave some mysteries unanswered. The show respects that ambiguity rather than forcing a tidy resolution.
Key Facts
- Premiere: November 27, 2018 (Rai 1)
- Last Episode: December 9, 2024
- Episodes: 34 total, across 4 seasons
- Cast: Alba Rohrwacher as Elena Greco, Irene Maiorino as Lila Cerullo, Fabrizio Gifuni as Nino Sarratore, Filippo Beltrami as Moreno
- Creators: Saverio Costanzo
- Production Companies: Wildside, Fandango, The Apartment Pictures, Mowe, Umedia, Fremantle
Schedule
| Season | Novel | Premiere Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | My Brilliant Friend | November 27, 2018 |
| 2 | The Story of a New Name | February 10, 2020 |
| 3 | Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay | February 6, 2022 |
| 4 | The Story of the Lost Child | December 9, 2024 |
Our Verdict
My Brilliant Friend is a powerful, often difficult watch. It demands patience and attention, but the payoff is significant. The show is a masterclass in character development and storytelling. Rohrwacher and Maiorino deliver career-best performances, and the writing keeps the narrative tight even across its sprawling scope.
The show’s refusal to offer easy answers is a strength. It trusts the audience to sit with uncertainty and ambiguity. That trust is rare in television.
The final season brings the story to a close, and it does so with grace. The questions remain, but the journey is complete.
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