Las series | La farsa judicial de Marco Bellocchio en 'Portobello' y la resistencia de 'Ravalear'

February 22, 2026·20 min·2 clips

Marco Bellocchio's series reveals how Italy's most watched TV host was jailed in a senseless mafia-led judicial farce.

The episode begins with an analysis of Marco Bellocchio's miniseries 'Portobello', set in the 1980s, focusing on the case of Enzo Tortora, the director of Italy's most watched television program. Tortora was detained, jailed, and investigated in a case that lacked logic, amplified by his fame. Bellocchio frames it as a story about the unexpected fall of a hero, where the character moves from astonishment to defending his innocence, but is never believed and is ultimately condemned before being absolved too late. The hosts discuss how the series reflects on Italian justice, public lynchings, and the paradox of judges believing Camorra criminals over a television presenter. This judicial error demonstrated the system's weakness against the Neapolitan mafia, leading to reforms that increased guarantees for the accused. The conversation contrasts 'Portobello' with Bellocchio's earlier work 'Exterior Noche', noting the former's more local focus compared to the global scandal of Aldo Moro's kidnapping. The hosts reflect on how the media lynching of Tortora parallels today's social network dynamics, with television acting as a social vertebrate that manages public conscience. They note the political context, including links between Christian democracy and the mafia, and accusations of communism against Tortora as a way to disavow the Communist Party. Bellocchio's narrative skill in weaving political thriller elements with television backstage and mafia intrigue is praised. The episode then shifts to 'Ravalear', a Spanish series co-produced by HBO Max and TV3, directed by Isaac y la Cuesta and Paul Rodríguez, based on Rodríguez's family history of a restaurant in Barcelona's Raval neighborhood that closed in 2021 due to real estate speculation. The series is a frenetic thriller shot in Catalan, portraying Barcelona's multicultural transformation and gentrification. It features actors like Enric Auquer, David Contragoliad, and Sergi López as a villain. The creators aimed for a documentary-like aesthetic, using real spaces and non-professional casting to capture the neighborhood's essence. Paul Rodríguez's intention is to provoke anger and rebellion against speculation, questioning the ethics of defying laws that fail to protect communities. The hosts discuss how the series addresses the impunity of high spheres and capitalist dogmas that prioritize market logic over community legacy. Finally, brief mentions are made of 'How to Get to Heaven from Belfast', an Irish series on Netflix about friends investigating a death, and Ryan Murphy's 'Love Story', focusing on JFK Jr. and Caroline Bessette's relationship in the 1990s.

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