Parents' Guide to Suburraeterna

TV Netflix Action 2023
Suburraeterna poster: Giacomo Ferrara as Spadino Ancleti holding a gun.

Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Compelling, violent spin-off has sex, smoking, cursing.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

SUBURRAETERNA (translation: Eternal Slum) is a sequel to the semi-dystopian Italian series Suburra: Blood on Rome. It features Romani clans, organized crime, politicians, and the Vatican fighting for control over Italy's capital city. The Anacleti family, headed up by Sinti clan matriarch Mama Adelaide (Paola Sotgiu), now dominate the Rome's drug trade. This raises the ire of many, including adult siblings Giulia and Cesare (Yamina Brirmi and Morris Sarra), fishmongers in Ostia who want bigger jobs than what Adelaide's henchwoman Nadia Gravone (Federica Sabatini) gives them. They also resent the fact that the Ancleti murdered their parents decades prior. However, their brother Damiano Luciani (Marlon Joubert) manages the Ancleti's dogfighting business and is married to Angelica Sale (Carlotta Antonelli), the ex-wife of Adelaide's son and now Berlin-based DJ Alberto ‘Spadino' Anacleti (Giacomo Ferrara). Meanwhile, city council member Ercole Bonatesta (Aliosha Massine), who is related to the Luciani family, is looking for a way to remove politician Amadeo Cinaglia (Filippo Nigro) as the head of Rome's criminal activities. Bonatesta has the support of Cardinal Tronto (Federico Ceci), but Cinaglia has Cardinal Nascari (Alberto Cracco) and the Badalis, a Sicilian mafia family, on his side. Soon this all comes to a head, and a war for control over the city begins.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

This entertaining series is the second spin-off inspired by the neo-noir 2017 movie adaptation of the novel Suburra, and features all the family drama, corruption, and violence the franchise is known for. The character-driven plotlines intertwine in ways that highlight the complicated and unforgiving crime world in which they have operated in throughout their whole lives. It also brings back specific characters and leans into past stories, making it potentially difficult for those unfamiliar with this universe to completely follow what's happening at the beginning. But once settled into the storyworld, Suburraeterna easily becomes an compelling viewing experience, so much so that it might inspire folks to watch the original film so that they can fully understand how it all began. If you're looking for a well-produced crime thriller, you'll find one here.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the global popularity of Suburra and its spin-offs. Did you know that the original novel (of the same name) is inspired by real life events? Why is the story considered dystopian?

  • How does Suburraeterna explain some of the changes that have taken place since the last series left off? Are there any that surprise you?

TV Details

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Suburraeterna poster: Giacomo Ferrara as Spadino Ancleti holding a gun.

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