Movies offer a simple and effective way to improve your Italian language skills, but television shows have an even greater impact. They tend to be longer, span multiple seasons and offer plenty of storylines. This expanded format allows you to better immerse yourself in the characters, dialogue, and overall language style of the series.
In this guide, I'll walk you through the steps of finding Italian TV series on Netflix, provide you with a curated list of recommended shows, and share some tips for watching other Italian-language productions. Are you ready to enter the world of Italian drama? let's start!
Step 1: Find Italian series on Netflix
First, open Netflix on your computer, TV, or mobile device. Once on the home page, navigate to the search bar and enter the words “Italian”. Netflix will display the results along with related keywords. choose”italian tv shows” from the suggestions, the results will be filtered to show only series produced in Italy. Alternatively, you can enter the phrase “Italian TV shows” directly into the search bar from the beginning.
Step 2: Choose a program
If you find yourself scrolling endlessly through streaming services and having trouble deciding what to watch, you're not alone. Choosing a new show can be a daunting task. But don't be afraid! The following suggestions will help you choose quickly and immerse yourself in Italian in no time.
notes: The list mainly contains shows produced or distributed by Netflix that are likely to remain on the platform. By the time you read this, other series that were licensed for a limited time may have been removed.
Lydia Poet's Law
Chinese title: Lydia Poet's Law
A six-episode miniseries that delves into the story of Lidia Poët, a pioneering female lawyer in Italy. This comedy is set in the late 19th century and was filmed in Turin, the capital of Italy. Netflix has confirmed that the second season will be released in 2024.
i hate christmas
Chinese title: I Hate Christmas
The romantic comedy series follows Gianna, a contentedly single nurse who is tasked with finding a boyfriend before Christmas to avoid the inevitable questions from her family about her single status. The film is adapted from the Norwegian TV series “Home for Christmas” and was filmed in Venice and Chioggia. There are two seasons, each containing six 30-minute episodes.
summer
Filmed in Cesenatico on the Adriatic coast, the series follows the friendship and romantic adventures of Summer, a young woman eager to escape her seaside town and explore the world. Inspired by Federico Moccia's best-selling book “Tre metri sopra il cielo” (literally “Three Meters in the Sky”), the show spans three seasons.
coulomb
If you want to watch a supernatural thriller, Cullen might be what you want. Set in the small town of Curon Venosta in the Trentino-Alto Adige region (home to the iconic Lake Recia and its half-submerged bell tower), the series tells the story of a family returning to their mother’s hometown. When she mysteriously disappears, her teenage twins embark on a journey to uncover the town's dark secrets.
stuck
(literal meaning: trapped)
Chinese title: Framed!sicilian murder mystery
Two unlucky technicians find themselves involuntarily entangled in a murder scene. The more they try to avoid looking like a suspect, the more trouble they get into. Written and directed by the popular comedy duo Ficarra e Picone, the two-season series is filled with unmistakable Sicilian scenery.
The adult life of lies
Chinese title: The Lie Life of Adults
The series is adapted from the 2019 novel of the same name by Elena Ferrante (“My Brilliant Friend”), who also co-wrote the screenplay, and follows Giovanna as she enters adulthood and interacts with the middle class A story of family struggle. She met her aunt Victoria, who lived in a different, tougher area of Naples. The cast includes Valeria Golino, one of the most respected Italian actresses working today.
The series received positive reviews from critics and audiences. Note that the Neapolitan dialect takes up most of the dialogue, so this isn't the best choice for beginners.
Subra / Subratna
English name: Suburra – Blood on Rome / Suburræterna
“Suburra” is the first Italian original series produced by Netflix. The story, adapted from a feature-length film and book of the same name, delves into the intertwined lives of various characters involved in Rome's criminal and political underworld. Spanning three seasons and 24 episodes, the show is a gripping exploration of power, corruption and conspiracy.
The word “Suburra” is derived from the word “suburra” (or “subura”), which originally referred to the prosperous lower class community of ancient Rome. Today, it means an area with high levels of crime.
In 2024, a new spin-off of the series, “Suburræterna” (or “Suburra Eterna”, “eterna” meaning eternity), was released, continuing the saga of the original series.
It is worth noting that many characters speak with distinct Roman accents (Roman dialect), which may create challenges for some viewers in understanding the dialogue.
Step Three: Audio and Subtitles
Many Netflix originals offer multilingual options, but the key here is to choose shows with Italian audio. Also, I highly recommend activating Italian subtitles instead of choosing English or any other language. By sticking to Italian audio and Italian subtitles, you can fully immerse yourself in the language learning experience. This method allows you to listen to dialogue and read subtitles at the same time, which helps memorize vocabulary. While using English subtitles may seem tempting, it can cause distraction and hinder your ability to focus on the characters' voices. While the Italian-Italian environment may present challenges initially, it proves to be more effective in the long run. Trust me, the results are worth it!
Changing your language settings is easy: once you start playing an episode, just click on the icon indicated below and make sure Italian is selected for audio and subtitles. This way you can fully immerse yourself in the Italian experience!
notes: In some cases, standard Italian subtitles may not be available (only Italian closed subtitles for the hearing impaired), or you may encounter English with Italian subtitles as the only language option. While this is uncommon with Netflix originals, it can happen with non-Netflix titles. Unfortunately, the availability of language options depends on the country you're streaming from and Netflix's selection of each show.
How about the non-Italian series?
If none of the options above pique your interest, you can explore non-Italian collections that offer Italian audio and subtitles. Most Netflix titles should support this feature since they are translated and dubbed into multiple languages. However, it's worth noting that sometimes the subtitles may not exactly match the dialogue, which can be a bit frustrating.
There are also series set in Italy, such as the recent series Ripley, which was filmed in various Italian locations, including Rome, Capri and Asturi. The main character, played by Andrew Scott, also speaks some Italian throughout the series.
While not all episodes in the Netflix catalog are available in Italian, creating a second profile on your Netflix account and setting the language to Italian can increase your chances of finding shows translated into Italian. To do this, log into your Netflix account using a computer, as the Netflix mobile app does not allow you to change your profile language.If you'd like to learn more about how to do this, follow our A guide on how to get Italian audio and subtitles on Netflix.
How about Italian movies?
We have a separate article about the best Italian movies to watch on Netflix. Updated to 2024.
Mathieu Gasquet was born and raised in Turin, northern Italy, to an Italian mother and a French father. He provides audio pronunciation for Daily Italian Words.
