Series synopsis
The Octopus, also known as La Piovra is an Italian drama crime television series that premiered on Rai 1 on March 11, 1984. It ended on January 17, 2001. It was created by Nicola Badalucco, Lucio Battistrada. It stars Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Raoul Bova, Anja Kling and Fabrizio Contri.
An epic crime saga of power, money, violence and corruption. The mafia controls everything through local and international networks like an octopus, and anyone who tries to bring them down pays the ultimate price.
Premise
An epic crime saga of power, money, violence and corruption. The mafia controls everything through local and international networks like an octopus, and anyone who tries to bring them down pays the ultimate price.
Premise: The fight against the mafia!
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Vittorio Mezzogiorno as Davide Licata
- Raoul Bova as Vice commissario Gianni Breda
- Anja Kling as Barbara Greenberg Altamura
- Fabrizio Contri as Barone Francesco Altamura
- Patricia Millardet as Silvia Conti
- Laura Marinoni as Augusta Altamura
- Stefan Danailov as Nazareno 'Nuzzo' Marciano
- Remo Girone as Tano Cariddi
Supporting cast
- Florinda Bolkan as Olga Camastra
- Michele Placido as Commissario Corrado Cattani
- Ennio Fantastichini as Saverio Bronta
- Orso Maria Guerrini as Giuseppe Carta
- Lorenza Indovina as Chiara Bronta
- François Périer as Avvocato Terrasini
- Elena Arvigo as Giulia Mercuri
- Rolf Hoppe as Prof. Ottavio Ramonte
- Nicole Jamet as Else Cattani
- Ana Torrent as Maria Favignana Cariddi
- Xavier Deluc as Lorenzo Ribeira
- Pierre Mondy as Don Amilcare Attilio Brenno
Guest cast
- Tony Sperandeo as Santino Rocchi
- Barbara De Rossi as Contessa Raffaella "Titti" Pecci Scialoia
- Gilberto Idonea as Avvocato Edoardo Rittone
- Martin Balsam as Frank Carrisi
- Daniel Ceccaldi as Nicola Sorbi
- Giovanna Rei as Violetta
- Peppe Zarbo as Carmine Torrisi
- Marcello Arnone as Mafia Man
- Salvatore Lazzaro
- Gianni Musy as Uomo Cupola
- Cariddi Nardulli as Paola Cattani
- Luca Zingaretti as Pietro Favignana
Episodes
This series spans 10 seasons with 48 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 6 | March 11, 1984 | March 19, 1989 |
| Season 2 | 6 | January 12, 1986 | January 27, 1986 |
| Season 3 | 7 | April 5, 1987 | April 20, 1987 |
| Season 4 | 6 | March 5, 1989 | March 20, 1989 |
| Season 5 | 5 | August 14, 1990 | August 28, 1990 |
| Season 6 | 6 | November 30, 1992 | December 20, 1992 |
| Season 7 | 6 | March 5, 1995 | March 20, 1995 |
| Season 8 | 2 | October 5, 1997 | October 6, 1997 |
| Season 9 | 2 | March 9, 1998 | March 16, 1998 |
| Season 10 | 2 | January 10, 2001 | January 17, 2001 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Corrado Cattani replaces the murdered Palermo chief of police Marineo. |
March 11, 1984 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Cattani discovers what happened the night Marineo was murdered, but the information is dangerous. |
March 6, 1989 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Cattani focuses his investigation on rich business men, while his private life is getting more and more difficult. |
March 12, 1989 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Paola Police Inspector Cattani fights a losing battle to save his loved daughter's sanity, after what she suffered (see "La Piovra", original mini-series). He loses her, and his only trusted magistrate in the fight against The Octopus. |
January 12, 1986 |
| 2 |
Friends in Common Cattani is approached by the Number 2 of his best friend in Rome to conspire against him, and ends up fighting for his life in prison, against thugs who are friends of his worst enemy. Cattani must swallow his pride, and recurs to the lustful Contessa who has other friends in common. |
January 13, 1986 |
| 3 |
Return to Rome Cattani's love life is as confused as his behaviour; he sleeps with the enemy, and is recruited to ITALA, the cultural association for the study of the ancestral popular traditions of Italy, The Octopus by another name. |
January 19, 1986 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Good and Evil After the mafia killed his family, and a number of people who trusted him, Cattani sees a couple of criminals condemned to light sentences only. A DEA team brings him back from the mountain retreat with good monks, to the evil world of a drugs-for-arms deal. Solace comes in the form of new affections for a banker's daughters, who look like his lost wife and daughter. |
April 5, 1987 |
| 2 |
No Escape Cattani uses a TV interview to reveal he found out about one of The Octopus telephone numbers. That is enough to spread havoc in the criminal rang, but the mafia leaves the American investigators no escape. |
April 6, 1987 |
| 3 |
Thirsting for Vengeance Cattani falls in love with Giulia, but his inquest does not go far, until Giulia's father dies, and her grandfather takes hold of the family bank again. |
April 12, 1987 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | March 5, 1989 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | March 6, 1989 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | March 12, 1989 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Judge Silvia Conti and Davide Licata are in a quest for vengeance against the Mafia. |
August 14, 1990 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | August 15, 1990 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | August 21, 1990 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Killing Attempt Police detective Davide Licata survives badly wounded, so much so that his personal and love life will be affected. |
November 30, 1992 |
| 2 |
The Core Licata is tempted by the General directing the Government's "nucleous of operations and investigations (NOI)", a secret service built to do the dirty anti-crime jobs that the police can't do. |
December 6, 1992 |
| 3 |
The Man of the Letters The hideout of Tani Cariddi in deep Africa becomes known - and again, the retired detective and the retired criminal must come to grips with violent action in Europe. |
December 7, 1992 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Return to Sicily Several characters return to the little town where, years ago, the police commissary Cattani was set up and murdered by the Mafia. |
March 5, 1995 |
| 2 |
The Barrottii Gang Sara and Biagio, her brother, create an extortion gang, named after the village's suburbs where they live. They are taking the "business" out of Nuzzio's hands. |
March 6, 1995 |
| 3 |
Look Out for Saverio Saverio comes home to reunite with Nuzzio against the higher powers of the Mafia, but these are alert and after him, after torturing his mistress in St. Petersburg. Also after him, is his wife, still under the protection of Oleg, Saverio's bodyguard. |
March 12, 1995 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | October 5, 1997 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | October 6, 1997 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | March 9, 1998 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | March 16, 1998 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | January 10, 2001 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | January 17, 2001 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Rai 1 |
|---|---|
| First aired | March 11, 1984 |
| Last aired | January 17, 2001 |
| Runtime | 120 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Monday, Sunday |