Show of the Week: The Sea Beyond – Season 3

The Sea Beyond

Back for a third season, Italian young-adult prison drama The Sea Beyond is continuing its runaway success with new trials and tribulations ahead for the inmates of the Naples youth detention centre.

“Rosa Ricci, in a quest for vengeance, commits a crime to enter the IPM and kill Carmine Di Salvo, who she thinks killed her brother. But Carmine has always rejected belonging to the mafia. He is not satisfied with only saving his own life but is also determined to save Rosa’s,” reveals executive producer Roberto Sessa from Picomedia.

Elsewhere, “Filippo, who escaped from prison to prevent the wedding of his beloved Naditza, finds himself dealing with his sudden freedom and realizes how difficult it is to move in the world of adults,” while “Gaetano has finally made the choice of which side to take, but his past mistakes have already condemned him.”

The Sea Beyond and its “mult-faceted story” has quickly become a major hit for Rai since its launch in 2020 and the first two seasons have already found international success on global streamer Netflix, as well as broadcasters including Disney+ in Germany, HBO Max in Latin America and HOT in Israel.

Judging from the Italian response to season three, this is set to continue. Sessa shares: “The new season of The Sea Beyond has been triumphantly received in Italy. After the great success of the first two seasons, the anticipation had grown exponentially, generating incredible traffic on social media with fans imitating their favorite characters and posting memes about them.

“Upon release on RaiPlay, the first six episodes totaled 8 million views and 3.5 million hours of viewing on February 1, 2023, alone. The latter six episodes that complete the third season were released on February 13, 2023, and totaled 12 million views and 5.7 million hours viewed in just one day.”

Sessa reveals that further drama this season includes Edoardo’s quest to become the “King of Naples”, while Pino is determined to straighten out and not repeat the mistakes of the past now that he has found love in Kubra.

The producer explains that the prison setting of the show represents the system of rules and prohibitions that teens face during adolescence. “It is an age in which the urge to transgress the rules imposed by parents, teachers, and by adults in general is strongest.

“It is the time in which the search for one’s identity moves young people towards rash and inappropriate choices that can irreparably compromise their future. But inside the prison, adolescents find a voice that can help them, a voice willing to give them a second chance, a voice that can save them that comes from a world they are fighting against: adults.”

Oliver Bachert, chief distribution officer at Beta Film, explains the show’s international appeal: “The Sea Beyond is the perfect example of a locally rooted drama with a truly international appeal through its unique and authentic voice. Global international drama at its best, plus an incredible ‘proof of concept’ through its home market success.

“The themes covered by the series are universal themes, such as love, hate, friendship, revenge, and a common identity, told through real, sincere, and passionate characters.”

Producer: Picomedia & Rai Fiction

Distributor: Beta Film

Broadcaster: Rai (Italy)