Skip to content
1981
image of Bestiale! Serial storytelling and social media fandom in L’ispettore Coliandro

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyse the TV series () (2006–present), starting from the conceptual categories regarding complex storytelling such as extrinsic norms, intrinsic norms, authorship and transmedia. The analysis of the different dimensions of this series (production and distribution history, forms of storytelling, transmedia narrative ecosystem) tries to highlight the peculiar media characteristics of , with a twofold objective. First, the article intends to investigate the reasons why differs from other Italian detective series. Second, it aims to study how these peculiar characteristics affect the interaction between production and distribution policies, the aesthetic-narrative framework and the fandom. To this end, we present the results of a media content analysis of the posts published on the Facebook group ‘Noi che amiamo l’Ispettore Coliandro’.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jicms_00353_1
2025-10-14
2025-12-05
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/10.1386/jicms_00353_1/JICMS_FT_14_3-4_art_Tirino.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.1386/jicms_00353_1&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Ambroso, Federica (2021), ‘Déculturation et multiculturalité dans le roman noir contemporain’, Scritture Migranti, 15, pp. 1940, https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2421-454X/10499.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Avezzù, Giorgio (2020), ‘Italian fiction as viewed from a distance’, SERIES, 6:1, pp. 91106, https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2421-454X/10499.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Barra, Luca and Scaglioni, Massimo (2017), ‘Convergenze parallele’, in V. Re (ed.), Streaming Media, Milan: Mimesis, pp. 3147.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Barwig, Angela (2008), ‘Murder and mayhem around the via Emilia’, in M. Cicioni and N. Di Ciolla (eds), Differences, Deceits and Desires, Newark, DE: University of Delaware Press, pp. 11530.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Battistuzzi, Giovanni (2018), ‘L’eccezione dell’Ispettore Coliandro’, Il Foglio, 13 November, https://www.ilfoglio.it/televisione/2018/11/13/video/ispettore-coliandro-settima-stagione-intervista-manetti-bros-224338/. Accessed 27 March 2023.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Benvenuti, Giuliana (2021), ‘Le forme transmediali del noir all’italiana tra impegno, denuncia e mercato’, Italian Culture, 39:1, pp. 418, https://doi.org/10.1080/01614622.2021.1897278.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Bernardelli, Andrea (2016), Cattivi seriali, Rome: Carocci.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Bertetti, Paolo (2019), ‘Transmedia storytelling’, Digicult, 4:1, pp. 4758, https://doi.org/10.4399/97888255263185.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Blanca (2021–present, Italy: Rai Fiction and Lux Vide).
  10. Blesio, Francesca (2016), ‘Bologna? È la mia seconda città’, Corriere di Bologna, 27 February, https://corrieredibologna.corriere.it/bologna/notizie/spettacoli/2016/27-febbraio-2016/bologna-mia-seconda-citta-240104906948.shtml. Accessed 27 March 2023.
  11. Buonanno, Milly (2012), La fiction italiana, Rome and Bari: Laterza.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Capozzi, Rocco (2003), ‘The new Italian novel’, in P. Bondanella and A. Ciccarelli (eds), The Cambridge Companion to the Italian Novel, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 21432.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Cappi, Valentina and Manzoli, Giacomo (2014), ‘Lo scrittore collettivo’, Between, 4:8, pp. 129, https://dx.doi.org/10.13125/2039-6597/1336.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Carabinieri (2002–08, Italy: RTI, Trend Film and Fidia Film).
  15. Carboni, Stefania (2011), ‘Coliandro al cinema. Ma scritto dai fan’, Tvzap, 27 October, https://tvzap.kataweb.it/news/19345/coliandro-al-cinema-ma-scritto-dai-fan/ Accessed 27 March 2023.
  16. Carroll, Noël (2004), ‘Sympathy for the devil’, in R. Greene and P. Vernezze (eds), The Sopranos and Philosophy, Chicago, IL: Open Court, pp. 12136.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Casoli, Sara (2021), ‘Personaggi tra giallo e noir’, Scritture Migranti, 15, pp. 4163, https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2035-7141/14561.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Ceselli, Daniela (2019), ‘Stereotipi di genere, codici e clichés: Il cinema anticonformista dei Manetti Bros’, Cinema e Storia, 8, pp. 193200, https://digital.casalini.it/10.1400/272613. Accessed 11 September 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Chu, Mark (2001), ‘Giallo sarai tu! Hegemonic representations and limits of heteroglossia in Carlo Lucarelli’, Spunti e ricerche, 16, pp. 4558, https://www.spuntiericerche.com/index.php/spuntiericerche/article/view/410. Accessed 11 September 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Cobra Kai (2018–25, USA: Netflix and Overbrook).
  21. Costantini, Emilia (2005), ‘Coliandro, ispettore  “congelato dalla RAI”’, Corriere della Sera, 19 December, p. 31.
  22. Coviello, Massimiliano and Re, Valentina (2021), ‘Translocal landscapes’, Akademisk Kvarter, 22, pp. 6078, https://doi.org/10.5278/ojs.academicquarter.vi22.6601.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Crimini (2006–10, Italy: Rai Fiction and Rodeo Drive Media).
  24. D’Arma, Alessandro (2019), ‘PSM in Italy: Troubled RAI in a troubled country’, in E. Polonska and C. Brackett (eds), Public Service Broadcasting and Media Systems in Troubled European Democracies, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 11128.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Distretto di Polizia (2000–12, Italy: TaoDue and RTI).
  26. Don Matteo (2000–present, Italy: Lux Vide and Rai Fiction).
  27. Duffett, Mark (2013), Understanding Fandom, London: Bloomsbury.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Eastwood, Clint (1983), Sudden Impact, USA: Malpaso Productions.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Eastwood, Clint (1986), Heartbreak Ridge, USA: Malpaso Productions.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Eco, Umberto (1986), Travels in Hyperreality (trans. W. Weaver), New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Fiske, John (1992), ‘The cultural economy of fandom’, in L. A. Lewis (ed.), The Adoring Audience, Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 3049.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Gadducci, Fabio and Tavosanis, Mirko (2010), ‘L’emersione del noir’, in D. Vermandere, M. Jansen and I. Lanslots (eds), Noir de noir, Oxford: Peter Lang, pp. 23945.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Gambèro, Sara (2009), ‘Coliandro? Il mio io cazzone’, Magazine Libero.it, 20 January, https://web.archive.org/web/20100812230140/http://magazine.libero.it/generali/protagonista/coliandro-carlo-lucarelli-ne9301.phtml. Accessed 27 March 2023.
  34. Gaoheng, Zhang (2016), ‘Chinese migrants and the  “Chinese mafia” in contemporary Italian culture’, in V. Pedone and I. Sagiyama (eds), Transcending Borders, Florence: Firenze University Press, pp. 6786.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Gazzera, Agnese (2010), ‘Dopo Coliandro ecco Crimini il giallo sbiadito di Raidue’, Il Giornale, 29 March, https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/coliandro-ecco-crimini-giallo-sbiadito-raidue.html. Accessed 27 March 2023.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Geraci, Angela (2009), ‘L’ispettore Coliandro? Bello, sporco e cattivo’, City, 4 February, p. 11.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Gomorra – La serie (2014–21, Italy: Sky Italia, Cattleya, Fandango and Beta Film).
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Gwenllian-Jones, Sara and Pearson, Roberta E. (2004), ‘Introduction’, in S. Gwenllian-Jones and R. E. Pearson (eds), Cult Television, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, pp. ixxx.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Hills, Matt (2002), Fan Cultures, Abingdon: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Horton, Donald and Wohl, Richard (1956), ‘Mass communication and para-social interaction’, Psychiatry, 19:3, pp. 21529, https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.1956.11023049.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Il capitano (2005–07, Italy: Rai Fiction and LDM Comunicazione).
  42. Il maresciallo Rocca (1996–2005, Italy: Rai Fiction and Solaris Cinematografica).
  43. Jenkins, Henry (1992), Textual Poachers, Abingdon: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Jurišić, Srecko (2012), ‘Osservazioni onomastiche sul ciclo dell’ispettore Coliandro di Carlo Lucarelli’, Il Nome nel Testo, 14, pp. 23344.
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Khamal, Yasmina (2011), ‘Dalla Civetta al Lupo. Itinerari paratopici a confronto’, in M. Jansen and Y. Khamal (eds), Memoria in Noir, Oxford: Peter Lang, pp. 12333.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Kozinets, Robert (2010), Netnography, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Krippendorf, Klaus (2004), Content Analysis, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
    [Google Scholar]
  48. L’ispettore Coliandro (2006–present, Italy: Rai Fiction, Nauta Film and Vela Film).
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Leone, Sergio (1964), Per un pugno di dollari, Italy, Spain and West Germany: Unidis, Izaro Films and Constantin Film.
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Lotz, Amanda (2014), The Television Will Be Revolutionized, New York: New York University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Lucarelli, Carlo (1991), ‘Nikita’, in M. Moscati (ed.), I delitti del Gruppo 13, Bologna: Metrolibri, pp. 7794.
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Lucarelli, Carlo (1993), Falange armata, Bologna: Metrolibri.
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Lucarelli, Carlo (1994), Il giorno del lupo, Milan: Granata Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  54. Lucarelli, Carlo (2009), L’ispettore Coliandro: Nikita – Falange armata – Il giorno del lupo, Turin: Einaudi.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Lucarelli, Carlo (2016), ‘Due parole per i fan del Coliandro letterario…’, Facebook, 16 January, https://www.facebook.com/LucarelliCarlo/photos/a.294458757308130/947179925369340. Accessed 26 March 2023.
  56. Lucarelli, Carlo (2019), L’ispettore Coliandro: Nikita – Falange armata – Il giorno del lupo, Turin: Einaudi.
    [Google Scholar]
  57. Lucarelli, Carlo and Catacchio, Onofrio (2016), Coliandro indaga: L’ispettore Coliandro, Reggio Emilia: Editoriale Cosmo.
    [Google Scholar]
  58. Maeder, Costantino (2009), ‘Crime novels in Italy’, in M. Krajenbrink and K. M. Quinn (eds), Investigating Identities, Amsterdam: Rodopi, pp. 26176.
    [Google Scholar]
  59. Maeder, Costantino (2011), ‘Lucarelli, Coliandro e Il giorno del lupo, ossia la parabola del riconoscimento negato’, in M. Jansen and Y. Khamal (eds), Memoria in Noir, Oxford: Peter Lang, pp. 287303.
    [Google Scholar]
  60. Marotti, Agostino (2012), ‘L’ispettore Coliandro’, in A. Bernardelli (ed.), Il trionfo dell’antieroe nelle serie televisive, Perugia: Morlacchi, pp. 11325.
    [Google Scholar]
  61. Mittell, Jason (2015), Complex TV, New York: New York University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  62. NCIS (2003–present, USA: Belisarius Productions and Paramount Network Television).
  63. Nikunen, Kaarina (2007), ‘The intermedial practises of fandom’, Nordicom Review, 28:2, pp. 11128, https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2017-0213.
    [Google Scholar]
  64. Odello, Diego (2010), ‘L’ispettore Coliandro, i fan: “Continueremo a protestare finché avremo energie”’, Cinetivu, 22 April, https://www.cinetivu.com/fan-club/lispettore-coliandro-i-fan-continueremo-a-protestare-finche-avremo-energie/. Accessed 27 March 2023.
  65. Pagello, Federico (2020), ‘Dal giallo al crime’, mediAzioni, 28, pp. 3047.
    [Google Scholar]
  66. Pescatore, Guglielmo (ed.) (2018), Ecosistemi narrativi, Rome: Carocci.
    [Google Scholar]
  67. Pezzotti, Barbara (2012), The Importance of Place in Contemporary Italian Crime Fiction, Madison, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  68. Pieri, Giuliana (2007), ‘Between true crime and fiction: The world of Carlo Lucarelli’, in S. Gundle and L. Rinaldi (eds), Assassinations and Murder in Modern Italy, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 193203.
    [Google Scholar]
  69. Pieri, Giuliana (2009), ‘Letteratura gialla e noir degli anni Novanta e impegno’, in P. Antonello and F. Mussgnug (eds), Postmodern Impegno, Oxford: Peter Lang, pp. 289304.
    [Google Scholar]
  70. Prasad, Devi (2008), ‘Content analysis: A method in social science research’, in D. K. Lal Das and V. Bhaskaran (eds), Research Methods for Social Work, New Delhi: Rawat, pp. 17493.
    [Google Scholar]
  71. Qui squadra mobile (1973–76, Italy: Rai).
  72. Rinaldi, Lucia (2009), ‘Bologna’s noir identity: Narrating the city in Carlo Lucarelli’s crime fiction’, Italian Studies, 64:1, pp. 12033, https://doi.org/10.1179/174861809x405836.
    [Google Scholar]
  73. Rocco Schiavone (2016–present, Italy: Rai Fiction and Cross Productions).
  74. Romanzo Criminale – La serie (2008–10, Italy: Cattleya and Sky Cinema).
  75. Saletta, Ester (2015), ‘The concept of the lupo mannaro in the literary tradition of northern and southern Italy from the 19th to the 21st century’, Komparatistik Online, 1, pp. 10223.
    [Google Scholar]
  76. Scaglioni, Massimo and Barra, Luca (eds) (2013), Tutta un’altra fiction, Rome: Carocci.
    [Google Scholar]
  77. Siegel, Don (1971), Dirty Harry, USA: Malpaso Productions.
    [Google Scholar]
  78. Somigli, Luca (2011), ‘The mysteries of Bologna’, in G. Pieri (ed.), Italian Crime Fiction, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, pp. 7388.
    [Google Scholar]
  79. Stempel, Guido Hermann (1989), ‘Content analysis’, in G. H. Stempel and B. H. Westley (eds), Research Methods in Mass Communications, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, pp. 11931.
    [Google Scholar]
  80. Tirino, Mario (2021), ‘Marchio di serie’, in M. Fusillo, M. Lino, L. Faienza and L. Marchese (eds), Oltre l’adattamento?, Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 6381.
    [Google Scholar]
  81. Travagliati, Greta and Treleani, Matteo (2009), ‘Nuove serie e nuovi eroi. Sviluppi di genere ne L’ispettore Coliandro’, Ocula, 10:11, pp. 118.
    [Google Scholar]
  82. Vietina, Alessandra (2010), Montalbano, Maigret & Co., Alessandria: Falsopiano.
    [Google Scholar]
  83. Vittadini, Nicoletta (2018), Social Media Studies, Milan: FrancoAngeli.
    [Google Scholar]
  84. Williams, Rebecca (2011), ‘This is the night TV died: Television post-object fandom and the demise of The West Wing’, Popular Communication, 9:4, pp. 26679, https://doi.org/10.1080/15405702.2011.605311.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/jicms_00353_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/jicms_00353_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test