TV Show Reviews

‘Gomorrah’: Season 1 Blu-Ray Review – A Brutal Beginning To One Of TV’s Best Dramas

By Dillon Gonzales
March 12, 2022
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Gomorrah: The Series is the worldwide gangster show phenomenon from Stefano Sollima (Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, Romanzo Criminale), which is based on Roberto Saviano’s best-selling book and the subsequent award-winning film of the same name. Season 1 tells the inside story of the fierce Neapolitan crime organization the Camorra. It is shown through the eyes of Ciro (Marco D’Amore), the obedient and self-confident right-hand man of the clan’s godfather, Pietro Savastano (Fortunato Cerlino), whose loyalty is pushed to its limits over twelve blood-drenched episodes.

For thoughts on Gomorrah: Season 1, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.

Video Quality

Gomorrah: Season 1 comes to Blu-Ray in a gorgeous 1080p transfer. With this being a newer series, it stands to reason that the presentation should be without flaws, but that does not make the end result any less impressive. The cinematography is truly top notch for this series with many stunning locales. The color palette is natural and vivid with brilliant moments of stunning hues that pop off the screen. The series looks great on HBO Max, but the Blu-Ray presentation has more consistent black levels and less compression by a mile. Fine detail is present in the production design and costumes. The landscape featured in certain environments also gives the disc a chance to shine in the detail department. Skin tones look natural throughout the season, and there are no digital anomalies to speak of. Kino Lorber has done an excellent job with this presentation.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray set comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track that is quite lively. The set is presented in both the original Italian and dubbed English with optional English subtitles. The series is primarily dialogue driven, but there are also fairly frequent sequences of brutality such as beatings and explosions that kick this track into overdrive. There is some nice ambient activity in the mix, especially during sequences out on the town. The dialogue primarily stays anchored in the center channel and is reproduced clearly. The track does a good job of making sure neither sound effects nor the score ever overpowers dialogue. The score brings a richness to the series that fills up the room on this track. When the action kicks in, there is some heft that is appreciated in a series such as this one. This track has a substantial dynamic range that should please fans of the series.

Special Features

Trailers: There are trailers provided for Season 2, Season 3 and Season 4 of Gomorrah. .

Final Thoughts

The first season of Gomorrah offers some of the most thrilling moments on television that I have seen in recent times. These twelve episodes come together to create a sprawling, breathlessly engaging narrative that only rewards more the deeper you get into it. This series is incredibly precise in its thoughtful characterization and careful plotting that keeps you on edge throughout. This series started nearly a decade ago, and American audiences are catching up to what they have been missing. Kino Lorber has released a Blu-Ray set that offers an A+ technical presentation but not much in the way of special features. Do not let subtitles scare you away, this will be one of the best shows you watch all year. Highly Recommended

Gomorrah: Season 1 is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Lorber has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.