Hulu has produced a number of high-quality series that have received critical acclaim and garnered a dedicated following among viewers. Some of the most popular and acclaimed series on Hulu include “Normal People,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “PEN 15,” “Ramy,” and so on. Hulu produces high-quality, engaging content that appeals to a wide range of viewers.
Hulu launched “The Good Mothers” on April 5, 2023, an original series adapted from Alex Perry’s eponymous book. The show draws inspiration from a true story but includes fictional events and characters. It portrays the inspiring tale of a group of women who dared to challenge the world’s most dominant Mafia. Set in Italy, the series sheds light on the inner workings of the Mafia’s illegal operations, including drug trafficking and money laundering, which instill fear among the populace.
In “The Good Mothers,” we follow the inspiring story of women who fought fiercely for their children in a harsh world dominated by men. Despite facing daily torture and injustice, these women refused to bow to societal norms and drew a clear line in the sand. If you’re curious about what to expect from the series, read on for a brief recap.
Spoilers Ahead
‘The Good Mothers’ Season 1: Story
“The Good Mothers” starts with an introduction to Lea Garofalo (Micaela Ramazzotti), who is married to a member of the Mafia and Cosco clan named Carlo Cosco (Francesco Colella). Due to Carlo’s involvement in the dark world of the Mafia, Lea leaves him and takes their daughter Denise (Gaia Girace) with her. For the past eight years, they have been on the run until they decide to meet with Carlo in Milan, Italy. After their meeting, Carlo takes Denise to her aunt’s house and instructs her to wait for her mother and him to return so they can leave on a train together. However, when Denise tries to call her mother, she does not answer. When Carlo returns to the aunt’s house, he tells Denise that Lea should be at the market, but Denise quickly realizes that her mother is missing, and Carlo pretends to know nothing about her disappearance.
Denise feels surprised, shocked, and numb when her mother disappears without a trace. Carlo takes Denise to her aunt Merisa’s (Alessandra Roca) house in Rosarno, Calabria, but Aunt Merisa reveals that Carlo is actually behind her mother’s disappearance. She warns Denise to be careful, as Carlo is a dangerous man. To keep an eye on Denise, Carlo assigns a young member of his clan named Carmine (Andrea Dodero) to watch over her. Denise struggles to cope with the loss of her mother while living under the constant surveillance of her father. Despite the difficulties, Denise tries to stay strong and act smart in order to stay safe. With the help of her aunt, she navigates her new living situation and mourns the loss of her mother. But knowing that Carlo is responsible for her mother’s disappearance, Denise knows she must be vigilant and cautious at all times.
The Stories Of Mothers Who Fought Crime For Their Children
As the series unfolds, we are introduced to two friends, Giuseppina Pesce (Valentina Bellè), known as Giusy, and Concetta Cacciola (Simona Distefano), or Cetta, who belong to mafia families and suffer the same fate of injustice and abuse from their oppressive families. These women’s lives are unbearable, and they are bound to obey the male-dominated rules of the Ndrangheta syndicate. Giusy’s cousin, Ciccio Pesce (Marco Zingaro), is a member of one of the most notorious families in Rosarno, involved in trafficking weapons and drugs out of Gioia Tauro.
After Denise filed a complaint about her missing mother at the police station, she was discreetly informed by the authorities that Lea had been placed in the witness protection program. Denise came to the realization that her mother had only wanted to fight against crime and become a state witness so that she could lead a normal life. The series beautifully showcases the bond between Lea and Denise through flashback scenes in which they interact after their introduction at the beginning of each episode.
Giusy and Cetta are both searching for happiness in their difficult lives and turn to affairs to find it. Giusy becomes involved with Enrico, while Cetta begins a relationship with Pietro. However, their pursuit of happiness is disrupted when Giusy gets arrested for her involvement with the Mafia as a messenger. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Anna Colace offers Giusy the opportunity to become a state witness in exchange for staying with her children in a safe house. Meanwhile, Cetta faces brutal abuse from her father for talking to Pietro.
Denise’s life takes a dramatic turn as her father, Carlo, gets arrested for murdering her mother, Lea. She is shocked to realize that her mother is dead. As time passes, Denise becomes romantically involved with Carmine. Meanwhile, Cetta grows frustrated with the torture from his family and decides to become a state witness to live a good life.
‘The Good Mothers’ Season 1: Ending
The use of saturated frames in the series imbues a pervasive sense of melancholy. The lives of Lea, Giusy, and Cetta, who all have ties to the Mafia, become unbearable, and their only source of solace is their children. In a startling turn of events, Cetta decides to leave the witness protection program and reunite with her family, but her reunion is short-lived. Her abusive father, upon learning of her affair with Pietro and the threat it poses to the clan, kills her by forcing her to ingest acid. Upon learning of Cetta’s death from Anna Colace, Giusy resolves to become a state witness and fight against injustice.
As the show develops, the Mafia finds itself in a precarious situation following the arrest of seventeen members of the Bellocco clan. This event prompts the police to launch a thorough investigation into the other clans, unearthing vital information about Ciccio’s prominent role in illegal activities alongside Salvatore. It’s worth noting that this turn of events creates an intriguing dynamic in the story.
While spending time with Carmine, Denise discovers a shocking revelation as the police arrive and arrest Carmine for his involvement in the murder of Denise’s mother, Lea. Denise, who loved her mother dearly, is stunned to learn that her own father is the reason behind her mother’s death and that Carmine, with whom she had fallen in love, was lying to her all along. Now, the only course of action for Denise is to testify against her father. The season ends on a cliffhanger, leaving the possibility for further seasons to unfold the fate of other significant members of the Mafia.
Based on real-life events, “The Good Mothers” is an Italian-language Hulu original series that incorporates all the essential elements of a great crime drama. The show perfectly showcases how the “good mothers” battle the difficulties in order to have a good life with their children, but due to their involvement with the dark world, their actions lead to Lea and Cetta’s deaths and put Giusy in a difficult position. The series stands out for its depiction of the bond between mothers and their children, with each character receiving sufficient character development. Season 1 culminates with Denise’s testimony, leaving viewers eager to see how Giusy will assist Anna in bringing down the Mafia.