In “My Brilliant Friend,” we watch two friends, sometimes rivals if not enemies, Elena “Lenu” Greco and Raffaella “Lila” Cerullo, grow up together. Both are brilliant, as the title of the show implies, but have diverging opportunities. Elena’s family is supportive of her intelligence and advocates for her to go off to college and make the family proud. Lila? Her intelligence comes with audacity, and with lacking the support of her family, she seeks autonomy and power in her hometown through various relationships to gain some sense of safety.
Together and apart, these women age, have children, love affairs, and both infuriate and sharpen each other. But, when things get too far beyond even their vast capabilities, they find themselves able to lean on one another.
My Brilliant Friend: Season 3 – Summary/ Review (with Spoilers)
From raising children, creating new families, and rediscovering themselves, Elena and Lila may struggle in their friendship but find ways to flourish in their individual lives.
My Brilliant Friend: Season 1 – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
My Brilliant Friend is a true statement to the power of girls and young women despite a world which tries to undermine and oppress them.
From raising children, creating new families, and rediscovering themselves, Elena and Lila may struggle in their friendship but find ways to flourish in their individual lives.
In an almost complete Lila-less episode, Nino returns to Elena’s life, and between old feelings and him supporting her writing, it complicates Elena’s marriage to Pietro.
As Elena returns to Naples and is coerced to fully be involved in what’s going on, Pietro gives the kind of observations that disturb her perceptions of everyone – including Lila.
As political violence starts to engulf Naples and surrounding areas, Elena is asked to keep her godson for the summer, with very little context as to why.
We jump through at least 2 or so years as Elena gets married and has her first two children while struggling immensely in her personal and professional life.
With feeling like she’d be better as a big fish in a small pond, Lila makes it her goal to return to the neighborhood, and Elena lays the groundwork for that to happen.