Citadel: Diana Review: Weighty Spin-Off is Interesting

A spin-off of a popular series 2023 series Citadel, Citadel: Diana takes place in Milan, in 2030. Undercover Citadel agent Diana Cavalieri has been trapped living as a mole in Manticore, eight years after the latter destroyed Citadel, its enemy syndicate. However, after years, she finally sees a way out of her trapped existence to disappear forever but must take the help of the heir of Manticore Italy and son of the head of the Italian organization, Edo Zani.

Citadel: Diana is produced by Amazon MGM Studios with Cattleya, a part of ITV Studios. The series has 6 episodes, each with a runtime of around 45 minutes, with Gina Gardini acting as showrunner. The Italian spy action series is written by Alessandro Fabbri, Ilaria Bernardini, Laura Colella, Gianluca Bernardini and Giordana Mari.

Citadel: Diana Review

Jumping between Diana’s past and present, the Prime Video spin-off series Citadel: Diana paints a vivid picture of our protagonist’s life before she joins the shadowy spy syndicate Manticore after suffering a personal tragedy. Matilda De Angelis is a vulnerable and strong-willed protagonist swept up in a revenge story that ends up in her getting trapped behind enemy lines. In the midst of this is the power struggle between Edo and his father Ettore. Edo wants to make Manticore something more moral, while his father is happy with the status quo and is vying for power from the other European families in the company.

You’d think that after all the hullabaloo surrounding the devastation that was Citadel, the streaming service would look into bringing out something that has nothing to do with the series. But here we are with the Italian spin-off and another, Citadel: Honey Bunny, the Hindi spin-off, to get us to take notice by hook or by crook. I am not sure why we need these stories, but the streaming giant apparently wants a spy universe of its own, so here we are. However, to give it some credit, the Italian series is less laughable and more gritty and there are stuff happening here that does entertain you.

There are emotional backstories and thrilling backstabbing at every turn of the Italian series that can keep viewers on their toes. I feel like 45 minutes per episode is quite unnecessary because the series tends to drag sometimes and can bog down the runtime tremendously. That being said, the series has a lot more going for it in comparison to the English series starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden. There’s a semblance of a plot that is twisty and clearly has some thought behind it. Although it doesn’t have moments of spectacle that go boom, there is a tension that the series maintains well.

However, if you are expecting thrilling car chases and well-choreographed action sequences, Citadel: Diana falls short. Although there are some hand-to-hand combat moments and gun action (of course), it’s not a spectacle and is more understated. Now, how viewers like that is more of a personal choice but considering the general vibe of the series, I think it fits right in. Further, the series has long moments of conversations and explanations that might bore some viewers. There are some bursts of romance that peek through here and there between Diana and Edo, but that’s all there is to it.

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The relationship between Diana and Sara, her sister, forms an emotional anchor for the series, making us root for Diana and feel sympathetic for her. The series never forgets to remind us about Diana’s tragic past and the moral dilemma that she is going through in every episode which makes her a sympathetic character and the twists and turns end up affecting you more intensely. As mentioned previously, Matilda De Angelis is really great in the show and makes you root for her in every frame. She is vicious but has a vulnerability that hits your heart every time she is in two minds about a situation. It also helps that she’s not just a killing machine as these characters usually end up being and her drive to do what is right is one of the driving forces of the story.

Lorenzo Cervasio as Edo Zani is quite the confusing character and Cervasio plays him well. For most of the runtime, and maybe even after the 6 episodes, we can’t help but wonder whether he is truly the good guy he is showcasing in front of everyone or if that’s just a front. Maurizio Lombardi as Ettore Zani has an air of superiority to him that makes you take notice and it makes sense for him to be the head of Manticore Italy.

In the end, Citadel: Diana provides a thrilling finale, one that will take you by surprise and leave you wanting more. There are moments in the last episode where you can’t help but wonder where we are going with this, but it’s the last scene that makes it clear that this is just a way to get into another season but the cliffhanger, for once, didn’t annoy me as much as they usually do.

Final Thoughts

Citadel: Diana is a fine spin-off, probably better than the English original in every way possible. With a protagonist who has a clear mission and a sad past, it is easy to love Diana and follow her thoroughly. The storyline is tense and has substance and the series holds on to its mystery for most of its runtime, giving us some twists and turns that actually make sense. Of course, it’s a different ordeal to have to sit through watching Diana’s horrendous and conspicuous hairdo that will stop her from blending into a crowd. But, hey – what do I know about spies?

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