The Octopus_
Original: La Piovra
"The fight against the mafia!"
An epic crime saga of power, money, violence and corruption. The mafia controls everything through local and international networks like an octopus, and anyone who tries to bring them down pays the ultimate price.
Created By
Nicola Badalucco, Lucio Battistrada
Network
Rai 1
Episodes
48
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Overview
The Octopus has 10 seasons with 48 episodes spanning 1984-2001.
Rating
With a 7.8/10 rating from 58 votes, The Octopus is considered highly rated.
Year context
The Octopus first aired 42 years ago in 1984.
CAST (10)
Patricia Millardet
Silvia Conti
Remo Girone
Tano Cariddi
Elena Arvigo
Giulia Mercuri
Rolf Hoppe
Prof. Ottavio Ramonte
Pippo Pattavina
Senatore Aldo Mercuri
Gilberto Idonea
Avvocato Edoardo Rittone
Arturo Paglia
Marco Rittone
Gabriele Bocciarelli
Vanya Marinoff
Giampiero Bianchi
Alfredo, marito di Silvia
Hedy Krissane
Hedy, domestico di Mercuri
SEASONS (10 seasons, 48 episodes)
SEASON 1
01
Episode 1
Corrado Cattani replaces the murdered Palermo chief of police Marineo.
02
Episode 2
Cattani discovers what happened the night Marineo was murdered, but the information is dangerous.
03
Episode 3
Cattani focuses his investigation on rich business men, while his private life is getting more and more difficult.
04
Episode 4
Cattani sets a trap for some of the key mafia players, resulting in the kidnapping of his only daughter.
05
Episode 5
Cattani hides the truth about his daughters disappearance from his wife and colleagues while at the same time fighting opposition in his work place.
06
Episode 6
Cattani tries to settle the score with his enemies.
SEASON 2
01
Paola
Police Inspector Cattani fights a losing battle to save his loved daughter's sanity, after what she suffered (see "La Piovra", original mini-series). He loses her,…
02
Friends in Common
Cattani is approached by the Number 2 of his best friend in Rome to conspire against him, and ends up fighting for his life in…
03
Return to Rome
Cattani's love life is as confused as his behaviour; he sleeps with the enemy, and is recruited to ITALA, the cultural association for the study…
04
Vengeance
It leaves an acrid taste in Cattani's mouth, as he loses yet another important ally, and severes his ties with the beautiful Contessa, when he…
05
Criminal Ambition
Cattani's major achievement so far leaves him without friends in Rome; his former teacher explains between whiskeys how easy it is for an intelligent man…
06
Destiny
Cattani's takes one year leave without pay from his desk job at the Intelligence Services, and then destiny presents him with a couple of revenge…
SEASON 3
01
Good and Evil
After the mafia killed his family, and a number of people who trusted him, Cattani sees a couple of criminals condemned to light sentences only.…
02
No Escape
Cattani uses a TV interview to reveal he found out about one of The Octopus telephone numbers. That is enough to spread havoc in the…
03
Thirsting for Vengeance
Cattani falls in love with Giulia, but his inquest does not go far, until Giulia's father dies, and her grandfather takes hold of the family…
04
Refuge
The Antinari bank is backing the illegal arms deal, trusted friends and servants may not be what they seem, and Cattani is undecided between personal…
05
Massacre
Anna Antinari gets hold of documents that are essential for the arms deal, and trusts her life and that of her child daughter Greta to…
06
To the South Again
Cattani meets Giulia again at her mother's funeral, and research and luck bring him up North to Rome, in order to discover the way to…
07
Episode 7
Giulia reconciles with her grandfather Nicola, and her second meeting with chief inspector Corrado Cattani is yet a probe for his loyalty to duty. One…
SEASON 4
01
Episode 1
02
Episode 2
03
Episode 3
04
Episode 4
05
Episode 5
06
Episode 6
SEASON 5
01
Episode 1
Judge Silvia Conti and Davide Licata are in a quest for vengeance against the Mafia.
02
Episode 2
03
Episode 3
04
Episode 4
05
Episode 5
SEASON 6
01
The Killing Attempt
Police detective Davide Licata survives badly wounded, so much so that his personal and love life will be affected.
02
The Core
Licata is tempted by the General directing the Government's "nucleous of operations and investigations (NOI)", a secret service built to do the dirty anti-crime jobs…
03
The Man of the Letters
The hideout of Tani Cariddi in deep Africa becomes known - and again, the retired detective and the retired criminal must come to grips with…
04
The Trap
Not one but several traps are set from both sides of the law.
05
Codename: West
A desperate chase is given by The Core and two countries magistrates to catch the new drug lords that are aiming at deluging drugs into…
06
A Secret is Revealed
The detective exposes and destroys the man who secretively had taken the place of the octopus's head - but the crime will not stop, because…
SEASON 7
01
Return to Sicily
Several characters return to the little town where, years ago, the police commissary Cattani was set up and murdered by the Mafia.
02
The Barrottii Gang
Sara and Biagio, her brother, create an extortion gang, named after the village's suburbs where they live. They are taking the "business" out of Nuzzio's…
03
Look Out for Saverio
Saverio comes home to reunite with Nuzzio against the higher powers of the Mafia, but these are alert and after him, after torturing his mistress…
04
The Inquest
The local television channel, owned by Olga Camastra, puts the blame of her husband's death on Silvia Conti's harsh interrogation of the old man. Saverio's…
05
The Killing Attempt
Silvia is blamed for another strange death, the young commissary Breda is sent away to his hometown far north - something he had requested before…
06
The Sentence
The killing attempt worked almost to perfection, and more blood runs in the streets. Silvia Conti's life is spared due to the intervention of Oleg,…
SEASON 8
01
Episode 1
02
Episode 2
SEASON 9
01
Episode 1
02
Episode 2
SEASON 10
01
Episode 1
02
Episode 2
SERIES INFO
10
Seasons
48
Episodes
120 min/ep
Per Episode
Ended
Status
CREW
Creator
Nicola Badalucco
Creator
Lucio Battistrada
NETWORKS (2)
Rai 1
Rai 2
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Octopus about?
An epic crime saga of power, money, violence and corruption. The mafia controls everything through local and international networks like an octopus, and anyone who tries to bring them down pays the ultimate price.
Where can I watch The Octopus?
The Octopus is available on ARD Plus, Magenta TV+, Prime Video, Rai Play. Availability varies by region.
How many seasons does The Octopus have?
The Octopus has 10 seasons with 48 episodes total.
Who created The Octopus?
The Octopus was created by Nicola Badalucco and Lucio Battistrada.
Who stars in The Octopus?
The cast of The Octopus includes Patricia Millardet, Remo Girone, Elena Arvigo, Rolf Hoppe, Pippo Pattavina.
What is the rating of The Octopus?
The Octopus has a rating of 7.8 out of 10 based on 58 votes on TMDB.
Is The Octopus still running?
The Octopus has ended. The final episode aired on .
GENRES (2)
Drama
Crime
