Family stories in Italy and the United States
What is it about?
This article provides an analysis of the TV series Tutto può succedere (‘Anything could happen’) (RAI 1, 2015‐18), the Italian adaptation of the American format Parenthood (NBC, 2010‐15). The main objective is to examine, through a qualitative analysis of the texts, the narrative efficacy of the Italian adaptation both in terms of stylistic and expressive forms and cultural identity of the product.
Why is it important?
The analysis assumes that every form of reproduction from an original text is always a ‘new story’. The founding elements of the new Italian story, as compared to the original, are: a stronger enhancement of the family’s unity, an approach to everyday reality more in a private perspective and a cultural reworking of the female characters. In so doing, Anything could happen proved to be an effective adaptation: it gave the story a specific Italian identity (the value of family and motherhood) and took from Parenthood innovative forms of storytelling with respect to the Italian narrative tradition.