We get a lot of different shows following familiar genre tropes. What helps them to stand out is a unique performance, a unique character, or a unique location. In an ideal world, you get more than one. It’s too early to say about the performances and characters, but Hotel Costiera, which dropped on Prime Video today, certainly nails the unique location.
The pilot, “Sheryl,” introduces us to our players and the world. Let’s dive in.
Fun in the sun
We’re quickly introduced to Daniel De Luca (Jesse Williams)—DD to his friends—who is a fixer for a swanky seaside hotel on the Italian coast located off Positano. He’s half Italian, and after spending a career in the Marines, he’s returned to his other homeland for a fresh start. Now, he’s working for Augusto (Tommaso Ragno) helping to improve guest satisfaction.
His first mission is to find the dog of a high-profile guest. Turns out the dog was taken by a few locals who hoped to flip it for some quick cash. It doesn’t take Daniel long to find them, take them out, and return the dog to its lost owner. It’s all in a day—and night’s—work for Daniel.
But current guest problems aren’t his only mission. He’s also working to locate Augusto’s missing daughter—Alice (Amanda Campana)—who disappeared. The trail is hard to follow, but Daniel’s motivation isn’t purely work related, as some flashbacks make clear.
A new guest
It isn’t long before the wealthy Aaron Tarsky (James Faulkner) arrives with his hot, young wife Sheryl (Alejandra Onieva) and his adult daughters and grandchildren. It’s clear the family isn’t fond of Sheryl. They also seem at odds with Aaron over a looming business deal. So, he quickly ditches the rest of the family to take Sheryl out on the boat and do some diving.
When Sheryl awakes a few hours later, Aaron is nowhere to be seen. His family wants to keep it quiet, so Augusto employs Daniel to figure out what happened. Naturally Sheryl is also seen as a prime suspect by the family that feels she’s just a gold-digger.
Daniel quickly turns to his local team—Genny (Jordan Alexandra), Tancredi (Sam Haggarth), and Binge (Antonio Gerardi)—to crack the case. While the signs point to Aaron being dead, Daniel suspects there is more to it. It doesn’t take him long to discover what’s really happened.
Aaron wasn’t a fan of the looming deal and knew his disappearance—and suspected death—would tank the stock. With the stock tanking, the deal would be squelched. So, Aaron shorted his own stock and faked his death. His plan worked, making him millions. But it earns him an invitation to leave, souring his relationship with Augusto, his daughters, and his wife.
A romance and a lead
With Aaron discovered, and the reward handed out to his team, Daniel returns to his mission to find Alice. He connects with a supposed witness only to learn it’s a dead end. He returns to Augusto with the thought that Alice might not want to be found. That leaves them both feeling discouraged.
Meanwhile, he gets a visit from Sheryl. She’s grateful that Daniel cleared her name and also lets it be known she’s filed for divorce. It isn’t long before she and Daniel hook up. But this isn’t just a possible romance—it’s also a lead. Sheryl remembered the board with Alice’s picture, and it sparked a memory.
Turns out, Sheryl and Aaron stumbled across Alice in their travels a week prior. A grainy background image is all Daniel has to go on, but it’s a hot lead. It promises to lead to something as he continues to search for the missing woman.
Thoughts on Hotel Costiera episode 1
I enjoy Williams and I enjoy detective tales. This pairs them together nicely. While there isn’t a ton that feels original about the plot or the characters yet, the location is fun.
The backstory is engaging here, too. I like the potential of the series, and the episode is a breezy 43 minutes. With just a six-episode season, that should make for a fun, quick, binge-able series.
Hotel Costiera is now streaming on Prime Video. Check back here as we recap the entire first season.