Maltese - Il romanzo del commissario

The acting and the plot development are really good as mentioned in other reviews. However, what really sets this apart from other shows is the settings they have used, the filters that bring out a wide Mediterranean palette and the overall gorgeous cinematography. It's a TV show, but it's been shot as if it was being put on a cinema screen. The opening credits (superbly soundtracked by a sub-house theme tune from Ralf Hildenbeutel) are a good collection of the quality of the cinematography on play. The Sicilian landscape and architecture become practically the main character of the show.

The plot gets quite complex over the first several episodes before straightening out, but it also works somewhat as a mood piece, where you can just soak into the setting.