CITADEL

I love crossover episodes. My ultimate crossover was Law & Order and Homicide: Life on the Street. I loved both shows, so bringing them together was amazing. When Detective Munch joined Law & Order: SVU and made references to Baltimore, I knew exactly what he was referring to! Knowing this kind of background information on a character makes them feel more real, and we get a better idea of the complexity of their personality.

Amazon Prime has created something similar with a slightly different spin. The Citadel series currently has three versions: US, Italy, and India. I found the US version to be entertaining but not groundbreaking. It wasn’t until curiosity got the better of me and I watched Citadel: Diana that I started to see the wider concept at work. The crossover aspect happens in the US and Italian versions but is more pronounced in the later episodes. I expect the frequency of cross-over information to increase as the storylines develop.

The third installment is from India, Citadel: Honey & Bunny. This storyline connects back to the original Citadel, showing the origins of a main character. I was delighted to see Kay Kay Menon as a central character. He is one of my favorite Indian actors, often playing complex and nuanced characters.

Each installment has a distinct style due to using local production companies to write and produce them. They use the central idea of an international network to connect the stories but then make each story authentic to their country’s industry. I’ve seen plenty of drama formats remade for various countries with insignificant results. I find this approach to be innovative as well as unique and interesting.

The definition of a Citadel is a fortress, typically on high ground, protecting or dominating a city. The word is derived from the Latin word civitas, meaning citizenship or the state. Protecting a city or group of people from harm is a common theme across international television programming. The added connections between each installment reinforce the idea of groups of people across the world working for a common goal. I hope this series will introduce viewers to new actors, cultures, and styles they might not have been exposed to otherwise.