Boris is an Italian satirical comedy television series created by Luca Manzi and Carlo Mazzotta, initially produced from 2007 to 2010, with a revival season that premiered in 2022.
Boris brings to the stage the behind-the-scenes of a television set where a troupe is shooting Gli occhi del cuore 2 (The eyes of the heart 2), a satirical portrait of the many dramas airing on Italian TV networks. The series consists of 3 seasons and a movie for the cinema, ', released in 2011. The series first aired in Italy on satellite channels FOX and FX, and subsequently on Cielo and Rai 3.
After an eleven-year hiatus, a revival was produced for Disney+ in 2022. The series is now on Star with an English dub.
Alessandro is a young man eager to enter the world of film and television industry. His dream seems to come true when he lands an internship on the set of the TV drama Gli occhi del cuore 2. However, he quickly realizes that television is nothing like he imagined. From day one, he's surrounded by eccentric and dysfunctional characters.
The production is led by the disillusioned director René Ferretti, who always carries his goldfish, Boris, with him. René has long given up on artistic ambitions and now works on low-quality shows, which he openly admits are shot "like total crap". The lead actor, Stanis La Rochelle, is a mediocre performer who acts like a Hollywood star and constantly complains about traditional Italian acting. The female lead, Corinna Negri, is completely talentless. Arianna, the assistant director, is the only one who tries to keep things under control and genuinely supports Alessandro.
The crew includes: Augusto Biascica, the grumpy head electrician; Duccio Patané, the drug-addicted director of photography who has worked with René for years; Itala, the lazy script supervisor hired through connections; Gloria, the makeup artist; Lorenzo, another intern who is bullied by Biascica; Sergio Vannucci, the production manager obsessed with cutting costs; and Diego Lopez, the network executive trying to balance public taste with political interference. Away from the set, the three unnamed scriptwriters are lazy, unmotivated, and only interested in making money, constantly writing absurd and unrealistic plots.
Over time, the cast expands to include new characters like Cristina Avola-Burkstaller, a spoiled rich girl brought in to replace Corinna; Nando Martellone, a trivial comedian; Karin, a voluptuous actress; and Fabiana, René's talented young daughter.
Boris began filming its first season in early 2007, marking the first original series produced by Wilder for Fox International Channels Italy. Initially titled Sampras, the name had to be changed due to potential legal issues with Nike, which held the rights to the name. Based on a concept by Luca Manzi and Carlo Mazzotta, the show was written by Giacomo Ciarrapico, Mattia Torre, and Luca Vendruscolo, who also directed the first season. The pilot episode was previewed in the "Extra" section at the 2006 Rome Film Festival. The series aired between April and July 2007. On September 11 of that year, Fox aired Gli occhi di Boris: Backstage, a behind-the-scenes special featuring bloopers, unseen footage, and cast interviews.
Although the show initially reached a limited audience due to its broadcast on satellite TV, Boris quickly became a cult hit in Italian television. Many of its quotes and references entered everyday language, thanks largely to strong word of mouthâÂÂand, paradoxically, to online piracy, which helped the show gain wider exposure and build a devoted fanbase.
Filming for season two began on 14 February 2008, and included appearances by comedian Corrado Guzzanti and various guest stars. This season premiered on Fox on 12 May 2008. The direction was shared between Vendruscolo, Ciarrapico, and Torre.
Production for the third seasonâÂÂinitially planned as the lastâÂÂstarted in mid-July 2009 and lasted around 12 weeks. It aired from 1 March 2010, on the FX channel. The first three episodes were previewed at a special event at the Teatro Palladium in Rome, and the first two had also been screened at the Bari International Film Festival. For this season, directing was handed over to Davide Marengo.
The show remained unavailable on free-to-air television for over two years. Although rumors of a possible broadcast on Rai 3 surfaced in early 2008, they remained unconfirmed until 2011, when the network officially picked up the series. In the meantime, Boris made its free-to-air debut on 18 December 2009, on the Cielo channel, which went on to air all three seasons within a few months.
On 1 April 2011, the feature film ' was released in theaters, serving as a continuation of the events of the third season and providing a new ending to the story.
After much speculation, and 11 years after the last season, a fourth season was officially announced on 16 February 2021, during the press conference for the launch of the "Star" section on Disney+. The new season, released as a Star Original, consists of eight episodes, each lasting 30 minutes. During the announcement, the return of the original cast was confirmed, this time navigating the world of streaming and social media platforms. The season was produced by Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment, a Fremantle company. Filming took place between October and December of the same year. The series was released on Disney+ on 26 October 2022.
This list includes only notable guest stars who appeared in a single episode or in a two-part episode.