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Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

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Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy
Presented byStanley Tucci
ComposerEvan Lurie
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes14
Production
Running time60 minutes (incl. adverts)
Production companyRaw Television
Original release
NetworkCNN
ReleaseFebruary 14, 2021 (2021-02-14) –
October 30, 2022 (2022-10-30)

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy is an American travel and food show that premiered on February 14, 2021, on CNN. The series follows American actor Stanley Tucci, who travels around Italy visiting each region and exploring their cultures, cuisine, and history.[1]

The series has received seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning Emmys for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series in 2021, 2022, and 2024.[2] Its second season premiered on May 1, 2022.[3]

CNN canceled the show in December 2022 as part of the network's revamp and cancellation of all original programming because of Warner Bros. Discovery's cost cuts. Tucci expressed interest in continuing the show on another network.[4][5] In 2024, Tucci filmed another 10 episodes exploring Italian cuisine for the National Geographic network. The show will be named Tucci: The Heart of Italy.[6][7]

Episodes

[edit]
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
16February 14, 2021 (2021-02-14)March 21, 2021 (2021-03-21)
28[8]May 1, 2022 (2022-05-01)October 30, 2022 (2022-10-30)[8]

Season 1 (2021)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byOriginal air date
11"Naples and the Amalfi Coast"Satiyesh ManoharajahFebruary 14, 2021 (2021-02-14)
22"Rome"Satiyesh Manoharajah & Neil FergusonFebruary 21, 2021 (2021-02-21)
33"Bologna"Satiyesh ManoharajahFebruary 28, 2021 (2021-02-28)
44"Milan"Chiara Messineo & Neil FergusonMarch 7, 2021 (2021-03-07)
55"Tuscany"Satiyesh Manoharajah & Archie PowellMarch 14, 2021 (2021-03-14)
66"Sicily"Chloë Avery & Chiara MessineoMarch 21, 2021 (2021-03-21)

Season 2 (2022)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [8]Directed byOriginal air date [8]
71"Venice"Ian DenyerMay 1, 2022 (2022-05-01)
82"Piedmont"Gareth JohnsonMay 8, 2022 (2022-05-08)
93"Umbria"Ian DenyerMay 15, 2022 (2022-05-15)
104"London"Ian DenyerMay 22, 2022 (2022-05-22)
115"Calabria"Leo McCreaOctober 9, 2022 (2022-10-09)
126"Sardinia"Christian WattOctober 16, 2022 (2022-10-16)
137"Puglia"Leo McCreaOctober 23, 2022 (2022-10-23)
148"Liguria"UnknownOctober 30, 2022 (2022-10-30)

Production

[edit]

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tucci acknowledged the influence of another CNN original series, Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. Tucci said: "The show that we are doing is distinctly different than his: I am not nearly as adventurous as Tony was, not nearly. Or as brave. But what he did is open the doors to all of us who were interested in food, and travel, to explore in our own ways. He was an extraordinary writer, a nice person, and a great explorer of the human condition through food."[9] In a February 2022 interview with People magazine, Tucci said that he would "never try to take [Bourdain's] place".[10]

Amy Entelis, CNN's executive vice president of talent and content development, said: "The Bourdain show was a big experiment at the time, but it quickly became clear that our audience was very interested in stories beyond breaking news, but that were interesting, substantive, thought-provoking stories about food and culture around the world". Entelis added, “There was never a question in our minds about whether we would return [to the genre], it was going to be, what is the right show, who is the right person, what is the right time in terms of launching something new. I think we feel really good right now about putting this show out in the world.”[9]

Four of the episodes in the first season were filmed in the fall of 2019, while the episodes set in Naples and Bologna were filmed in the summer of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.[11]

The series was renewed for a second season on February 24, 2021.[12]

Release

[edit]

On January 19, 2022, it was announced that the second season would premiere on March 13, 2022.[13] However, on March 2, it was announced that the premiere had been postponed to an unspecified date later in the spring, due to CNN's continuing coverage of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[14] On April 12, 2022, it was announced that the premiere had been rescheduled for May 1, 2022.[3] The second season's first four episodes aired in May (then on BBC Two in October), and its final four episodes aired beginning on October 9, 2022.[15]

Reception

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Ratings

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The show's premiere on February 14, 2021, had 1.52 million viewers, and its second episode, which aired on February 21, had 1.64 million viewers. The show's main viewing demographic consisted of adults between the ages of 25 and 54.[12]

Critical reception

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 71% based on 7 reviews, with an average rating of 5.30/10.[16] On Metacritic, the series has an aggregated score of 71 out of 100 based on 8 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[17]

John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal, wrote that Stanley Tucci is "not a performer given to grand gestures. So when he tastes the yolk-fattened spaghetti carbonara in a Roman restaurant, closes both eyes and spontaneously hugs the chef, it is the equivalent of fireworks over the Tiber", adding that the series contains a number of such moments. He concluded: "It’s a marvelously well-written show, briskly paced, and makes the rest of the food-TV competition as appetizing as last night’s mozzarella sticks."[18] Helen Rosner of The New Yorker described the series as "a good show, but not quite a great one. Its culinary discoveries ... are not new, and its gloss on the less glamorous aspects of Italian culture and history are rarely more than decorative". She described Tucci in the series as "a figure out of time", and wrote: "Like Tucci, Anthony Bourdain was rich in charisma and possessed unlikely sex appeal. But Bourdain the travel-show host served as a spotlight, fondly illuminating the people and places around him. Tucci is an electromagnet. Even when he’s in a crowd, he seems like the only person on the screen", adding: "the show is at its best when it stops fighting the desire to focus entirely on him".[19]

Sophie Gilbert, writing for The Atlantic, said that the series "presents itself as escapism, even as it half-acknowledges the reality of the pandemic", and wrote: "Some travelogues, such as the late Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, seek out underexplored destinations and culinary traditions. Searching for Italy takes its audience through the most obvious stops on the Italian itinerary (Rome! Milan! Tuscany!) while winking at the darker crevices of our imagination."[20] Caroline Framke, writing for Variety, criticized the series for choosing to air an episode filmed during a brief period of respite from the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy as the first episode. However, she praised Tucci for exploring Rome's less well-known locations and meals in the second episode, including "a fascinating detour into the inventive ways Italian chefs have transformed offal, or all the organs and bits of gristly meat that poorer Italians learned to work into delicacies."[11] Lucy Mangan of The Guardian gave the series 3/5 stars, writing: "Tucci is an utterly inoffensive guide throughout this sweet, light delizia of a documentary, but there is one moment with Coccia that nicely illustrates his one weakness – which is that he is slightly too muted, too self-effacing."[21]

Benji Wilson of The Daily Telegraph gave the series 2/5 stars, writing: "Tucci is a wonderful actor but a less engaging tour guide, largely because he’s as smooth and perfect as a gleaming burrata."[22] John Doyle of The Globe and Mail wrote: "You want more information than comes in a tourism brochure. Sometimes what Tucci offers, in his beautifully modulated voice, is simply bad, simplified history and worse social science."[23]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2021
 Critics' Choice Real TV Awards Best Travel/Adventure Series Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy Won [24][25]
Best Show Host Stanley Tucci Nominated
Male Star of the Year Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special Stanley Tucci, Adam Hawkins, Eve Kay, Amy Entelis,
Lyle Gamm, Jon Adler, and Molly Harrington 		Won [26]
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera) Tom O'Pray and Chris Gibbions (for "Naples and the Amalfi Coast") Nominated
2022
 Producers Guild of America Awards Best Non-Fiction Television Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy Nominated [27]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special Stanley Tucci, Tom Barry, Eve Kay, Adam Hawkins,
Amy Entelis, Lyle Gamm, and Jon Adler 		Won [28]
Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program Andrew Muggleton (for "Venice") Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program Ian Denyer (for "Venice") Nominated
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program Hamit Shonpal (for "Venice") Nominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera) Tom O'Pray and Renato Ferrari (for "Venice") Nominated
Cinema Eye Honours Outstanding Anthology Series Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy Nominated [29]
Outstanding Broadcast Cinematography Andrew Muggleton Nominated
2023
 Producers Guild of America Awards Best Non-Fiction Television Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy Won [30]
Hollywood Creative Alliance Creative Arts TV Awards Best Broadcast Network or Cable Nonfiction Series Nominated [31]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special Won [32]
Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program Andrew Muggleton (for "Calabria") Nominated
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program Liz Roe (for "Calabria") Nominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program (Single or Multi-Camera) Matt Skilton, Christopher Syner (for "Calabria") Nominated

Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico

[edit]

Raw Television repeated the format of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy with 2023's Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico, presented by actor Eva Longoria. Tucci is an executive producer.[33][34]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "'Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy': What's on the menu". CNN. February 15, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  2. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 12, 2021). "'Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy' Tops Oprah's Harry & Meghan Interview, David Letterman To Win Emmy For Hosted Nonfiction Series Or Special". Deadline. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Tucci, Stanley [@stanleytucci] (April 12, 2022). "Are you ready?..." – via Instagram.
  4. ^ Steinberg, Brian (December 15, 2022). "CNN Cancels Stanley Tucci's 'Searching for Italy' After Two Seasons". Yahoo!. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  5. ^ Malkin, Marc (May 3, 2023). "Stanley Tucci Is 'Pretty Confident' Canceled Travel Show 'Searching for Italy' Will Find a New Home". Variety. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  6. ^ Steinberg, Brian (December 14, 2023). "Stanley Tucci Sets New Italy TV Show at Nat Geo After CNN Dropped Him". Variety. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  7. ^ Manske, Laura. "Stanley Tucci Is Back In Italy With An All-New Travel Food TV Show". Forbes. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Why Stanley Tucci's 'Searching for Italy' Was the "Right Show" to Bring the Travel-Food Genre Back to CNN". The Hollywood Reporter. February 12, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  10. ^ Quinn, Dave (February 4, 2022). "Stanley Tucci Says He'd 'Never' Try to Take Anthony Bourdain's Place with His Food-Travel Series". People. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Framke, Caroline (February 13, 2021). "'Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy' Makes For a (Mostly) Charming Tour: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Johnson, Ted (February 24, 2021). "CNN Picks Up 'Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy' For Second Season". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  13. ^ Tucci, Stanley [@stanleytucci] (January 19, 2022). "Risotto, Pasta, Wild Boar, Truffles, Barolo..." – via Instagram.
  14. ^ Tucci, Stanley [@stanleytucci] (March 2, 2022). "Due to the situation in Ukraine, season two of Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy will be delayed and will premiere later this spring" – via Instagram.
  15. ^ "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy Continues October 9 at 9pm ET/PT". CNN. September 14, 2022. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  16. ^ "Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy (Season 1)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  17. ^ "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy". Metacritic. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  18. ^ Anderson, John (February 11, 2021). "'Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy' Review: Mouthwateringly Good". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  19. ^ Rosner, Helen (March 27, 2021). "The Timeless Fantasy of Stanley Tucci Eating Italian Food". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  20. ^ Gilbert, Sophie (March 3, 2021). "What Will We Want When We Can Travel Again?". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  21. ^ Mangan, Lucy (February 27, 2022). "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy review – a sweet, light delight of a documentary". The Guardian. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  22. ^ Wilson, Benji (February 27, 2022). "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, review – wide-eyed gorge fest fails to do what it says on the tin". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  23. ^ Doyle, John (March 23, 2021). "Is Stanley Tucci's food and travel show brilliantly timed or baloney?". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  24. ^ Grobar, Matt (June 2, 2021). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' & Netflix Lead Critics Choice Real TV Award Nominations; Alex Trebek Set For Impact Award". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  25. ^ Hipes, Patrick (June 21, 2021). "Critics Choice Real TV Awards Winners: 'RuPaul's Drag Race', Netflix Top List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  26. ^ "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  27. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 27, 2022). "PGA Awards Nominations: 'Licorice Pizza', 'Don't Look Up', 'Dune', 'King Richard' & 'CODA' Among Pics Vying For Marquee Prize". Deadline. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  28. ^ Moreau, Jordan (July 12, 2022). "Emmys 2022: Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  29. ^ Carey, Matthew (October 20, 2022). "Cinema Eye Honors: 'Four Hours At The Capitol,' 'The Beatles: Get Back' Lead First Round Of Nominations For Documentary Awards Show". Deadline. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  30. ^ Verhoeven, Beatrice (January 12, 2023). "Producers Guild Awards 2023 Film and TV Nominations Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  31. ^ Anderson, Erik (July 11, 2023). "'The Boys', 'Yellowjackets', 'Abbott Elementary' lead 2023 HCA TV Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  32. ^ "75th Emmy Awards Complete Nominations List" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  33. ^ "Eva Longoria has fun emulating Stanley Tucci in Searching for Mexico".
  34. ^ "Eva Longoria & Stanley Tucci's CNN Original Doc Series Join Banijay Slate". July 6, 2023.
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