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Maledictions Season 1 – Kidnap, Corruption & Li-ion Greed

Writer: Niels Gys
Niels Gys
Sep 12, 2025
3 min read

TL;DR

Governor Rovira wants to bulldoze environmental concerns to exploit lithium, his right-hand man kidnaps his 12-year-old daughter to blackmail him, and everyone around them is smiling for the press. Evil doesn’t wear a mask—it shows up in suits and lawbooks.




Villain Power Ranking – Who’s Playing Dirty Best

  • Román Sabaté – He kidnaps the governor’s own child to twist politics. That is audacity. The moral line? Torn up years ago.

  • Governor Fernando Rovira – Greed + ambition + public image = many betrayals, many secrets. He’s the kind of bastard who sells out ethics for power.

  • Rovira’s Mother (“Lady Macbeth” vibe) – Pulls strings, guilt-trips, reminds her son that appearances are everything. Family evil is especially satisfying when it’s so personal.



What Evil Does Well Here

  • The kidnapping: not just for shock—it’s political leverage, emotional chaos, and proof that in this world, your child is collateral.

  • Backroom politics: votes, corporate interests, and titanic pressure to exploit natural resources while pretending you care about nature.

  • Flashbacks: We see Román entering Rovira’s circle, how personal relationships got tangled with political ambition. Betrayal is built, not born.



What Hits & What Slows Down (With Evil Style Comments)

What Hits:

  • The pace is tight. Only three episodes (~40 min each) means less filler, more scheming. Evil thrives when there's no drag.

  • The themes feel timely: resource extraction, environmental cost, political compromise. You don’t pretend it’s pure; everybody has a stake. Evil plays the world’s messiest board.

  • Strong performances, especially from Leonardo Sbaraglia (Rovira) and Gustavo Bassani (Román). The evil isn’t one-dimensional swagger; it’s guilt, manipulation, desperation.

What Slows Down / Feels Off:

  • Some character motivations take a little too long to clarify. Román’s turn from loyal to kidnapper is interesting but requires flashbacks that might feel like side quests.

  • The emotional stakes (daughter, family, public image) are heavy, but occasionally the political machinations overshadow the personal—makes you wish the show balanced the heartache with more villainous revelry.

  • The resolution of certain threads (especially around how much Rovira must betray his own morals) may feel tidy for such a messy foundation. Evil loves mess; neat endings risk undercutting chaos.



CRIMENET Conclusion

Maledictions is a satisfying treat for anyone who thinks political drama should involve kidnap plots, moral blackmail, and dirty deals. I’m rooting for Román’s audacity, for Rovira’s moral collapse, for every lie whispered in back rooms. Evil gets its hands dirty—but it does so with intention.


If you like watching ambition eat its own tail, fear disguised with a handshake, and villains who seem almost sympathetic in how far they’ll go, Maledictions is precious.



FAQ – For Political Thriller Fans

What is Maledictions about?

A three-episode political thriller set in northern Argentina. Governor Fernando Rovira is fighting to block a law that would limit his lithium mining operations. His daughter Zoe is kidnapped by his trusted right-hand man, Román Sabaté, who uses her disappearance as leverage in the political fight.


Who stars in it?

Leonardo Sbaraglia (as Rovira), Gustavo Bassani (Román Sabaté), Alejandra Flechner (Rovira’s mother), Monna Antonópulos, Francesca Varela (the daughter Zoe), among others.


How many episodes / format?

Three episodes, each ~40 minutes. Compact, lean structure.


What themes does it explore?

Power, corruption, environmental destruction, family betrayal, moral compromise. Politics + personal always colliding.


Is it worth watching?

Yes, if you like political thrillers where everyone has dirty hands, and the villainous decisions are as gripping as the hero’s dilemmas. You’ll leave uneasy, maybe disgusted—but definitely entertained.

 
 
 

Comments


About the Editor
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I'm Niels Gys, founder and editor of CRIMENET GAZETTE. I write about crime, heist, villain, and horror games because somebody has to separate genuine criminal masterpieces from games that couldn't organize a successful mugging.

Outside the website, I'm the frontman of JETBLACK SMILE, a Belgian rock 'n' roll band that sounds like bad decisions played through loud guitars. Turns out writing about chaos, criminals, and morally questionable life choices isn't all that different from writing songs.

I started CRIMENET because too much gaming coverage feels afraid to have an opinion. Reviews become press releases, every game is "solid," and somehow everyone leaves happy except the reader.

Not here.

CRIMENET covers crime, heist, villain and horror games, with GTA Online as one of our main ongoing beats. Not the heroic kind. The kind where you rob banks, build empires, betray your crew, or become the monster everyone else is trying to survive.

I don't do review scores. The internet already has enough people arguing whether a game deserves a 72 instead of a 71, like they're negotiating a hostage release over a single percentage point. I'd rather tell you what the game actually feels like to play and whether it's worth your time.

Every article is built on research, evidence, and an unhealthy intolerance for mediocre game design.

 

Strong opinions are welcome. Invented facts are not.

Think less "trusted reviewer."

More "your inside man in the digital underworld."

I'm not here to save the world.

I'm here to tell you which crimes are worth committing. 🤘

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