THE LAW ACCORDING TO LIDIA POËT on Netflix is a new Italian crime series. It’s based on the true story of Italy’s first female lawyer. A classic crime series featuring a new case in each of the six episodes. Read our The Law According to Lidia Poët review here!

THE LAW ACCORDING TO LIDIA POËT is a new Netflix crime series from Italy, where the title is simply Lidia Poët. The series is based on the true story of how the title character became the first female lawyer in Italy. Before the end of episode 1, her license is revoked.

This is a simple event that shows how much of a constant battle, she went through. The series plays out like a classic crime show with a new case in each episode. There are 6 episodes in season 1 and the episodes are all around the 45-minute mark.

Continue reading our The Law According to Lidia Poët series review below. All six episodes of season 1 are on Netflix from February 15, 2023.

Being a woman in Italy in the late 1800s

The story of Lidia Poët plays out in Turin, Italy in the late 1800s. The first female lawyer in Italy has a very brief career as a ruling by the Turin Court of Appeals declares Lidia Poët’s admission to the bar association unlawful. Based solely on the reason that she is a woman.

This obviously prevents her from practicing law. And as an even more obvious result, she can’t make any money for herself. Full of pride, but also at the mercy of the men in her life, Lidia convinces her brother, Enrico, to hire her to be his assistant.

Meanwhile, she also prepares an appeal to overturn the court ruling. Of course!

Being a woman is just one of the ways Lidia Poët provokes the people around her. She also studies crime solving outside of Italy. Having read about fingerprints, she tries to get this implemented but is ridiculed and ignored.

In just about every way, Lidia is way ahead of her time. Her approach to helping prove the innocence of clients is one that feels like something out of a classic crime novel. She observes and provokes in order to gauge the reactions of those she suspects of being involved.

The Law According to Lidia Poet – Review – Netflix Series

Matilda De Angelis is Lidia Poët

Officially, this Netflix series is described as being “a light procedural drama, reinterpreting the true story of Lidia Poët, Italy’s first female lawyer”. This is a very direct description that fails to mention that Matilda De Angelis is amazing in the title role.

You may know Matilda De Angelis from the HBO series The Undoing which starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.

I had never heard of Lidia Poët before watching The Law According to Lidia Poët on Netflix. But if this series is even remotely close to the true story, I can certainly see why she managed to become Italy’s first female lawyer. She is smart as a whip, brave, brazen, and relentless.

One detail I really loved was how colorful she’s shown to be. All while walking briskly in a manner that reminded me of how Suranne Jones portrayed Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack. It’s a detail that shows she will not allow anything to stop or derail her.

Lidia even uses her brother-in-law, Jacopo, who is portrayed by Eduardo Scarpetta – you’ll recognize him if you’ve watched the amazing Italian HBO series My Brilliant Friend.

Watch The Law According to Lidia Poët season 1 on Netflix now!

The creators of The Law According to Lidia Poët are Guido Iuculano(Una vita tranquilla) and Davide Orsini (The Land of Dreams). Also listed as writers on IMDb are Elisa Dondi (Girls Feels: Forces of Nature), Daniela Gambaro (Everything Calls for Salvation), and Paolo Piccirillo (The Sea Beyond).

The directors of the series are Letizia Lamartire (the Netflix series Baby) and Matteo Rovere (Romulus).

For a production like this, the setting, costumes, and make-up are extremely important as well. After all, it is a period piece with the story playing out more than 100 years ago. While I can’t say if it’s all accurate, it does look absolutely amazing!

Womentainment recommendation: Watch this if you like brilliant women and crime stories!

Personally, I always enjoy a good crime story and I also love watching brilliant women at work. Obviously, this means The Law According to Lidia Poët is a very solid match for me. It’s perhaps lighter than you would expect in some ways.

However, I tend to think this is merely to get some of the deeper and darker points across. A little sugar on the medicine, if you will.

Season 1 of The Law According to Lidia Poët is on Netflix from February 15, 2023.

Creators: Guido Iuculano, Davide Orsini
Directors: Letizia Lamartire, Matteo Rovere
Cast: Matilda De Angelis, Eduardo Scarpetta, Pierluigi Pasino, Sinead Thornhill, Dario Aita, Sara Lazzaro, Mia McGovern Zaini, Nicolo Pasetti

Official plot:

Forbidden from practicing law, a woman prepares an appeal to overturn the court’s decision in this true story of Lidia Poët, Italy’s first female lawyer.