Gomorrah stands out in the "prestige TV" landscape by stripping away the romanticism often found in the American mafia genre. Unlike The Godfather or The Sopranos , there is no focus on "family values" or code of honor to soften the blow. The "hot" intensity of Season 1 is fueled by its hyper-realism—a result of being based on Roberto Saviano's investigative book. Key Themes of Season 1