A gripping Spanish Mafia thriller, hailed as a 'Garden of Eden for organised crime', has just landed for UK audiences. The series Marbella is now available to stream completely free of charge on Channel 4's on-demand platform.
A Lawyer's Descent into a Criminal Paradise
Originally released in 2024, the show centres on César, a hedonistic and successful lawyer played by actor Hugo Silva. Operating in the sun-drenched, decadent city of Marbella, César navigates a world the show describes as the 'world capital of the mafia'. He understands the rules: to thrive, he must never cross certain lines. However, his life is plunged into chaos when representing minor criminals leads him to make powerful enemies in very high places.
As Channel 4's teaser aptly puts it: 'Marbella's a Garden of Eden for organised crime, with 100 apples - and 200 snakes. Hedonistic lawyer César loves it. Until he gets too cosy with the serpents.' The lawyer soon finds the tables turned, discovering he is in grave danger and is the one desperately in need of legal defence.
Inspired by Real-World Crime Reporting
The series is not pure fiction; it draws direct inspiration from the real underworld of the Costa Del Sol. Marbella is based on the investigative reporting of journalist Nacho Carretero, who famously labelled the Spanish city 'the United Nations of the organised crime world'.
Director Dani de la Torre told Variety that daily news about Marbella's gangs motivated the project. 'Every day, news stories are coming out about the Marbella gangs, but these organisations have so much money that it makes it very difficult for the police to properly fight against them,' he explained. 'What you have now is a special ecosystem in Marbella... The mafia turned the whole of Marbella into their headquarters.'
Viewer Reception and Future Seasons
The show has garnered a solid response from viewers, holding an average IMDb rating of 6.5 out of 10 based on over 325 reviews. Fans have likened it to a 'Spanish Narcos', praising its gritty atmosphere and compelling protagonist.
One reviewer scoring it seven out of ten noted: 'The bad guys are genuinely frightening and do some very unpleasant things. This is balanced by protagonist César; he may be fairly amoral but his four wall breaking asides are fun.' Another highlighted it as perfect for 'fans of Euro crime drama looking for a series that isn't focused on those fighting crime.'
Excitingly for fans, the story is set to continue. A second season of Marbella is confirmed for release in January 2026. While its arrival on Channel 4's platform for the new season is not yet guaranteed, the confirmation ensures more of this dark, sun-soaked saga is on the horizon.
Marbella season one is available to stream now on Channel 4.
