Teresa Saponangelo is the "invisible woman" in Netflix's new crime drama titled Sara: Woman in the Shadows season 1. It's a 6-episode Italian drama series that premiered on the streaming platform on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. It delivers a mix of mystery, suspense, and emotional drama following the protagonist, Sara, a former top agent for the Secret Service.
The gripping crime mystery surrounding Sara's son's suspicious death clashes with her dangerous past against the backdrop of Napoli. It's where the series is set. In keeping with the show's genre and the dark and emotional story of the main protagonist's journey, Sara: Woman in the Shadows season 1 filmed its scenes all over Italy. Specifically, it was shot around Naples and Rome.
The two historic cities provide the perfect setting and visuals underscored by the lies, deceit, and danger shown in the series.
Sara: Woman in the Shadows season 1 was filmed entirely in Italy
The show is set and filmed entirely in Italy, offering a distinctive authenticity and atmosphere that the crime thriller demands. The first season of the series reportedly started its principal photography in June 2023.
Specifically, Sara: Woman in the Shadows season 1 filmed its scenes in Naples and Rome. They served as the backdrop of Sara's search for the truth about her son's sudden and mysterious death.
Rome
The Italian capital served as the primary backdrop to the series, with most of the indoor and outdoor scenes shot here. Rome is known for its historic architecture and old-world visual charm, making it an ideal setting that helps highlight the secrets and mysteries in the series.
Rome also boasts a selection of production studios where the cast and crew filmed indoor shots. The Italian capital has been the filming setting for several recently-released shows and movies like Another Simple Favor, Emily in Paris, and Fountain of Youth.
Naples
Another filming spot for Sara: Woman in the Shadows season 1 is the capital of Campania, Napoli, a city known for its natural beauty, which was used for filming many outdoor shots and action sequences in the crime series.
One of the famous neighborhoods in Napoli that made it into the show includes Taverna del Ferro, a housing estate located in the coastal suburb of San Giovanni a Teduccio on the outskirts of Napoli.
Another area used in the outdoor shots of Sara: Woman in the Shadows season 1 includes the Galleria Principe di Napoli. It's an 18th-century gallery famous for its glass ceilings and also used as a commercial building.
What is Sara: Woman in the Shadows season 1 all about?
The Italian crime thriller is based on the book series by Maurizio de Giovanni called Le indagini di Sara, which follows retired Secret Service agent Sara (Teresa Saponangelo) as she investigates her son's mysterious death. Sara's life had been quiet, calm, and away from dangerous action after leaving the Secret Service.
However, the quiet turned to chaos and mystery after receiving a phone call that her son had died. Her story takes a darker tone after she starts to suspect that his son's death was a s*icide. It forced her to reconnect with an old co-worker, Teresa. She now heads the secret service group that once recruited Sara.
However, the help in finding the truth about her son's death would cost Sara a great deal. She's being called to return to her old life as the spy known as the "invisible woman."
Catch all six episodes of Sara: Woman in the Shadows season 1 streaming on Netflix.