After six years and four moving seasons, My Brilliant Friend has reached its conclusion. The HBO drama, adapted from Elena Ferrante’s acclaimed novels, has traced the turbulent bond between Elena and Lila, two childhood friends from Naples in the 1950s who grow into women shaped by love, loss, ambition and betrayal.
Since its debut in 2018, the series has been celebrated for its unflinching portrayal of female friendship, its social commentary, and the way it captured the essence of Ferrante’s prose. The final season, directed by Laura Bispuri, carried the weight of expectation, and according to critics, it delivered a fittingly poignant farewell.
The heartbreaking finale of season four
The closing episodes were anything but light. In the penultimate chapter, the infamous Solara brothers meet their end, while Tina, Lila’s young daughter, vanishes without a trace. This tragedy becomes the breaking point in Lila’s life, driving her deeper into isolation and despair.
Meanwhile, Elena faces challenges of her own. Her daughter Dede begins to develop feelings for Gennaro, Lila’s son, while her other daughter, Elsa, impulsively runs away with him. Though Elena eventually finds Elsa with the help of Enzo, the absence of Lila’s support during this ordeal creates a painful rift between the two lifelong friends.
Family ties continue to shift. Dede and Elsa eventually emigrate to the United States, leaving Elena to raise Imma and care for Gennaro. Seeking a fresh start, she decides to move to Turin. This decision culminates in a final confrontation with Lila, whose grief over Tina has left her bitter. She lashes out, insisting that Tina was kidnapped in place of Elena’s daughter, Imma — a devastating accusation that forces Elena to question the cost of their bond.
Their last exchange is marked by both anger and tenderness, a farewell that underlines the fragility and depth of their lifelong connection.
Closing the circle
The finale elegantly ties back to the very beginning. Viewers are returned to the moment from season one, when Gennaro informs Elena of Lila’s mysterious disappearance. It is this phone call that prompts Elena to begin writing the story of their lives, the very narrative we have been following all along.
In the final moments, Elena discovers two dolls — Tina and Nu — left for her by Lila years after she vanished. The gesture is small, yet profoundly moving. As Elena smiles, holding the dolls in her hands, it becomes clear she has accepted that she will never see her friend again.
A farewell worthy of Ferrante
Endings are rarely satisfying in television, but this one feels true to its source. By refusing neat resolutions, the series honours Ferrante’s vision: that friendship, especially one so all-consuming, is messy, painful, and impossible to fully capture.
For those who grew up with Elena and Lila, their goodbye is bittersweet. It reminds us of our own friendships that have slipped away, and of the strange ways people leave traces in our lives long after they are gone.
As My Brilliant Friend bows out, it leaves behind not just a literary adaptation but a modern classic of television, one that dared to place the complexities of women’s lives at its heart. And in doing so, it gave us an ending that, while sad, is nothing short of beautiful.
