Figure 1
Sequences of the Festa do Senhor Santo Cristo procession and the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição. Among the most distinctive religious celebrations of the Azores, their inclusion signals a deliberate effort to anchor the narrative in specifically local devotional culture rather than generic Catholic imagery. Source: Rabo de Peixe (Season 1), official trailer, Netflix YouTube channel, 2023. Screenshots by the author.
Figure 2
Shots of São Miguel’s coastline alongside the Ilhéu, one of the most recognisable landmarks of the Azores. Its presence in the series reflects a deliberate showcasing of the archipelago’s landscape, where geography serves as both setting and visual signature. Source: Rabo de Peixe (Season 1), official trailer, Netflix YouTube channel, 2023. Screenshots by the author.
Figure 3
Uncle Joe speaking in English, reflecting his trajectory between the Azores and the United States. The language operates as an interface, smoothing cultural distance while aligning the narrative with the dominant linguistic expectations of global distribution. Source: Rabo de Peixe (Season 1), official trailer, Netflix YouTube channel, 2023. Screenshot by the author.
Figure 4
A fishing boat against the open sea, characters aboard a vessel, and fish handling scenes. The fishing universe as an organising presence in the characters’ daily lives and in the series’ portrayal of the community. Source: Rabo de Peixe (Season 1), official trailer, Netflix YouTube channel, 2023. Screenshots by the author.
Figure 5
Interior views of a police investigation unit, including suspect boards, surveillance imagery, and the police chief’s characterisation. The visual organisation follows established crime genre conventions, rendering investigation processes immediately intelligible across different viewing contexts. Source: Rabo de Peixe (Season 1), official trailer, Netflix YouTube channel, 2023. Screenshots by the author.
Figure 6
The iconic image of cocaine packages washing ashore is reproduced in a heightened, almost caricatural register. The subsequent scenes of women handling cocaine echo the urban legend that circulated locally – of the substance finding its way into everyday domestic tasks such as battering fish or baking. Source: Rabo de Peixe (Season 1), official trailer, Netflix YouTube channel, 2023. Screenshots by the author.
Figure 7
The series’ main cast, all trained in theatre schools in the Lisbon metropolitan area. Recognisable faces to national audiences from accumulated credits in Portuguese series and telenovelas, yet a stark contrast to the impoverished local community they portray. Source: Rabo de Peixe (Season 1), official trailer, Netflix YouTube channel, 2023. Screenshots by the author.
Figure 8
The relationship between the fictional narrative and the real event is negotiated by Netflix in the series’ trailer. The platform’s disclaimer – ‘Inspired by real events (very loosely)’ – anticipates the terms of the debate: a gesture that simultaneously acknowledges the real and distances itself from any obligation toward it. Source: Rabo de Peixe (Season 1), official trailer, Netflix YouTube channel, 2023. Screenshot by the author.