1994 in Italian television

• 20 March: the TG3 reporter Ilaria Alpi and the cameramen Miran Hrovatin are killed in an ambush in Mogadiscio, while they are covering the operation Restore Hope. The killing, most likely bound to the Alpi’s enquiries about the arms and toxic waste traffic, is by now unpunished.[1]

• 14 December - Debut of Re per una notte, a series hosted by Gigi Sabani in which members of the public impersonate their favourite singers.

• Carramba che sorpresa! – with Raffaella Carrà; 8 seasons. Italian version of the British Surprise, surprise, it’s a s mix of variety and reality show, with ordinary people who surprise meet lost relatives or their favorite stars. The succes of the show generates the Italian word “carrambata” to mean an unexpected encounter.[2]

• Misteri (Mysteries) – program about paranormal events and pseudoscience, hosted by Lorenza Foschini; 5 seasons.[3]

Variety

• 14 December - Re per una notte (1994-1996)

• 6 March - Renegade (Italia 1) (1992-1997)
• 14 August - Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (Italia 1) (1993)
• The Dreamstone (Rai 1) (1990-1995)
• X-Men (Canale 5) (1992-1997)
• Bananas in Pyjamas (Rai 2) (1992-2001, 2011-2013)
• Biker Mice From Mars (Rai 1) (1994-1996)
• Sonic the Hedgehog (Italia 1) (1993-1994)

• A che punto è la notte (How deep the night is) – by Nanni Loy (last direction), detective story in two episodes, from the Fruttero & Lucentini’s novel. Marcello Mastroianni resumes the role of the superintendent Santamaria, already played in The Sunday woman.[4]

• Benito – by Gianluigi Calderone, with Antonio Banderas in the title role, Claudia Koll (Rachele Mussolini) and Luca Zingaretti (Pietro Nenni); script by Vincenzo Cerami and Lidia Ravera; 3 episodes.[5]
• Italian restaurant – romantic comedy by Giorgio Capitani, with Gigi Proietti as the owner of an Italian restaurant in New York, Nancy Brilli and Cristiana Capotondi; 8 episodes.[6]

• L’approfondimento in casa Gnocchi (The deepening to Gnocchi’s) – satirical show; Gene Gnocchi (at his RAI debut) and his dazed family comment the events of the week.[7]

• La lunga marcia (The long march) – by Enzo Biagi, in 6 episodes; reportage about China.[8]
• Eppur si muove (And yet it moves) – talk show about the Italian custom, ideated and hosted by Indro Montanelli and Beniamino Placido.[9]