Unprotected

Unprotected is a dynamic American reality television program that aired in 2017 on the Oxygen Network. The program, which traverses through a series of compelling narrative arcs, promises to deliver a slice of the unpredictable, riveting, and humorous day-to-day happenings of its main characters.

Unprotected gives us a candid peak into the lives of the Cantarella family, who at one time were associated with the underworld of the American mafia. The family comprised of Richard Cantarella, a former member of the Bonanno crime family and his wife Lauretta, their son Richie and daughter Pauline, abandoned their old life in the mob, cooperated with the authorities and entered the witness protection program.

The viewers are introduced to the Cantarella’s post-witness protection life, where they have transitioned from crime to legitimacy in Scottsdale, Arizona. Richard, Lauretta, and their children strive to navigate through the dynamics of a normal life after living a life steeped in secrecy and criminality, making it a mixed bag of emotions, cooked together with dark comedy, family values, change, growth, and facing the challenges that life presents to us.

Richard Cantarella, once a high-ranking member of one of New York's notorious mafia families, is seen living a relatively subdued life. Despite his past, Richard emerges as a charismatic, determined, and resilient character whose transformation from a criminal to a law-abiding citizen stirs in viewers an array of feelings ranging from intrigue to admiration. Lauretta, his wife, plays the supporting role of holding the family together even as they grapple with the realities of their newfound existence.

The family’s most ambitious venture is embodied in their car-washing business, aptly named "Wash Me". Operating this legitimate business in stark contrast to their previous life adds a fascinating dimension to their story. Herein lies the charm of Unprotected — the blending of something as mundane as a car wash business with such a complex and subtly narrated past gives this show its unique appeal.

The show’s intrigue comes heightened with the character of their son Richie, who with little knowledge of his family's past, has his own challenges to grapple with. As a young entrepreneur trying tirelessly to expand the family business and struggling to shake off the family’s past, his story introduces its own set of unique conflicts. Pauline, the Cantarella daughter, plays her own role as the brazen, down-to-earth character trying to find normalcy amid the whirlwind of her unraveled family history.

The Cantarella family’s knack to maintain humor amidst their extraordinary circumstances adds a light-hearted element to the show. Their candidness and familial bonds, showcased raw and unadulterated, give the show its heart. It is this honesty within the touchstone of absurdity that alleviates Unprotected from an ordinary witness-protection tales to a much more comprehensive family saga. Consequently, it turns the Cantarella’s into not just former mobsters trying hard to change their lot, but also a very relatable modern family treading through the trials and tribulations of life – albeit in their unique way.

From the quaint interiors of their Arizona house to the suds-soaked environment of the family-run car wash, every setting in Unprotected tells its story, as do the vibrant character dynamics and the riveting plotline that the show presents. Throughout the series, viewers will experience a roller-coaster of emotions that will leave them moved, astounded, and laughing, hankering for more.

In conclusion, Unprotected is a rather off-beat reality television series that offers viewers a heady mix of a mafia tale, a comeback narrative, familial conflicts and bonding, and a strong dose of comedy. It is a rare kind of television show, one that dares to explore many genres within a single narrative arc and does so with dexterity. This playfulness with themes and the ability to cushion the harder realities of life with humor makes Unprotected a must-watch. It bears testament to the undeniable strength of the human spirit to not be defined by its past but to change, adapt and keep marching forward, one day at a time.