Mrs. Playmen season 1 ending explained: Who wins the legal battle?

Mrs. Playmen season 1 follows the remarkable rise of Adelina Tattilo as she takes over her husband’s erotic magazine Playmen and turns it into a cultural powerhouse. The show is set in Rome in the late 1960s.

Initially, overshadowed by her husband’s ambitions and living in a conservative moral climate in Italy, Adelina asserts herself by taking on the role of a creative force in Playmen. She stands up to censorship in the s*xually charged male world of publishing, while trying to normalize female desire.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers for the show. Reader's discretion is advised.

Along the way, she battles with the church’s moral cavity, the emergence of other competitive magazines, and her own story of empowerment and rebellion. Mrs. Playmen season 1 culminates in a protracted legal and corporate battle between Playmen and the American magazine Playboy.

Ultimately, Playmen triumphs in court as Adelina’s team finds that Playboy itself had borrowed its name and had been part of a long history of pulling material from previous iterations of itself. This renders the accusations and counterclaims against Playmen controversial, allowing the Italian magazine to freely publish.

---

Does Elsa choose revenge in Mrs. Playmen season 1?

Elsa's journey begins with exploitation when Playmen releases unauthorized images of her. After seeking justice and attempting to expose Adelina, Elsa is put in contact with police officer Andrea De Cesari, who recruits her to gather and document evidence against Adelina.

Elsa is initially torn between wanting to get revenge on Adelina and empathizing with her situation, and therefore reluctantly agrees to act as a spy for the police. Working under Adelina's mentorship as a model in Playmen, Elsa starts to realize Adelina isn't exploiting them or other women but is trying to empower them.

The police investigation further complicates Elsa's loyalty to either side, as she begins to fall in love with Andrea, who embodies moral authority in the police force. Later in the series, Andrea is critically injured during a violent protest. Elsa rushes to take care of her, and they reconnect emotionally.

Towards the end, Elsa refuses to be controlled by either authority and chooses her own path. She forgives Andrea and heals from the trauma.

Also read: Landman season 2 cast and characters

---

Does Lorenzo choose Anna in the Mrs. Playmen season 1 finale?

A still from the show (Image via YouTube/Netflix)

Adelina's son, Lorenzo, becomes entangled in a tumultuous relationship with Anna, a young woman enamored with the ideals of free love and rebellion. However, Anna's curiosity about countercultural freedom risks becoming more dangerous due to her association with a 21-year-old criminal, Gianluca. Without knowing Gianluca's true self, Anna agrees to hide a gun for him.

Out of fear, Anna asks Lorenzo for assistance, which he offers despite his anger after he sees her kiss Gianluca at his birthday party. Lorenzo agrees to help Anna return the gun to Gianluca during a political protest. With protests escalating, both Adelina and Anna's mother rush to help, acknowledging that maternal instincts surpass political ideologies.

In the fight, Gianluca fires the gun at police officer Andrea De Cesari, and although Andrea is hit, he survives. Afterward, Anna urges Lorenzo to run away with her and Gianluca, but Lorenzo refuses, choosing instead to uphold his responsibility rather than flee.

Also read: How many episodes will there be in Landman season 2?

---

Does Adelina win her case against Saro in Mrs. Playmen season 1?

A still from the show (Image via YouTube/Netflix)

The most personal conflict in Mrs. Playmen season 1 is between Adelina and her husband, Saro Balsamo, over the control of the magazine. Adelina is working hard to make Playmen into a well-respected cultural institution, while Saro aims to implement a magazine driven by male fantasy that turns a profit. When he returns to take the company back, Saro's aggression escalates to violence after Adelina makes a purchase offer.

His aggressive tactics extend to the children when he threatens to seek custody if she does not surrender Playmen. Ultimately, Saro fails to fulfill his wishes as Lella, his secretary, reveals that he has secretly and illegally married overseas without divorcing Adelina, thus rendering his leverage meaningless.

In the Mrs. Playmen season 1 finale, Saro's big plan to overpower Adelina backfires, and she regains ownership of Playmen. The final scene shows her standing alone, empowered, having regained control of her company and secured her freedom.

Also read: Where was Pluribus season 1 filmed? Complete guide to all filming locations

---

Mrs. Playmen season 1 is available to stream on Netflix.

Edited by Riya Peter