Ep 1. Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods, Part 1 (Episode 1 of 20)

Don Matteo is an Italian crime television show that has been running for over a decade. This particular episode, Season 12 Episode 1, entitled 'Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods, Part 1,' is the first of twenty episodes in this season.

The show centers around the main character, Don Matteo, played by Terence Hill, who is a priest in a small Italian town. Although he is a man of the cloth, Don Matteo has a penchant for solving crimes, serving as the local police force's unofficial consultant.

As the episode begins, we see Don Matteo getting ready for the day ahead, accompanied by his trusty dog Pio. Don Matteo receives a call from the police commissioner asking him to come to the station. When Don Matteo arrives, he is greeted by the police commissioner, who introduces him to a new officer, who will be working alongside them.

As Don Matteo is getting up to speed with what is happening in the town, a new case comes across their desks. A woman has been found dead in her home, and there are no signs of a break-in. The police suspect that the woman's husband may be the culprit, as he has a history of violence.

Don Matteo is reluctant to suspect the husband, as he knows him to be a gentle man who would never hurt his wife. However, the more they investigate, the more evidence seems to point towards the husband's guilt.

As Don Matteo delves deeper into the case, he discovers that there may be a more sinister motive for the murder. The woman was an artist who had been commissioned to create a statue for the local church. However, she had been struggling to come up with a design that satisfied the church's expectations.

It soon comes to light that the church's expectations were not just artistic but financial as well. The church had been receiving funding from a wealthy benefactor, who had recently set his sights on another project. The church was desperate to impress the benefactor and keep his funding, and they had put pressure on the artist to create a work of art that would impress him.

Don Matteo begins to suspect that the benefactor may be involved in the murder, and he sets out to find evidence to prove his theory. As he investigates, he discovers that the benefactor is not the only one with a financial interest in the statue.

Don Matteo finds himself drawn into a web of deceit and corruption as he tries to uncover the truth about the murder. His investigations lead him to cross paths with some unsavory characters, and he puts himself in danger as he gets closer to the truth.

Throughout the episode, there are many twists and turns as Don Matteo tries to solve the case. The episode ends with a cliffhanger, as Don Matteo finds himself in a precarious situation. The audience is left wondering what will happen next and how Don Matteo will get out of the predicament he finds himself in.

Overall, the first episode of Don Matteo Season 12 is an engaging and thrilling start to the new season. With plenty of action, suspense, and intrigue, it promises to be a captivating season for fans of the show.