Don Matteo 15 previews, two new episodes tonight on Rai 1

One of the most popular Italian fiction series is finally back on Rai 1. Don Matteo starts again with the fifteenth season tonight at 21pm on Rai 30 and immediately takes us into a new double evening of mysteries, emotions and changes.
Raoul Bova returns in the role of Don Massimo, the parish priest who took up the baton from Terence Hill, while we will find historical faces like Marshal Cecchini and new figures destined to reshuffle the balance of power in Spoleto.

The two episodes on air tonight, January 8, 2026, promise to open a season full of personal questions, cases to be solved and new connections between past and present.

What Happened in the Previous Season: A Recap of Don Matteo Episode 14

The fourteenth season of Don Matteo marked a turning point in the series' history for all of us. Don Matteo, last played by Terence Hill, left the rectory and the community of Spoleto, paving the way for his successor: Don Massimo, new face played by Raoul Bova, who immediately had to gain the trust of historical figures and viewers.

Don Matteo's exit occurred mysteriously, without any clear explanation, fueling doubts about a possible return in the future, even just as an extra.

l Marshal CecchiniCaught by surprise, he struggled to accept the change, initially generating a climate of conflict with Don Massimo. Meanwhile, the emotional dynamics became more complex: Anna and Marco they faced a painful separation, while Julia Midnight, new prosecutor, has begun to build a relationship with Captain Diego Martini, destined to become increasingly central.

Don Matteo 15 returns to Rai 1 with two new episodes

Don Matthew 15 officially debuts tonight, Thursday, January 8, 2026, in the early evening on Rai 1, with the former two new episodes of the season. The series will also be available for streaming on RaiPlay, where you can watch each episode again at any time.

After the long wait, we return to Spoleto to follow the new investigations and the personal turmoil of the protagonists, starting from Don Massimo, which will continue to measure itself against the weight of its role, and from Marshal Cecchini, increasingly at the center of the barracks and community life. Between mysteries to solve, new arrivals, and evolving emotional dynamics, we prepare to face a season full of twists and turns.

On this first evening we will witness:

• An angel fallen from heaven, episode 1
• In the belly of the whale, episode 2

Preview of the first episode of Don Matteo: an angel fallen from heaven

The first episode of the fifteenth season opens with an event that deeply shakes Don Massimo: during a walk near a small country church, the parish priest comes across a young girl injured, pregnant and with no memoryThe girl doesn't know who she is, nor how she got there. Her physical and psychological condition is precarious, and her only link to the past seems to be a small crucifix she clutches tightly in her hands.

Don Massimo takes care of her, but in the meantime the police station launches an investigation to try to understand what happened to her and where she came from. The mystery surrounding her identity intertwines with the deeper themes of the series, leading the parish priest to confront his own emotional and spiritual limitations.

Preview of the second episode of Don Matteo: in the belly of the whale

In the second episode, tensions shift to the personal and professional front of the Captain Diego Martini, which is faced with an increasingly evident internal crisisThe pressure of work, combined with delicate sentimental issues, begins to test his balance. Further complicating the situation is the arrival of Mathias, a mysterious man linked to the past of Julia Midnight.

Mathias's presence destabilizes the already fragile balance between Giulia and Martini, bringing to light doubts and insecurities that threaten to jeopardize their relationship. Meanwhile, the police station becomes embroiled in a new investigation that intertwines with the protagonists' personal turmoil.

Don Matteo 15's regular cast, new additions, and special guests

Even in this season we find the most loved faces of Don Matteo, starting with Raoul Bova in the role of Don Massimo, now at the center of Spoleto's spiritual and investigative life. At his side, always present Nino Frassica, who returns in the guise of Marshal Cecchini, a key figure both for the barracks and for the balance of the community.

Next to them, they return:

• Julia Midnight, the PM played by Maria Chiara Giannetta
• Captain Diego Martini, interpreted by Gianmarco Saurino

Among the most important novelties of this season we find the entrance of the Marshal Caterina Provvedi, which brings a new energy to the barracks and promises to generate new dynamics with Cecchini and the other team members.

Furthermore, the series is enriched with numerous guest stars and special appearances, Including:

• Diletta Leotta
• Max Tortora
• Valeria Fabrizi
• Tosca D'Aquino
• Alessandro Borghese

The central themes of the new season

The fifteenth season of Don Matteo moves along a double track: on one hand the investigations, increasingly linked to cases with a strong human impact; on the other, the personal and inner journey of the protagonists, called to face difficult choices, fragility and responsibilityAt the center we find the theme of vocation, not only in a religious sense, but as a search for one's place in the world.

Don Massimo will have to deal with his own past and the community's expectations, in a constant balance between faith, action, and humanity. At the same time, life in the barracks and the prosecutor's office will be affected by complex relationships, new bonds and unexpected returns, which will test the strength of existing relationships.

Themes that will be interwoven throughout the season include:

• Identity and memory
• Family and hospitality
• Forgiveness and reconciliation
• Justice and truth
• Vocation and sense of duty