Character Relationship Map: The Untouchables

Characters

• Eliot Ness (played by Robert Stack) — protagonist

  Leader of the Prohibition squad nicknamed 'The Untouchables', known for its courage and honesty. The series features a highly fictionalized portrayal of him and his crew fighting 1930s gangsters, ofte...

• Enrico Rossi (played by Nicholas Georgiade) — protagonist

  An Italian-American agent added to Ness's team after witnessing a gangland murder. He serves as Ness's right-hand man, with the show later emphasizing his law-enforcement role to counter negative ster...

• Lee Hobson (played by Paul Picerni) — supporting
• Hood (played by Charlie Picerni) — cameo
• Frank Nitti (played by Bruce Gordon) — cameo
• Beecher Asbury (played by Frank Wilcox) — cameo
• Alexander Raeder (played by Joseph Ruskin) — cameo

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Eliot Ness → Enrico Rossi (Subordinate/Partner) — Rossi serves as Ness's trusted field agent and undercover specialist.

  "Rossi works directly under Ness on wiretaps and undercover operations across multiple seasons, including S1E8 and S3E24."

• Frank Nitti → Hood (Boss/Enforcer) — Nitti exercises direct authority over Hood, utilizing him for violent enforcement and operational security.

  "Nitti commands Hood and other thugs to execute hits, protect rackets, and enforce syndicate discipline across S1-S4."

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Eliot Ness → Frank Nitti (Arch-enemies) — Nitti commands the criminal empire while Ness relentlessly pursues his downfall.

  "Nitti leads the syndicate while Ness systematically dismantles his breweries, speakeasies, and narcotics networks across S1-S4."

• Beecher Asbury → Frank Nitti (Prosecutor/Criminal) — Asbury serves as the legal architect targeting Nitti's financial and operational infrastructure.

  "Asbury builds tax and racketeering cases against Nitti's empire, utilizing evidence from Ness's raids to secure indictments."

• Frank Nitti → Beecher Asbury (Legal Battle) — Nitti views Asbury's legal pressure as an existential threat, responding with heightened criminal countermeasures.

  "Asbury's indictments force Nitti to adapt his criminal strategies, leading to increased violence and operational secrecy."

• Eliot Ness → Lee Hobson (Partners) — Hobson acts as Ness's seasoned field partner during narcotics and bootlegging investigations.

  "Hobson partners with Ness on high-stakes raids and stakeouts in S3E14, S3E20, and S4E25."

• Enrico Rossi → Frank Nitti (Investigator/Target) — Rossi's covert operations disrupt Nitti's supply chains and enforcer networks.

  "Rossi's undercover infiltrations directly threaten Nitti's network, forcing Nitti to tighten security and eliminate informants."

• Frank Nitti → Enrico Rossi (Cat/Mouse) — Nitti views Rossi as a critical threat, deploying hitmen to neutralize his operations.

  "Nitti constantly attempts to eliminate Rossi after uncovering his undercover work, leading to multiple assassination attempts."

• Lee Hobson → Frank Nitti (Investigator/Target) — Hobson's persistent surveillance forces Nitti to relocate operations and adapt his criminal strategies.

  "Hobson tracks Nitti's narcotics shipments and enforcers, leading to multiple confrontations and evidence seizures."

• Eliot Ness → Beecher Asbury (Protagonist/Prosecutor) — Ness and Asbury form the institutional backbone of the show's law enforcement arc.

  "Their partnership bridges federal enforcement and legal conviction, driving the series' central anti-crime narrative."

• Alexander Raeder → Eliot Ness (Raid/Counter-Raid) — Raeder's operations directly trigger Ness's most aggressive field interventions in S3.

  "Ness leads the raid on Raeder's pier, culminating in a violent clash that disrupts the syndicate's heroin pipeline."

• Frank Nitti → Lee Hobson (Cat/Mouse) — Nitti recognizes Hobson as a persistent operational threat, adjusting his criminal logistics accordingly.

  "Hobson's persistent surveillance forces Nitti to relocate operations and tighten security protocols."

• Eliot Ness → Alexander Raeder (Target/Investigator) — Raeder operates as a key narcotics distributor, making him a primary target for Ness's raids.

  "Raeder supplies narcotics to the syndicate, drawing Ness's direct attention and leading to a pier raid in S3E3."

• Lee Hobson → Eliot Ness (Veteran/Partner) — Hobson provides tactical stability and field expertise to Ness's command-driven approach.

  "Hobson's experience complements Ness's aggressive raid strategies, forming a balanced investigative duo."

• Alexander Raeder → Enrico Rossi (Undercover/Supplier) — Rossi's undercover presence directly challenges Raeder's operational security.

  "Rossi infiltrates Raeder's network, risking exposure while gathering intelligence on heroin distribution routes."

Story Analysis

Overall narrative architecture across all 4 seasons, tracking the shift from bootlegging to narcotics and the institutional response.

Plot Progression

1. Season 1: Prohibition's Final Days — Ness targets Capone's remaining empire while Nitti consolidates power. Early raids establish federal presence, and legal battles begin as Asbury prepares indictments.
2. Season 2: Power Vacuums & Syndicate Expansion — With bootlegging declining, Nitti shifts toward narcotics and gambling. Internal rivalries emerge, and Ness's team adapts to new criminal strategies.
3. Season 3: Undercover Warfare & Narcotics Surge — Rossi and Hobson deepen their roles as undercover agents and field partners. Raeder's heroin network becomes a primary target, escalating violent confrontations.
4. Season 4: Post-Repeal Rackets & Final Showdowns — Nitti's empire fractures under sustained legal and field pressure. Asbury secures final indictments, and Ness's team dismantles the remaining syndicate operations.
5. Series Arc: Institutional vs Criminal Power — A cross-season thematic thread highlighting the systematic erosion of organized crime through coordinated federal enforcement, legal prosecution, and undercover infiltration.