List of 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother episodes

Marco, with his brother tonio and both of the parents, has gone to the hills in Genoa to have a picnic. Little does he know that his mama will be leaving them for Argentina in search of a job that will solve the insolvency trouble of their family. He was supposed to learn about it later, but he overhears her mama talking about it before then and just couldn't muster the spirit to accept it. Later at the docks, when she does go on the ship, Marco does break out of his grudge and tearfully bida goodbye to her mom who wouldn't be available to cajole him for a few years.

It has been one year since marco's mother has gone argentina. Marco spends his days attending school, helping his neighbours in his tight-knit community and waiting for mamma's letter.

It's sunday and after attending the sunday church service, marco, tonio and his father were going to go to the beach. But duty calls from aunt gina and he then goes all around genoa city to deliver letters dilligently. After which he still has time to spend with family in the beach. But there also he still thinks about his mamma.

After defending his little friend bernardo from 3 bullies, marco has a quarrel with his dad over his dad prioritising marco's education and marco favouring getting a job so his mum can come home. After leaving the house in anger, he finds the peppino troupe, a family of circus performers who has made their mission to go to argentina which marco finds intriguing.

Through his friend emilio, marco gets a job cleaning bottles, unbeknownst to his dad. But all this stress does make his young body collapse from exhaustion, but he keeps showing devotion to the job.

Marco finally gets a good pay including cleaning bottles which incidentally is a good thing as her mum has stalled on her monthly payment and his dad's clinic business isn't doing so well. His dad then decides to move out somewhere cheaper much to the chagrin of marco.

After marco angrily moves to that dreary, dirty new place, he finds the new neighbours are those from the peppino troupe family. Marco befriends a girl from that family, called fiolina.

In Italy's dire economic situation people are actually going to Argentina to find work. Marco finds out that the peppino troupe also would like to go there. So, if amedio can go with them then marco thinks he can use this chance to travel to argentina and find out the condition of his mother there. Upon telling this to his father, they have a big quarrel and he goes to his bedroom angrily.

It was a hectic day for marco. First he gets unemployed as the machanized labour in bottle cleaning has rendered his manual labour. Then he finds his friend emilio is still working with a sprained ankle. Afterwards, he finds out that the peppino guy can't really hope to go as his eldest has fallen ill. Lastly, marco, after escorting a friend of his father to his clinic witnesses a phenomenal thing. First blood transfusion in genovese history. After seeing his father's determination in it, him and his father make up and marco profusely apologizes.

Marco helps the concetta girl and mr. peppino from the troupe to get necessary medical attention by bringing a doctor to them.

Marco helps the fiolina girl from the peppino family to earn for her family with her puppet show, instead of both her big sister and father who were both ill. Coming home, marco finally finds a letter from mum updating about her financial and job situation. Marco finds her situation and thinks he must get to her.

Emilio and marco were able to earn a moderate amount of money at the airshow parade near the dock. But it still wasn't enough for the ticket fee to argentina. So, they have to get help from a shady named renato.

While waiting for Mr. Fadobani to arrange travel for Marco's trip to Rosario, he helps out at Fosco's store. During the day, a crew member of the ship sailing to Rosario meets Marco and tells him to come to the port at night. For the rest of the day, Marco revisits the places he saw on his first day in Buenos Aires. After saying his goodbyes to Luiza and Fosco, Marco leaves for the port where he meets Mario and the ship. Overjoyed, Marco celebrates the fact that he will soon be able to see his mother.

Once the ship sets sail to Rosario, the Captain is informed that Marco isn't paying for his ticket, thus leading to him being disdainful towards Marco. After learning that Marco is also from Genoa, the Captain bonds with him due to his love of their shared hometown. As the ship gets closer to its destination, Marco is full of despair; he begins to worry that his mother may no longer be in Cordoba, like his previous attempts to search for her. Therefore the Captain convinces Marco to stay hopeful, saying that he would keep searching for his mother even if she isn't in found in Cordoba. Thus, the crew is once again cheerful just in time to witness daybreak in Rosario.

After parting ways with the crew of Andrea Doria, Captain and Mario, Marco heads over to Mr. Barientos' home as per the instructions by Mr. Fadobani. Upon arrival, he is told that Mr. Barientos isn't going to be home for another month, and is treated rudely by one of his servants, showing his scorn towards Italian immigrants. With low spirits, Marco decides he must get a job in order to go to Cordoba by himself. After many failed attempts, Marco stumbles upon Federico, father of Renata and Nino whom he met on the immigration ship earlier on his journey. After hearing Marco's story, Federico helps Marco by telling his story to an Italian restaurant in town in order to gain sympathy. The restaurant's customers are moved by Marco's struggles, and help out by donating money to help him buy a ticket to Cordoba where his mother supposedly lives.

Saying farewell to Federico, Marco boards the train to Cordoba. On the train, he meets a family of a mother and her three children, reminding him of his own family. He also meets a group of burly men, mistaking them for burglars yet finding out they are kind at heart. Finally, the train arrives at Cordoba, and Marco begins his search for Mr. Mequinez, his mother's supposed employer, but upon arriving at Mequinez's door, Marco finds the house to be empty as no one replies to his desperate cries for his mother.