While you are waiting for answers, you might want to check out some previous threads on the "Performance of the Italian Army":

• Why was the Italian campaign on the side of the Axis during World War two such a failure? - 3 comments, over 8 months old.
• The commenters in this thread use the battles in Egypt to show the strengths of the British military and the weaknesses of the Italian military.
• How bad really was the WWII Italian army, and what made them that way? - 83 comments, over 8 months old.
• The commenters in this thread go into the organization, tactics, and equipment of the Italian military and how it led to its defeat.
• Why did the Italian Army during WW2 perform so badly? - 65 comments, over 10 months old.
• The topmost comment thread uses an equipment based approach to the question while a comment further down talks about the political and internal issues plaguing Italy before and during World War II.
• Why was the Italian army so poor in WW2? - 22 comments, over 4 months old.
• The commenters in this thread compare the weapons and equipment of the Italian military with their foes and do some of the same with its organization.
• Was Italy the "weakest link" of the Axis during World War Two. - 6 comments, over 8 months old.
• The commenters in this thread analyze the issue primarily through personnel from the bottom ranks to the highest echelons.
• How did the Italian army, descended from the mighty Roman legions, become a byword for military incompetence? - 23 comments, over 2 years old.
• There's a brief summary of Italy at the grand strategy level that you may find interesting.
• Why was Italy so ineffective militarily during WWII? - 8 comments, over 1 year old.
• A short summary of key issues such as debt, a small industrial sector, an unmodernized military, and improper planning capabilities.

As I know that France had a good reason to formally surrender, and that they continued to support the allies throughout the war

Highly debatable, particularly the part about 'support for the allies throughout the war' (this is simply incorrect).

Italy isn't represented very well in reports of WW2 past their failed excursions into Africa and Greece, and their changing of sides after Mussolini was deposed.

Who would criticize Italians for rejecting Nazis and Fascism and throwing in their lot with the allies? Even before the armistice Italian citizens greeted allied soldiers as liberators in Sicily, they finished the war on the right side, and they should be given credit for that - German reaction towards an occupied Italy was literally atrocious and demonstrates that it was anything but a soft choice.

This has meant that Italy has become a target for some in popular media

Could you provide some specific examples? How has 'it been made out to be'?