European TV

In France: Last autumn
In the UK: Saturday 2 March, 9pm, BBC Four

Prepare yourself for much wailing and gnashing of teeth: I’m away for a week, so I won’t be able to review episodes 9 and 10 until next Thursday or so, I suspect. Of course, given these reviews are only getting as many as one comment each, maybe you’ll all live somehow. Let’s see how many comments this gets by the time I return, anyway.

Either way, let’s look at the two episodes that have just aired, in which Gilou proves that yes, he can be very smart, provided it’s criminal activity rather than police work, Karlsson proves that she’s great at defending everyone except herself – at least, when Pierre’s around – and Laure proves that Spiral will remember past continuity references and characters eventually, even if takes a year or two.

Welcome back, Sami!

Continue reading “Review: Engrenages (Spiral) 4×7-4×8 (France: Canal+; UK: BBC Four)”

In France: Last autumn
In the UK: Saturday 23 February, 9pm, BBC Four

Well, we’re halfway throughout season 4 already. How distressing is that? Bloody BBC, burning through these things as if there’s an unlimited supply. This is France’s answer to The Wire, we’re talking about, and there’s not a lot on TV to rival it.

A more even affair this, following last week’s mix of not-so-cracking and cracking, with shocks aplenty. And for those who think I’m kidding about that comparison with The Wire, this week, on top of the usual less-than-complimentary look at French society, we had a police officer’s gun stolen and him going all out to get it back, a bunch of high-up police officers more concerned with the stats than getting to the root cause of crime, and a mysterious Greek with criminal connections turned up.

One unshocking thing we learnt this week, too: Ms Rullsenberg should be writing these reviews…

Continue reading “Review: Engrenages (Spiral) 4×5-4×6 (France: Canal+; UK: BBC Four)”

In France: Last autumn
In the UK: Saturday 16 February, 9pm, BBC Four

Very much a game of two halves, this Saturday’s episodes. After I waxed lyrical about the show last week, episode three decided to be all contrary and a bit of a disappointment, an unremarkable plot expander, redeemed by just a few twists and turns.

But then episode four turned up. Episode four, which contained not just a big helping of WTF, but topped it all off with a massive dose of OMG. No, I don’t know what French texteese is for Oh My God. I’m assuming not OMD.

Continue reading “Review: Engrenages (Spiral) 4×3-4×4 (France: Canal+; UK: BBC Four)”