Wednesday, 25 May 2022

HPI - SEASON 2, EPISODES 5 & 6: DE MILLE FEUK & S COMME ITALIE (TF1)

[Favourite of the Month][Spoiler-free review] The amazing Audrey Fleurot (Spiral, A French Village) is back in HPI. The 8 x 52-minute second season of French private channel TF1's record-breaking comedy/crime drama goes on with episodes 5 & 6.

Created by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot and Nicolas Jean — two of the creators of La Mante — with Stéphane Carrié (1), HPI established itself as a ratings phenomenon in France and Belgium during spring 2021 when its first 8 x 52 minute season broke historic records (2) and ranked amongst the most watched dramas in Europe. Sold in 90 countries, the series confirmed its status with the start of the second season on May 12th as the premiere drew 9.25 million viewers to TF1 (41.8%). Audrey Fleurot shines as Morgane Alvaro, a mother of three (from two different fathers) with a disdain for authority and a 160 I.Q. that makes her HPI (Haut Potentiel Intellectuel). She was a cleaning lady at the commissariat de Lille until Commissaire Céline Hazan noticed her abilities and offered her a consultant job in the team of Commandant Adam Karadec.

The no-nonsense Karadec tries to adapt his style of policing to the red tornado, as genius as she's uncontrollable. The actors alongside Audrey Fleurot are excellent: Mehdi Nebbou, who worked for Steven Spielberg or Ridley Scott and appeared on German TV in Allmen and Tatort and in the U.S. drama Homeland, plays Adam Karadec. Céline Hazan is played by Marie Denarnaud (La malédiction du volcan). The other regulars are Bruno Sanches (Gilles Vandraud), Bérangère McNeese (Daphné Forestier), Cypriane Gardin (Théa) (3), Noé Vandevoorde (Eliott), Cédric Chevalme (Ludovic Mullier) and Christopher Bayemi (Luther) as Dr. Bonnemain. Clotilde Hesme (Lupin) joins them as Commandant Roxane Ascher, of the internal affairs. The eagerly awaited second season, filmed between October 2021 and March 2022, continues with the both brilliant De mille feuk and S comme Italie.

In De mille feuk, it's been two months since Morgane Alvaro moved in with Céline and hasn't worked. Still depressed, she follows the commissaire in the office of a judge murdered before the announcement of the verdict of a criminal case. Roxane has made friends with the team. Morgane meets Sandra Weber, a local journalist. The producers and the scriptwriters develop the downsides of Morgane Alvaro's tremendous intelligence, helped by the the versatile Audrey Fleurot (Morgane in the backyard). The "HPIsm" surreal sequences, which illustrate Alvaro's thoughts or her behaviour, are more and more audacious and sophisticated, though a balance is kept between comedy and the plots. Written by Julian Anscutter, Marion Carnel and Alice Chegaray-Breugnot.  Christelle Reboul (Ici Tout Commence, Nos chers voisins) plays Sandra Weber and it would be nice to bring her back next year.
 
With the participation of the great French actor Rufus as Henri. Also with Xavier Hosten (Romain), Karin Swenson (Juge Carole Massart), Flor Lurienne (Erica Modier), Stéphane Pezerat (Erwan Le Goff), etc. In S comme Italie, Morgane is called for the murder of an elegant young man who has an invisible tatoo on one of his wrists. The talented Brigitte Aubry, seen in Astrid et Raphaëlle and Le crime lui va si bien, guest stars as Ophélie Belien. With the participation of Michèle Moretti as Agnès Alvaro and Rufus (Henri). Also with Cédric Le Maoût (Jérôme), Juliette Petiot (Crimes parfaits) as Inès, etc. Written by Eloïse Tibet-Zanini, David Robert, Julien Anscutter and Alice Chegaray-Breugnot.  Story arc by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Julien Anscutter and Stéphane Carrié. Episodes 5 & 6 directed by Jean-Christophe Delpias (Le Code). Produced by Septembre Productions and Itinéraire Productions with TF1 and the participation of Salto (the French streaming service).
 
Co-produced by Be-Films, RTBF (Télévision belge), Umedia, Pictanovo and RTS Radio Télévision Suisse. Filmed with the support of Région Hauts-de-France.  Jean Nainchrik, Anthony Lancret and Pierre Laugier are the line producers. Patrice Onfray exec produces. Produced by Anthony Lancret, Pierre Laugier and Bérengère Legrand. Music by Yannis Dumoutiers. Cinematography by Isarr Eiriksson. Editing by Nathalie Langlade (De mille feuk), Thaddée Bertrand (S comme Italie). Main title design by Brett & Cie (Crimes parfaits). Graphic animations by La Brigade du Titre. Visual effects by Super 35 Productions and Umedia. Supported by the Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique and the investors of the Tax Shelter, with uFund. High Intellectual Potential (the international title of HPI) is distributed by Newen Connect. Seasons 1 & 2 are available on Salto. Season 1 is available on DVD thanks to UGC.
 
De mille feuk will be shown this thursday and S comme Italie next week.

(1) Based on an idea from Nicolas Jean. Djibril Glissant and Franck Martins contributed to the series.
(3) Cypriane Gardin also plays in France 3's crime drama Police de caractères.
 
 
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Monday, 16 May 2022

HPI - SEASON 2, EPISODES 3 & 4: MADE IN FRANCE & ENFANT DE (TF1)

[Favourite of the Month][Spoiler-free review] The amazing Audrey Fleurot (Spiral, A French Village) is back in HPI. The 8 x 52-minute second season of French private channel TF1's record-breaking comedy/crime drama continues this thursday with episodes 3 & 4.

Created by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot and Nicolas Jean — two of the creators of La Mante — with Stéphane Carrié (1), HPI established itself as a ratings phenomenon in France and Belgium during spring 2021 when its first 8 x 52 minute season broke historic records (2) and ranked amongst the most watched dramas in Europe. Sold in 90 countries, the series confirmed its status with the start of the second season on May 12th as the premiere drew 9.25 million viewers to TF1 (41.8%). Audrey Fleurot shines as Morgane Alvaro, a mother of three (from two different fathers) with a disdain for authority and a 160 I.Q. that makes her HPI (Haut Potentiel Intellectuel). She was a cleaning lady at the commissariat de Lille until Commissaire Céline Hazan noticed her abilities and offered her a consultant job in the team of Commandant Adam Karadec.

The no-nonsense Karadec tries to adapt his style of policing to the red tornado, as genius as she's uncontrollable. The actors alongside Audrey Fleurot are excellent: Mehdi Nebbou, who worked for Steven Spielberg or Ridley Scott and appeared on German TV in Allmen and Tatort and in the U.S. drama Homeland, plays Adam Karadec. Céline Hazan is played by Marie Denarnaud (La malédiction du volcan). The other regulars are Bruno Sanches (Gilles Vandraud), Bérangère McNeese (Daphné Forestier), Cypriane Gardin (Théa) (3), Noé Vandevoorde (Eliott), Cédric Chevalme (Ludovic Mullier) and Christopher Bayemi (Luther) as Dr. Bonnemain. Clotilde Hesme (Lupin) joins them as Commandant Roxane Ascher, of the internal affairs. The eagerly awaited second season, filmed between October 2021 and March 2022, goes on with the excellent Made in France (Episode 3) and the brilliant Enfant de (Episode 4).

In Made in France, Morgane Alvaro must follow a training course on police work with the Major exceptionnel Lenormand. While in the Police secours service, she takes a weird call from an old lady who's found dead hours later. A dress leads Karadec and Alvaro to a 50-year old cold case. Gilles would like Morgane, Ludo and their family to leave his home. Roxane wants to invite Karadec to dinner. Morgane and the major go undercover. Written by Julian Anscutter, Marion Carnel and Alice Chegaray-Breugnot. The last scene is a perfect example of Audrey Fleurot's talent. The guest cast includes two fabulous actors: Jean-Michel Lahmi as Lenormand and Cédric Le Maoût as "Jérôme 2 de tension" (4). Also with Lara Guirao (Lucie Morvan), David Ayala (Marc Maurin), Nicolette Picheral (Nicole Guerroni), Sylvie Granotier  (Madame Sarah), etc. With the participation of Michèle Moretti as Agnès Alvaro. Christopher Bayemi is absent from this episode.

In Enfant de, the dead body of a teenager is found burnt in a barn destroyed by arson. Morgane wants to know who's Karadec new love interest. The poor commandant is almost turned into a kebab. A cow has vanished and Eliott works for his mother. Morgane is at a turning point in her relationship with Ludo. Scriptwriters David Robert, Eloïse Tibet-Zanini and Alice Chegaray-Breugnot tackle a delicate subject with subtlety. With Antoine Gourlier (Théo Beliard), Elsa Bouchain (Karine Beliard), Éric Bougnon (Laurent Beliard), Gwenaëlle Orfila (Valentin Beliard), Louis Berthélémy (Gabriel), etc. Episodes 3 & 4 directed by Vincent Jamain. Story arc by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Julien Anscutter and Stéphane Carrié. Produced by Septembre Productions and Itinéraire Productions with TF1 and the participation of Salto (the French streaming service). 

Co-produced by Be-Films, RTBF (Télévision belge), Umedia, Pictanovo and RTS Radio Télévision Suisse. Filmed with the support of Région Hauts-de-France.  Jean Nainchrik, Anthony Lancret and Pierre Laugier are the line producers. Patrice Onfray exec produces. Produced by Anthony Lancret, Pierre Laugier and Bérengère Legrand. Music by Yannis Dumoutiers. Cinematography by Benjamin Louet. Editing by Nicolas Reydon (Made in France), Pascal Jauffres (Enfant de). Main title design by Brett & Cie (Crimes parfaits). Graphic animations by La Brigade du Titre. Visual effects by Super 35 Productions and Umedia. Supported by the Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique and the investors of the Tax Shelter, with uFund. High Intellectual Potential (the international title of HPI) is distributed by Newen Connect. Seasons 1 & 2 are available on Salto. Season 1 is available on DVD thanks to UGC.

(1) Based on an idea from Nicolas Jean. Djibril Glissant and Franck Martins contributed to the series.
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Wednesday, 11 May 2022

HPI - SEASON 2, EPISODES 1 & 2: 2300 CALORIES & CHELOU/PAS CHELOU (TF1)

[Favourite of the Month][Spoiler-free review] The fabulous Audrey Fleurot (Spiral, A French Village) is back in HPI. The 8 x 52-minute second season of French private channel TF1's record-breaking comedy/crime drama starts tomorrow with episodes 1 & 2.

« C'est tout! C'est les chargeurs, c'est la voiture, c'est le gyro! C'est amener votre famille sur une scène de crime! C'est l'ensemble de votre oeuvre!»
 
Created for TF1 by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot and Nicolas Jean — two of the creators of La Mante — with Stéphane Carrié (1), HPI established itself as a ratings juggernaut in France and Belgium during spring 2021. Its first 8 x 52-minute season broke historic records (2) and ranked amongst the most watched dramas in Europe. Audrey Fleurot plays Morgane Alvaro, a mother of three (from two different fathers) with a disdain for authority and a 160 I.Q. that makes her HPI (Haut Potentiel Intellectuel, hence the title). She was a cleaning lady at the commissariat de Lille until Commissaire Céline Hazan noticed her abilities and offered her a consultant job in the team of Commandant Adam Karadec. This no-nonsense cop tries to adjust his style of policing to the red tornado, as genius as she's uncontrollable.
 
The actors alongside Audrey Fleurot are excellent: Mehdi Nebbou, who worked for Steven Spielberg or Ridley Scott and appeared on German TV in Allmen and Tatort and in the U.S. drama Homeland, plays Commandant Karadec. Céline Hazan is played by Marie Denarnaud (La malédiction du volcan). The other regulars are Bruno Sanches (Gilles Vandraud), Bérangère McNeese (Daphné Forestier), Cypriane Gardin (Théa) (3), Noé Vandevoorde (Eliott), Cédric Chevalme (Ludovic Mullier) and Christopher Bayemi (Luther) as Dr. Bonnemain. Clotilde Hesme (Lupin) joins them as Commandant Roxane Ascher. In 2019, almost 8m viewers watched Le Bazar de la Charité on TF1 so HPI could have been a hit on the sole popularity of the versatile Audrey Fleurot. Her chemistry with Mehdi Nebbou is fantastic and they make their characters irresistible. Their talents are aptly served by the quality of both the production and the writing, which ensure a balance between humour and the cases of the week.

« Depuis quand vous donnez des ordres? 
- Ben depuis que c'est mon enquête, tiens!»
 
The eagerly awaited second season, filmed between October 2021 and March 2022, starts with two brilliant episodes. In 2300 calories, Morgane and Ludo are together again. Morgane finds the dead body of a saleswoman in the shoe shop of a shopping center where she just made many purchases. Karadec's career and his professional relationship with Alvaro are in jeopardy when Commandant Roxane Ascher, of the internal affairs, investigates on what happened at Malo-Les-Bains (see Season 1 Episode 7). Turkish singer Dario Moreno and a Cannelé are two of the clues of this premiere, whose opening echoes the start of last year's first episode. Written by Julien Anscutter and Alice Chegaray-Breugnot. Oh Pretty Woman performed by Anne Sila (The Voice). With Marie Guillard (Magali Dupres), Jade Phan-Gia (Mai Pannoy), Élise Berthelier (Séverine Moutier), Tom Dingler (Stan Delgado), etc.

In Chelou/Pas chelou, Morgane Alvaro and her family must live at Gilles's place until they find a solution to a big problem. When a young woman is discovered shot to death near a road, Karadec learns that he can't be assisted by Alvaro because she's suspended. Morgane doesn't take it well but cannot resist to investigate remotely. Except that it's Gilles who gets the glory! Written by Winnie Vatimbella (Munch), Stéphane Carrié, Julien Anscutter and Alice Chegaray-Breugnot.  With Pauline Parigot  (Laëtitia Keller/Yaëlle Garambois), Marcel Gonzalez (Capitaine Rausart) and Mikaël Chirinian (Yannick Garambois). The great French actor Rufus returns as Henri, Morgane's neighbour. The now famous "HPIsm" surreal sequences, which illustrate Morgane Alvaro's thoughts or her behaviour, are more and more audacious and sophisticated. Episodes 1 and 2 directed by Mona Achache (Balthazar). Story arc by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Julien Anscutter and Stéphane Carrié. 
 
« Si vous vous faites virer. Votre QI, à quoi ça va vous servir?»
 
Produced by Septembre Productions and Itinéraire Productions with TF1 and the participation of Salto (the French streaming service). Co-produced by Be-Films, RTBF (Télévision belge), Umedia, Pictanovo and RTS Radio Télévision Suisse. Filmed with the support of Région Hauts-de-France. Jean Nainchrik, Anthony Lancret and Pierre Laugier are the line producers. Patrice Onfray exec produces. Produced by Anthony Lancret, Pierre Laugier and Bérengère Legrand. Music by Yannis Dumoutiers. Cinematography by Isarr Eiriksson. Editing by Joël Jacovella and Alexandre Landreau (Episode 1), Pascal Jauffres (Episode 2). Main title design by Brett & Cie (Crimes parfaits). Graphic animations by La Brigade du Titre. Visual effects by Super 35 Productions and Umedia. Supported by the Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique and the investors of the Tax Shelter, with uFund. High Intellectual Potential (the international title of HPI) is distributed by Newen Connect. Seasons 1 & 2 are available on Salto. 
 
(1) Based on an idea from Nicolas Jean. Djibril Glissant and Franck Martins contributed to the series.
(3) Cypriane Gardin also plays in France 3's crime drama Police de caractères.

 
See also:
 
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Friday, 6 May 2022

SIGNORA VOLPE - SERIES 1, EPISODE 1: AN ANXIOUS AUNT (ACORN TV)

Emilia Fox, star of the long-running Silent Witness for the BBC, plays a superspy named Sylvia Fox (!) sleuthing in the postcard Italy of Signora Volpe.
 
This pleasant 3 x 90-minute detective drama started this month on the SVOD service Acorn TV .

« Well, goodbye Signora Fox. Or should I say Signora Volpe? 
- Sounds better in Italian.
- Everything sounds better in Italian. »
 
Sylvia Fox is a high-ranking MI6 executive. A disagreement with her superiors prompts her to take a few days leave and go to Italy, where her sister Isabel lives, to attend the wedding of her niece Alice. For her family, Sylvia is a "boring civil servant" with a dull diplomatic career. But when Alice's fiancé disappears and a dead body is found near his house, Sylvia uses her spy skills and contacts to investigate. Captain Giovanni Riva, of the local Carabinieri, suspects that the "Signora Volpe" ("Volpe" means Fox in Italian) is more than what she pretends to be. 
 
Emilia Fox as The Equalizer solving mysteries in some superb Italian locations (the Lazio and Umbria regions) is obviously the main reason to watch Signora Volpe. The series was created by Rachel Cuperman and Sally Griffiths (Midsomer Murders), who wrote the three feature-length episodes. The plot of the premiere is a pretext to introduce the fantastic Miss Sylvia Fox and a sample of her many talents. Tara Fitzgerald (Belgravia, Game of Thrones) plays Isabel Vitale. Sylvia's ex-husband Adam Haines, who's a MI6 spy too, is played by Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica). Giovanni Cirfierra (Ford v Ferrari, American Crime Story) is Capitano Riva.

With Matteo Carlomagno (Matteo Vitale), Issy Knopfler (Alice Shepherd), Imma Piro (The Bastards of Pizzofalcone) as Antonella Vitale, Mehdi Meskar (Samir Hamdani), Marianne Leoni (Raffaella Tasso), Luigi Di Fiore (Ercole Guerra), Orlando Cinque (Romanzo criminale: La serie) as Richelmo Gregori, Giulio Corso (Tomasso Rossi), Gianni D'Addario (Monterossi - La serie) as Enrico Ferluga, Souad Faress (Dame Felicity Morris), Buket Komur (Rabia Yacoub), Cristina Moglia (Carla Galli), etc. Directed by Dudi Appleton (Silent Witness). Co-produced by Route 24 Ltd and Acorn Media Enterprises (A division of AMC Networks).
 
Exec produced by Josie Law & Marc Samuelson (Route 24), Rachel Cuperman & Sally Griffiths, Catherine Mackin & Bea Tammer (Acorn Media Enterprises) and Dudi Appleton & Emilia Fox. Produced by Patricia Rybarczyk. Productions services by Cattleya (Cristina Giubbetti exec produces for the company). Music by Anne Dudley. Cinematography by Michael Lavelle ISC. Editing by Dan Farrell. Production designed by Cinzia Lo Fazio. Costumes designed by Claudette Lilly. Titles designed by Matt Curtis and produced by Matt Lawrence. Made with the assistance of the Italian Tax Credit (Law N. 244 of December 24, 2007). Distributed by Banijay Rights.

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Sunday, 1 May 2022

WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? (BRITBOX)

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? is a charming and entertaining three-part adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel of the same name available on streaming service Britbox since April 12.

In France, the limited series started this week on Canal +.

Initially published in 1934, Why Didn't They Ask Evans? was first adapted as a three-hour special aired in March 1980 by London Weekend Television. This version starred  James Warwick as Bobby Jones and Francesca Annis as Lady Frances "Frankie" Derwent, the book's daring amateur sleuth duo. Later, the actors played Tommy & Tuppence Beresford, another pair of detectives created by Agatha Christie, in The Secret Adversary and the subsequent series Partners in Crime (both for LWT in 1983). Why Didn't They Ask Evans? was also turned into an episode of Agatha Christie's Marple (2011) and the French period detective series Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie did it as Pourquoi pas Martin? in 2013.

Will Poulter (Dopesick, The Revenant) and Lucy Boynton (The Ipcress File, Bohemian Rhapsody) lead an excellent cast as the perfect Bobby and Frankie in this new 3 x one-hour adaptation (1), written and directed by actor Hugh Laurie (The Night Manager, House M.D.) for Britbox. Wales in the 1930s. Bobby Jones, a young ex-Navy officer, works as a caddy at a seaside golf club. While accompanying his friend Dr. Alwyn Thomas on the course, Bobby discovers a man who fell off a cliff and joins him just in time to hear his last words: « Why didn't they ask Evans? » Searching for an identification in his pockets, he only finds  the photograph of a young woman, a pen and a fish shaped key ring. Jones talks about the incident to his childhood friend, Lady Frances "Frankie" Derwent, who's back from London. For them it's the beginning of an adventure filled with mystery and danger. 

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? has everything viewers expect from an adaptation of the work of Agatha Christie like a "typical" village with its church, a vicar, vintage cars, a fete, morphia, a pub... Though Hugh Laurie makes some (welcome) changes, he shows his passion for the source material and even appears as Dr. James Nicholson. Laurie's pals Emma Thompson and Jim Broadbent have a short but funny participation as Frankie's parents, Lady & Lord Marcham. "Badger" Beadon, a friend of Bobby Jones in the book, becomes Ralph "Knocker" Beadon and he's wonderfully played by Jonathan Jules (Small Axe). Joshua James, who plays Dr. George Arbuthnot, was alongside Lucy Boynton in The Ipcress File. Benedict Wolf is the Marchams' impressive butler Hari Singh. Bobby, Frankie and their little gang give Why Didn't They Ask Evans? the flavour of a "Famous Five for grown-ups".

Seen in Instinct and Lovesick, Daniel Ings plays an interesting Roger Bassington-ffrench ("with two small f's"). With Nicholas Asbury as the terrifying Mr. Angel, Maeve Dermody (Moira Nicholson), Conleth Hill (Dr. Thomas), Alistair Petrie (Rev. Richard Jones), Morwenna Banks (Amelia Cayman), Patrick Barlow (Wilfred Bragge), Miles Jupp (Henry Bassington-ffrench), Amy Nuttall (Sylvia Bassington-ffrench), Paul Whitehouse (Askew), etc. Produced by Mammoth Screen — the company behind several adaptations of Agatha Christie — with Agatha Christie Productions for Britbox. Claire Jones is the producer. Andrew Wood is the co-producer. Hugh Laurie, James Prichard, Damien Timmer and Helen Ziegler exec produce. Gina Kronk, Jonathan Karas and Emily Powers exec produce for Britbox. Music by Harry Escott  (Roadkill).  

The Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, is directed by Sarah MacDonald. Michael Stephens-Jones is the organist. Cinematography by John de Borman AFC BSC. Editing by Ian Farr. Production designed by Humphrey Jaeger. Costumes designed by Laura Smith, assisted by Tracey Cliffe and Laura Johnson. Michelle Barrett is the costume supervisor. The absolutely amazing title sequence was made by Huge Designs (Around the world in 80 days). International distribution by Endeavor Content, except for UK, Ireland and the Americas.

(1) Canal +  has a 4 x 45-minute version.

https://www.agathachristie.com/en
https://crimereads.com/why-didnt-they-ask-evans/
https://www.everythingzoomer.com/arts-entertainment/2022/04/13/hugh-laurie-on-adapting-the-comic-spirit-of-agatha-christies-why-didnt-they-ask-evans-for-the-small-screen/

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