The Returned - French TV Show (Les revenants)

[TheSeeker]

The first episode of this show premiered on the Sundance channel last night. I learned about from the Walking Dead's facebook page and was intrigued by the premise, which really has nothing to do with zombies other than the fact that people once thought dead have returned to life.

I had no idea it was a French show until it I started watching it. It's all in subtitles but the pace of the show is slow enough that it really doesn't take you out of it.

Did anyone else watch it? My wife and I both really liked it and will continue to watch.

Here's a link to its IMdb page where you can watch a trailer.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z-JovCbrVQ[/yt]

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I saw the first few episodes on Channel 4 here in the UK but my TV recorder seems to have missed an episode and I never finished it. It reminded me a lot of In The Flesh that BBC Three did recently.

 

[Relayer1]

I watched it. Its OK - the writing and the performances stand up, but it was pretty underwhelming - it really didn't go anywhere.

I'd happily pass on the second season, but Mrs Relayer wants to watch it.

 

[TheSeeker]

Well I've only seen the first episode but it definitely left me wanting to see more.

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

Well I've only seen the first episode but it definitely left me wanting to see more.

Same here.

All of the press that I read for the show mentioned zombies, which is misleading, to say the least. The show is beautifully shot while the characters aren't the sort one would normally see on an American TV show (a good thing, as I like foreign shows and movies to feel foreign and different from what I see in the states).

Spoiler: First episode

I liked all of the variety of reactions that the returnees received from their relatives and loved ones. From the mom who was just happy to have her daughter back, to the old man that was scared into a near cardiac event and killed his returned wife (?) and then himself; they were all riveting scenes to me.
And that twist at the end! That the returned sister was a) a twin and b) may have been the other sister for the last 4 years! I hope this gets explained as the series moves on.
The only reaction that seemed inauthentic to me was the grief counselor (?) that stopped by, was told that the mom's daughter had returned from the dead, and merely nodded like he dealt with this sort of thing all the time. At first I thought he was humoring the mother, but his reaction to seeing the returned daughter was the same mundane non-reaction from before.

Great show. I'm hooked after the first episode and very glad that it turned out to NOT be just a French version of the Walking Dead.

 

[TheSeeker]

Yes, the zombie angle in the advertising was misleading but I'm glad I fell for it.

Spoiler: your comments

The twin angle was pretty neat. I started to suspect towards the end but they still pulled it off really well.

And what's with the little boy, Victor? Is a he a brother of the grown woman who died when she was too young to remember?

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

Yes, the zombie angle in the advertising was misleading but I'm glad I fell for it.

Spoiler: your comments

The twin angle was pretty neat. I started to suspect towards the end but they still pulled it off really well.

And what's with the little boy, Victor? Is a he a brother of the grown woman who died when she was too young to remember?

Spoiler: Your question

Possibly. Though if he is her dead brother, she gave no hint that she even remotely recognized him. If he had died in her distant past, he should have at least been somewhat familiar to her. I'm curious as to why he was in the middle of the road that day four years ago and caused the bus accident.
(Well, he wasn't the sole cause -- I guess the psychic backlash from a twin losing her virginity is also partially responsible.)

 

[davejames]

Watched the first episode and thought it was creepy as hell. Even without any blood or gore it managed to be scarier than most eps of Walking Dead.

Will definitely be checking out the rest of the season.

 

[IndyJones]

I enjoyed the first two episodes, and look forward to watching the rest of the season. I'm less impressed by the news that A&E is remaking it for American audiences. Ugh.