French Miniseries

[Monzo]

I have a soft spot for French miniseries, of which more and more have been produced in recent years.

My favorite French miniseries is from 2024 and is called "Tout cela je te le donnerai," English title: "All This I Will Give To You." It's based on the Spanish-language book "Todo esto te daré" by Dolores Redondo, for which she received the Premio Planeta, the most prestigious literary prize in the Spanish-speaking world, in 2016. Despite all the praise for the novel, one can't help but wonder if Dolores Redondo might have been watching reruns of "Falcon Crest" while conceiving her book, because exciting intrigues within a family in the wine business aren't exactly new to soap opera fans.



For the miniseries "Tout cela je te le donnerai," the plot of "Todo esto te daré" was relocated from Spain to France. Here is the starting plot:

Aymeric Fabre de Castelmore dies in a car accident in Provence during the night. At dawn in Paris, the police wake Goncourt Prize-winning writer Manuel Ortigosa to inform him of his husband's death, whom he believed to be in Brussels.

Contacted by Maître Grignan, Aymeric's notary, Manuel drives to Peyrolles-en-Provence to attend the reading of the deceased's will. The reception from the family, led by Cécile and Joffrey Fabre de Castelmore, is icy: the family, unaware of Manuel's existence, initially reacts with homophobia, before succumbing to shock and anger when Maître Grignan explains that Manuel becomes the sole owner of the Fabre de Castelmore estate, as Aymeric had cleared all the family's debts and mortgages a few years earlier.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Richard Saugier and medical examiner Ophélie Weiss made observations that led them to question the accidental nature of the death: Aymeric Fabre ran off the road on a straight stretch without any skid marks, his car had traces of white paint on the rear, and his body bore a suspicious mark on his abdomen. But the prosecutor quickly closed the case as a simple accident as soon as the victim's name was known.

Faced with the contempt of the Fabre de Castelmore family and given the past Aymeric had hidden from him during their twelve years together, Manuel Ortigosa informs Maître Grignan that he is renouncing the inheritance. However, he changes his mind after a meeting with the lieutenant and the medical examiner, who share their suspicions: the lieutenant believes Aymeric's car was pushed and thrown off the road by another vehicle, and the medical examiner suspects the abdominal wound could have resulted from a stab wound. But she was unable to complete her autopsy due to the prosecutor's intervention.

With the help of Richard Saugier and Ophélie Weiss, Manuel gradually uncovers the dark secrets of the Fabre de Castelmore family and finally understands why Aymeric made him his sole heir.



The murder case could have been a fantastic starting plot for a long-running soap opera, because the cast and characters are great. "Tout cela je te le donnerai" was a success in France and Belgium, with every episode reaching number 1 in the timeslot.



If you ever have the chance to watch "Tout cela je te le donnerai", take it; it's wonderfully soapy.

 

[Monzo]

"Le Comte de Monte-Cristo" (English title: "The Count of Monte Cristo") has been adapted twice as a miniseries for French television, both times with great success. The first miniseries, broadcast in 1979 on France 3, is considered the best adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' classic.

Following the success and acclaim of the 1979 miniseries, it was surprising that "Le Comte de Monte-Cristo" would be adapted again for French televsion. However, network TF1 took on the material, this time with the then-great film star Gérard Depardieu in the role of Edmond Dantès, and it achieved record-breaking ratings. The premiere drew 12,828,000 viewers, and the 1998 adaptation became the most-watched French-language miniseries on French television. Even though the 1998 adaptation stayed true to the novel, there was a surprise at the very end, as the final scene wasn't in the novel at all. However, the intention was clearly to provide the audience with a satisfying conclusion.

The 1998 miniseries was frequently and successfully repeated by smaller broadcasters in France until, in recent years, the question arose: Is it even permissible to broadcast a miniseries with the convicted lead actor Gérard Depardieu, and are viewers still allowed to find it entertaining?

 

[Willie Oleson]

The only French mini-series I've seen is Le Chalet which starts out as a confusing and not-too-exciting slasher story (confusing because there are many characters that are confusingly related one way or another) only to pull the rug from under my feet in the most devastatingly emotional and terrifying way.
The kind of thing that makes me say "I think I need to lie down for a while".

 

[Monzo]

The only French mini-series I've seen is Le Chalet which starts out as a confusing and not-too-exciting slasher story (confusing because there are many characters that are confusingly related one way or another) only to pull the rug from under my feet in the most devastatingly emotional and terrifying way.

I felt the same way, yet I at the same time found "Le Chalet" somewhat disappointing. None of the timelines were really exciting for me, and the characters remained rather distant.

“Le Chalet” is from 2017, and French miniseries have improved significantly since then. Back then, creators were still too influenced by what others were doing abroad; today, especially on France 2 and France 3, they have found a good approach to make their miniseries feel French and not like copies from other countries.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I felt the same way; I also found "Le Chalet" disappointing. None of the timelines were exciting for me, and neither were the characters, really.

But when the story goes back in time, around midpoint of the series, then it becomes really very good (and a different point of view altogether):

only to pull the rug from under my feet in the most devastatingly emotional and terrifying way.

 

[Monzo]

Xanadu (English title: The Money Shot) is a 2011 miniseries about a porn dynasty.

The premise: The Valadine family's pornographic film production company, Xanadu, is experiencing financial difficulties because Alex, the patriarch and founder of the company, refuses to embrace the gonzo pornography that has become so prevalent in the industry. His son, Laurent, however, has recognized the changing times and wants to reposition Xanadu. The mystery surrounding the death of Alex's first wife and the mother of his three children, Laurent, Sarah, and Lapo, serves as the miniseries' central plot point. She was Xanadu's star performer until her mysterious death.

When Xanadu premiered in 2011, it was hailed by critics as the best European series of the year and won the International Press Jury Prize for Best French Series at the Séries Mania Festival.

Fifteen years ago, Xanadu felt refreshing and, above all, not like a mere copy of US cable television series.

 

[Willie Oleson]

She was Xanadu's star performer until her mysterious death.

Remembering "Mama" and her brilliant DP performances....
What a ghastly idea for a familly business drama.

 

[Monzo]

The term French miniseries refers not merely to French-language miniseries produced for France television, but also to French-language miniseries originating from other European nations, various African countries, and Canada. I've always had the impression that French miniseries from Canada strive to be particularly valuable, addressing socially critical and topical issues, as is the case with Ravages from 2025. Here's the basic plot of Ravages:

Rising-star attorney Sarah Deléan is tasked with finalizing the acquisition of a small lithium mine in the province of Quebec on behalf of the multi-billion-dollar mining corporation, Minexore. Although the company has fallen into disrepute due to numerous environmental violations, Sarah employs a shrewd strategy to win over the mine's initially reluctant executives and shareholders. Yet, before long, her personal life spirals completely out of control. The mounting anxiety over her mother—who is battling cancer, lies in a coma, and whose chances of recovery are fading—had already been a heavy burden for the attorney for quite some time. But when she discovers a body in her mother’s home one morning, this new crisis completely eclipses all her previous troubles. Determined to solve the case, Sarah begins investigating on her own—a pursuit that leads her to uncover Minexore’s dubious machinations and forces her to confront the realization that she has become an unwitting pawn in the machinations of a powerful system.

The entire miniseries is officially available on YouTube—though I am not entirely certain if this applies to every country. I am able to watch it, even though I do not live in France; is this the case for you as well?

 

[Monzo]

Novels are frequently adapted into miniseries, but true stories are also a popular choice. As far as French miniseries go, I don't yet have an absolute favorite miniseries which is based on a true story; however, my top pick so far is "Tout pour Agnès" (English title: "French Roulette"), released in 2023.

The miniseries chronicles the disappearance of the young heiress to the Palais de la Méditerranée—a grand casino located on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice—a case that made headlines at the end of the 1970s. In 1977, Agnès Le Roux vanished without a trace, her body never to be found; yet, it was not until 2014 that a conviction for her murder was finally secured. The ultimate conviction was largely owed to the efforts of the missing woman's mother, who never gave up in her quest to bring the prime suspect to justice.



The so-called Agnès Le Roux affair had already been adapted for the big screen in 2014—starring Catherine Deneuve in the role of the mother—though reviews at the time were rather mixed. It was not until the miniseries "Tout pour Agnès" that critics were satisfied with the fictionalized portrayal of this major French criminal case.

 

[Svengali]

Novels are frequently adapted into miniseries, but true stories are also a popular choice. As far as French miniseries go, I don't yet have an absolute favorite miniseries which is based on a true story; however, my top pick so far is "Tout pour Agnès" (English title: "French Roulette"), released in 2023.

The miniseries chronicles the disappearance of the young heiress to the Palais de la Méditerranée—a grand casino located on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice—a case that made headlines at the end of the 1970s. In 1977, Agnès Le Roux vanished without a trace, her body never to be found; yet, it was not until 2014 that a conviction for her murder was finally secured. The ultimate conviction was largely owed to the efforts of the missing woman's mother, who never gave up in her quest to bring the prime suspect to justice.

View attachment 58997

The so-called Agnès Le Roux affair had already been adapted for the big screen in 2014—starring Catherine Deneuve in the role of the mother—though reviews at the time were rather mixed. It was not until the miniseries "Tout pour Agnès" that critics were satisfied with the fictionalized portrayal of this major French criminal case.

great serie, I'm French! but I prefer the movie because I'm a huge fan of Catherine Deneuve

 

[Willie Oleson]

Not really a mini-series, but I liked The Churchmen (Ainsi Soient-ils)
And also the Italian series Romanzo Criminale, based on the film.

This reminds me that I need to read more Michael Berg novels (whodunits set in France/Belgium/Luxemburg)

​

 

[Monzo]

great serie, I'm French! but I prefer the movie because I'm a huge fan of Catherine Deneuve

I think the advantage of the miniseries is that, at the time of its production, the case was legally closed, allowing the creators to delve into the character of the murderer (who, incidentally, is portrayed superbly by Yannick Choirat); by contrast, "L'homme qu'on aimait trop" (2014)—released before a conviction had been reached—could not explore the subject with such depth, though, of course, Catherine Deneuve never disappoints.

Not really a mini-series, but I liked The Churchmen (Ainsi Soient-ils)
And also the Italian series Romanzo Criminale, based on the film.

I haven't actually watched "Ainsi Soient-ils" at all yet. It was only in recent years that I discovered French television has a fair amount to offer that appeals to me—initially through daily soaps "Plus belle la vie" and "Un si grand soleil", then through miniseries, and now increasingly through primetime dramas as well. Only now am I getting around to watching acclaimed series like "Engrenages" and "Les Hommes de l'ombre"; "Ainsi Soient-ils" is another one on my list that I intend to watch eventually. Before my rediscovery of French television fiction, my impression of French television was largely shaped by shows such as "Sous le soleil" or the French miniseries produced for summer programming starting in the 1980s—under the label "Saga de l'été"—none of which, however, particularly appealed to me.

I had never heard of "Romanzo Criminale" before, but I do think Italy has long had a strong television market, offering a wide range of content—from light fare like "Don Matteo" to weightier dramas like "La Piovra". Italy was also an early player in the miniseries genre; I look back fondly on miniseries like "Sandokan" and "Cenerentola '80".