Tandem on France 3: why will the series end? Astrid Veyon tells us everything

As every spring since 2016, the tandem returns this Tuesday, May 9 at 9:10pm on France 3 for a new seventh season, rich in twists and turns, which resumes after the season 6 finale. Paul (Stephane Blancafort) is torn between life and death after being shot.

What happened ? Who shot Paul? With the help of Frank (Francois-Dominique Blin), Leah, more determined than ever to protect the father of her children, goes undercover in a dangerous investigation and will do anything to uncover the truth. Will he succeed before it’s too late?

Again consisting of 12 episodes, this new season of Tandem is definitely not like the others as it will be the last of the series. Astrid Waylon explained her reasons for ending the series after more than 80 episodes and spoke to us about her upcoming projects, which will see her behind the camera for the first time to make a tandem event TV movie. Which should bring the series full circle.

AlloCiné: You announced this recently: Season 7 of Tandem will be the last. Was it a decision you were forced to make?

Astrid Velyon : These are never easy decisions to make, especially when the series in question is successful. But at some point you have to have the courage to say to yourself “We’re not doing this for job stability.” You have to know how to challenge yourself and take risks.

After so many seasons as a tandem, I was afraid that the cat and mouse game between Paul and Leah was starting to go round and round. And I realized that this series, in which we all participated, actors, writers and technicians, did not deserve to disappear slowly. We are in the consumer community, we know that other projects will come and work. I really didn’t want to risk showing the solution. I really didn’t want to do a season.

I wanted us to finish in style, responding to the demand of such a loyal community over the years. It was necessary to make a decision so that the authors could prepare this finale, which should meet the expectations of the public.

Did you make this decision to stop the tandem alone, or was it a mutual agreement with Stephane Blancafort?

I always said to Stephen, “You know, if the tandem works, we have to be careful not to fall asleep,” and he said, “I’ll follow you.” I’m lucky to have a partner with whom I get along great, who I love to work with. And when I told him about it, he obviously understood right away. I hoped it happened naturally.

It was a bit more difficult to produce because producers always have a hard time keeping things that work. But in the end everyone understood. We put our best foot forward in this last season and it obviously worked because the feedback on this 7th season is very good.

Season 6 ended dramatically: Leah found Paul in a pool of blood. What can you tell us about what’s in store for this season 7?

When she sees him lying on the ground, very badly injured, Leah realizes that she may lose Paul forever. They never really left each other, but there he realizes it and realizes a lot of things. Especially since he is the man of her life. really. And it will set him on dramatic and funny paths.

He will be transported into unknown territory as he must investigate to find out who attacked Paul and why while protecting Paul. This is what is interesting about this season 7: there are traditional tandem police investigations, and at the same time there is a common theme dedicated to Paul and Leah’s search for the truth, which will have to risk and. They went out of their comfort zone. And who knows that she especially does not want to lose the father of her children.

How will Paul react when he discovers that Leah isn’t telling him everything about her investigation?

It will be done several times. I can’t say too much without spoiling it, but what I can tease is that this will once again create tension and situations that won’t be easy to handle for Leah, who still needs and wants to protect Paul. But sometimes, in our eagerness to protect others, we embarrass ourselves. That’s the story of this season 7.

The final episode, which viewers will find out in a few weeks, serves as a nice end to the series. But soon you will start shooting a special tandem TV movie, which you will be the director of. Is there a new challenge you really wanted?

Absolutely, I am currently in the process of preparation, shooting starts on May 24. It’s a challenge, sure, but I love challenges, I think that’s what life is for. Directing is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I do photography, I write, when I was little and we did shows, I was the director (laughs). So somewhere it’s a bit of a loop that somehow comes full circle.

But I could never direct tandem because we were shooting on two sets and when I wasn’t on one set, I was on the other. So filming the episode was absolutely impossible. And when there was a rumor about this special tandem TV movie, our sound engineer, Jean-Paul, came to me one day at a diner and said, “We’ve agreed that if we do 90 minutes, are you going to do it? ?”. I looked at him and said “Excuse me?” (laughs). According to him, I had everything to make this TV movie and it happened to me.

There was no double series, I knew the series, the actors, the scenery. It was a favorable pitch for my debut behind the camera. I immediately spoke to Stephen, who advised me to go. Then the producers and the channel trusted me and the adventure began.

I go to this project with great anxiety, great desire and also great fear. Fear of not being equal and disappointment. It’s a mix of emotions that are both exhilarating and terrifying. But I throw myself into this adventure, like everything else I do. I can’t do half of it. Until then, after three weeks of preparation, I enjoy myself. I’m in the heart of creativity and that’s what I like.

How about the plot of this TV movie? We’re going to go back to the beginning of the story between Paul and Leah, right?

absolutely. We followed this couple for seven years. And the authors wondered what they could say for this special TV movie and stopped at the question “How did they meet?”. Anthony Mojendre, who wrote and who has already written several episodes of Tandem, had some great ideas. We are both working very closely to make this tandem special a very good TV movie.

Can we expect a little more comedy?

We are not going to change the DNA of the series. But we never saw the Soler-Marshall family reunited, it was impossible because when some were on one set, others were on another. Finally, I have the luxury of family being together, so we all get to see a lot together. We are going to get more into their intimacy. And then we will obviously find a more classic police investigation. And the gendarmerie will be involved in all this.

Do you think more telefilms are possible after this? Or is it really the last gift to society?

I don’t ask myself that question. So far I am busy with this TV movie. What will happen will happen. I am not sure. Also, I have a hard time with people who have certain convictions, especially in the world we live in where things change and things move so fast. Now I am focusing on this TV movie. Then I have other projects, other things.

What will you miss most about Tandem?

I’m not one to miss anything. Because lack causes a lot of suffering and we don’t need that. This is an amazing page turner. I was extremely happy for seven years in tandem. With select partners, a series that has developed very well. A tandem family, indeed, with true respect for each other.

It was a sublime slice of life. Seven years is nothing. I’m going to leave Leah, this woman I loved to embody and protect. But there will be no shortage. Of course, a bit of nostalgia and reminiscing about one of the best moments of my career. But the end of something always heralds the beginning of something, so we’ll focus on the beginning.

Specifically, what are your future projects besides the telefilm tandem?

I wrote a sequel to my play, bathroomwhich will be called Bath, Act 2. Twenty years ago, Lulu celebrated its 30th anniversary, and today it celebrates its 50th anniversary. God knows we have a lot to say about these 50-year-old women today, about their place in society. It’s funny, it’s charming at times, there’s real meaning behind it.

Twenty years ago, Lulu was in conflict with her mother, who was divinely interpreted by Pascal Roberts, who is no longer of this world. He rises above us. But now in this new room will be Lulu’s daughter, who will turn 17 years old. A new generational conflict, that would be great. We are going on tour at the beginning of the 2024 school year, the director will be Anna Bourgeois, we are in the middle of casting.

Can’t wait to get back on stage?

Of course. I have been acting in the theater for at least five or six years. This is a work that will benefit women. And then, because we couldn’t do the tour at that time bathroomFor personal reasons, I’m happy to start this Act 2 with a tour of the provinces so I don’t miss the Tandem community and meet the viewers of the series.

After seven years as Lea Soler, are you open to the possibility of reprising the series again if the project comes up?

When I was offered a tandem, I had been doing this job for 25 years and took it as a real gift. So I am closed to nothing. It won’t be right away because I want something else. But I’m open to anything. If this tandem TV movie is successful, maybe I will be offered other productions.

To be honest, I do not project myself, I have never made career plans. All I care about is having fun and doing what I love. I live well, I have fun. I’m happy to sometimes get up at 4 a.m. for shoots or 14-hour prep days. These are the values ​​I try to instill in my son: Choose a job you like because you will spend time there. And if you don’t know why you get up every morning, it will be difficult for you. But when you’re having fun, it’s a lot easier.