After Anatomy of the Fall, Swann Arlo in the next French political series that will keep you in suspense

What is it about?

Cesar Casalonga has two passions in life: his work as a political consultant, where he excels as a strategist, and his boss, Paul Francoeur, whom he supports for 20 years in the rise that will lead him to the presidency of the Republic.

In the Shadows by Pierre Scholer, Edouard Philippe and Gilles Boyer – International Series Mania 2024 Competition – Episodes Watched: 2/6

The new French political series is not to be missed

Ten years after their book was published in the darkEdouard Philippe and Gilles Boyer are starting to adapt the series. Building on their long political (and literary) collaboration, the duo joined forces with Lamara Lepretre-Habib and Pierre Scholer to script this thriller in the tradition of Baron Noir, House of Cards and The White House.

Because the series in the shadow, filmed in 2023 and expected this year on France 2, takes all the codes of all self-respecting political fiction with the right dose of cynicism and comedy, dramatization of a serious topic and closeness. Documentary side, with a bit of a modern twist: The Danger of Computers.

The disturbing element of “Shadow” comes from suspected election fraud during the Republican right-wing primaries organized by the fictitious computer company “DROID,” owned by the son of a senator who modeled his methods on the American model and is supposed to be trustworthy. And that’s a problem for Cesar Casalonga, a close adviser to Paul Francoeur, the candidate who narrowly won that election.

This apparatus will then realize that it will have to fight against new enemies, in addition to the press, political opponents or former primary challenger Marie-France Tremeau, and that it will have to redouble its efforts to ensure that its candidate is flawless. Presidential elections.

Impeccable cast and brutal pacing

Then it’s a mad race against time for Cesar and the rest of the team, who vacillate between anxiety and paranoia. In only two episodes out of six (featured in TV series Mania), Shadow manages to capture the pulse of a society gone wrong, the pulse of France’s complex and corrupt system of exploitation and conquest. poisonous power.

Already working on the excellent film L’Exercice de l’Etat, Pierre Scholer, who works as screenwriter, art director and director (in collaboration with Guillaume Sennett), offers a political study for the general public, with a startling pace and palpable tension so rare for French television, supported by Troubled and almost haunting music by Julie Rue (Jeune Femme, Perdrix, Une Femme du monde).

This intimate approach to the sometimes hard-to-recognize faces of political figures and the fascinating behind-the-scenes immersion in political elections is aided by impeccable casting, starting with Swan Arlo, who recently won the César Anatomie d’. Autumn, who plays the counselor Cesar Casalonga, and who serves as a gateway and a link between the audience and the underbelly of this political theater.

The rest of the cast is also flawless and engaging with heart and authenticity. In particular, we find Karin Viard, Melville Pupo, Evelyn Brochu, Sofiane Kames, Philippe Ouchan, Maud Wyler, Baptiste Carrion-Weiss, Eric Paradis and Clara Antunes.

You can find the first two episodes for free on the platform Seriamania+ for another 24 hours. The series in the shadow will soon be broadcast on France 2.