Children Are Kings: How much is this charming yet classic thriller with Geraldine Nakache and Doria Tillier?

Since its launch in France in 2020, Disney+ has always wanted to offer innovative original series that deal with current issues. And Kids Are Kings, available from this Wednesday, October 23, the American platform continues the momentum, this time with an impact on children.

With the advent of social networks, especially Youtube, Instagram and Tiktok, their popularity continues to grow, leading to many questions about their overexposure and the use of their image, most often for profit. In 2021, author Delphine de Wigan explored this topic through her novel Children are kings. The book has now been freely adapted by Disney+.

The Disappearance of Kimmy Schmidt

When little Kimmy Schmidt, 6, is kidnapped in broad daylight, it sends shock waves across France. The little girl is indeed a social media star. The videos posted by the mother every day are watched by millions of people.

Sarah Roussel (played by Geraldine Nakache), an SDPJ brigadier general, is tasked with the investigation, and she embarks on a frantic race to find Kimmy as quickly as possible. And to do this, he will have to dive into a world that he knows nothing about and enter the closeness of this family that has learned to live under the gaze of their society.

However, throughout the investigation, he grows closer and closer to Melanie, the mother of little Kim, played for the occasion by Doria Tillier. From confidant to confidant, this mother uncovers secrets about herself and those around her before planting suspicion on the real culprit…

A fascinating thriller

Written by Judith Hawass and Victor Rodenbach and directed by Sébastien Marnier (Descent of Evil), Children Are Kings is very loosely adapted from the novel of the same name. Where the book focused on the psychological aspect and explored the history of the Schmidt family in several timelines, the series focuses on a new dimension, mainly the investigation conducted by Brig.

The result is a gripping yet classic thriller that moves at a thousand miles an hour. For episode 6, Sarah bounces from fake anchor to fake anchor in a frenzied race against time. And throughout his investigation, he also discovers that this seemingly perfect family is actually hiding many secrets that call everything into question.

Doria Tillier and Geraldine Nakache masterfully

Although Children are Kings is a charming thriller, the plot remains very conventional and is based on tropes seen and revisited in French detective series. However, the series manages to gain dimension thanks to the acting duo.

Geraldine Nakache (All That Shines) lends her qualities to Sara, SDPJ squad leader, a life-damaged detective who slowly falls under the thumb of Melanie, played by the impressive Doria Tillier.

This seemingly loving mother gradually reveals that she is obsessed with fame and glory, sometimes forgetting that her daughter is just a child, not a marketing object. This duo of seemingly complete opposites works perfectly and is what makes the series so interesting and exciting.

With its increasingly suffocating atmosphere, Children Are Kings still remains an effective thriller that will keep you in suspense until the finale. It’s a shame the series doesn’t try to think outside the box…

Catch Episode 6 of Kids Are Kings starting this Wednesday, October 23rd on Disney+.