MovieChat Forums > Engrenages (2005) Discussion > Wow! This is excellent!

Wow! This is excellent!

posted 10 years ago by Good-Will
13 replies | jump to latest

I'm not sure how I stumbled upon this but I think it may have been mentioned by Paradesend on another board quite a while ago.
We seem to frequent the same boards so it makes sense that I'd add it to my watch list if he recommended it.
Just binge watched the first four seasons (It helped that I was down with a virus) and it kept getting better and better.
And now season 5 is about to begin, so perfect timing. :)
The intricacies of the plots are perfect, the characters are real human beings with all their strengths and frailties, and the writing and pacing and direction are top notch.
Better than The Shield? I actually think that it is.

If the opposite of Love is indifference, what's the opposite of Hate?

[–] letess 9 years ago

I stumbled on this too. Hulu. This is one of the best. So well crafted. Amazing performances. Real. Nothing looks like a set, some characters look like they have been living on the street. The plotlines are complicated but connected. There are loose ends. The French police make many mistakes but they recover and you are right there with them. Laure is a phenomenon in her own right and how she spars with the males and their respect and trust for her. The legal stuff (and illegal) is interwoven with the criminal stuff. There's nudity. The gory crime scenes are amazing - same with the autopsies and crime scene investigations. I applaud this series. It appears that for each season they keep the same writers for all the episodes (yet writers vary for each season); stories are cohesive. Spellbinding is all I have to say.

[–] oakcourt 9 years ago

Paradesend and I go on similar boards. I have to say this is my favourite European drama and they are all pretty ok shall we say. I couldn't wait for this to retourner as les francaises would say. C'est excellent.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (41638798) 9 years ago

Hi everybody!

Glad you like it. Isn't series 5 fantastic!!???? (Well, except for one episode 6 tragedy that I'll never get over, sob.)

Some shows just don't make it to series 5 and still have "it." But this one?

My god.

Better and better and better all the time.

I could not imagine how they'd come back from the end of series 4 and pick up in the story.

But we've now seen the aftermath and the effects that the bombing had on the characters, and it's tragically moving isn't it.

Poor Laure! She's just destroyed and comatose walking through life, not even realizing until 13 weeks that she might be carrying Sami's baby. Or Bremont's. Dear heaven.

Caroline Proust's performance this season has broken my heart. My god, what a job she's doing. Her acting is like nothing I've seen in a long while with the exception of Keeley Hawes in "Line of Duty" and Sarah Lancashire in "Happy Valley."

Folks use "best" and "greatest" all the time for shows of varying quality and depth.

But truly "Engrenges" is standing the test of time so far as the best European drama I've ever seen--and because I'm such a saddo, I've probably seen a 100 by now. haha

Until the 5th series of "Engrenages" I thought "The Killing 1" or "The Bridge" (the real one not the hideous US thing) or even "Borgen" had been the highest quality productions.

But as said above, the characters in "Engrenages" are so varied and deep and complex and in abundance, that it's not just 1 or 2 stars that have that privilege. They are all written that way. And I like the way the show doesn't pull any punches and try to be all PC and cautious like UK shows have to be now that the luvvies have had their way with them and had luvvie-ism triumphing over art.

What a show.

[–] Good-Will 9 years ago

It's brilliant.
Many, many thanks for recommending it to me, Paradesend.
I also loved the shows you mention above (with the exception of "The Bridge" which had a poorly thought out ending), and hope that you saw "The Missing" since I'm sure that you'd love it.

If the opposite of Love is indifference, what's the opposite of Hate?

[–] !!!deleted!!! (41638798) 9 years ago

You're welcome!

Oh yes, that infuriating "The Missing." Loved it though. A controversial ending always keeps one on one's toes, doesn't it?

If you can do try to give "The Bridge" 2 a try. We were introduced to the odd couple in The Bridge 1. But then their odd couple story takes some compelling turns in series 2 (won't give anything away here).

And there is "The Bridge" 3 on the way, too.

And of course "Broadchurch" is in full swing now, the only interesting bit is the following of former fans who are making hay of how awful Series 2 is. In some people's opinion anyway.

My favorite recap writing on the Guardian, Vicky, whose last name escapes me at the moment, does fall down funny recaps of tv shows. The Guardian owns the recap market.

Vicky said episode 4 of Broadchurch was so bad, she's even wondering if she should be DOING any more recaps! Hilarious.

When something turns awful, or rather boring like Downton did, it really lets the journalists go crazy and be their most entertaining.

I highly recommended any recaps in The Guardian for any shows they write about. They are so fun.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] len_cardiff 9 years ago

If you haven't seen it yet, may I recommend 'Romanzo Criminale' http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1242773/?ref_=rvi_tt

Without a doubt, the best thing I've ever seen on TV, Spiral included...not that there's anything wrong with the superb Spiral!

Boo!

[–] Good-Will 9 years ago

I've finished watching the first season of Romanzo Criminale, Len, and it was very good.
The set design, costumes and cinematography are all excellent, as is the inclusion of the events that were happening at that time (Moro kidnapping, Bologna bombing etc) but it was lacking something which is hard to put my finger on.
Whether because there was almost no humour involved, or the repeated focus on Lebano's scowling face or the lack of any fingerprint evidence being used (I checked and they did have that new-fangled technology in Italy in the 70's), it just hasn't grabbed me yet.
But I'll watch Season 2 since it's still a cut above (with flares and massive lapels) what else is on offer that I'm not already watching.
So thanks for the tip, mate!

If the opposite of Love is indifference, what's the opposite of Hate?

[–] len_cardiff 9 years ago

Thanks for the reply. As it happens Romanzo Criminale is loosely based on the true exploits of the 'Banda della Magliana'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banda_della_Magliana which for me gave it a real edge. Anyway, hope you enjoy season 2!

[–] SMORacka 9 years ago

Check out Braquo, too. Another interesting series.

[–] Good-Will 9 years ago

Check out Braquo, too. Another interesting series.

Season one of Braquo was great, but unfortunately it went downhill from there after the lead writer left.

It then became a wannabe "The Shield" but without the depth and consistency of that series, and had some of the most ham-fisted writing I've witnessed since "The Following".

I'd recommend the first season but after that then either leave it or enjoy its descent into absurdity.

If the opposite of Love is indifference, what's the opposite of Hate?

[–] SMORacka 9 years ago

True, but it's better than nothing.

[–] Skylightmovies 9 years ago

@Good-will
Yes 