In the initial phase of the lock down, one web series took the world by storm- the Spanish mystery series Money Heist. I have lost count of the number of people that fell in love with the show but there hasn’t been a notable mystery heist series since.
On 8 January 2021 came a French series called Lupin. Many were unaware of the show but once it was up on Netflix, there was a whole new dynamic. Starring the Intouchables and Samba man, Omar Sy, I must say, it rocked the world.
The series is an adaptation of the famous comic book written by Maurice LeBlanc about a gentleman thief named Arsene Lupin. Maurice LeBlanc was a famous French writer who published Arsene Lupin first as a series of short stories in a magazine. The show revolves around a man named Assane Diop (Omar Sy) who, after 20 years, decides to take revenge for his father’s unjust death. Assane’s father, Babakar, is a Senegalese immigrant who comes to Paris in the hunt for a good job. He gets a job as a chauffeur at the Pellegrinis who were alleged for the death. The Pellegrinis are an affluent yet shady family living in Paris. Babakar is accused of stealing a necklace that the Pellegrinis owned and is put behind bars where he commits suicide. Assane believes Babakar was framed by the Pellegrinis and hence decides to teach them a lesson for good.
The first episode takes place in the famous Musee de Louvre in Paris where the Pellegrinis are putting the same necklace up for auction. The heist pulled off in the first episode, mind you, was one of the best. A hat off to the writers as it was a very well thought out episode with suspense, action, thrill, and fun. I remember watching Lupin as a casual binge but it got so interesting I couldn’t resist it and completed the entire part in two days.
But I wasn’t the only one who fell in love with the show. The statistics across the world speak for themselves. The Omar Sy-helmed series is projected to reach a whopping 70 million views in the first 28 days leaving behind the likes of Queen’s Gambit and Bridgerton. It was on the helm of the top Netflix charts for a long time not only in France but in countries like Italy and Brazil too.
The series is based in Paris and I can say this with a conviction that you will want to go to Paris once you watch Lupin. I have no words to explain how beautifully Paris is portrayed in the series. The actors alongside Omar Sy are also an important facet of this show and they acted with panache which added to the show’s brilliance.
Overall, it is a must-watch series for anyone who likes suspense and mystery. Part two for Lupin is arriving this summer and how the writers have ended part one, I can’t wait for part two!
