The Returned (French TV series) explained

Native Name:
Genre:
Creator:Fabrice Gobert
Director:
  • Fabrice Gobert
  • Frédéric Mermoud
  • Frédéric Goupil
Starring:
Cinematography:Patrick Blossier
Opentheme:"Hungry Face" by Mogwai
Composer:Mogwai
Country:France
Language:French
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:16
List Episodes:
  1. Episodes
Producer:
  • Caroline Benjo
  • Jimmy Desmarais
  • Barbara Letellier
Runtime:50–58 minutes
Company:Haut et Court
Channel:Canal+
Related:The Returned

The Returned (French: '''Les Revenants''') is a French supernatural drama television series created by Fabrice Gobert, based on the 2004 French film They Came Back (Les Revenants), directed by Robin Campillo. The series debuted on 26 November 2012 on Canal+ and completed its first season of eight episodes, on 17 December. In 2013, the first season won an International Emmy for Best Drama Series.[1]

The second season, also comprising eight episodes, premiered on 28 September 2015 on Canal+.[2] [3] It premiered in the UK on 16 October 2015 on More4,[4] and in the US on 31 October 2015 on SundanceTV.

Premise

In a small French mountain town many dead people reappear apparently alive and normal, including teenage school bus crash victim Camille, suicidal bridegroom Simon, a small boy called "Victor" who was murdered by burglars, and serial killer Serge. While they try to resume their lives, strange phenomena take place: recurring power outages; a mysterious lowering of the local reservoir's water level, revealing the presence of dead animals and a church steeple; the appearance of strange marks on the bodies of the living and the dead.

Cast and characters

Main characters

The "Returned"
Others

Recurring characters

Episodes

Season 2 (2015)

Production

The series was shot in Haute-Savoie, mainly in the city of Annecy, and in Seynod, Menthon-Saint-Bernard, Poisy, Cran-Gevrier, Sévrier, Annecy-le-Vieux, Veyrier-du-Lac, and Semnoz. The dam, which plays an important role, is the Barrage de Tignes.[5] The first season of the series was filmed in April and May 2012. It was directed by Fabrice Gobert and Frédéric Mermoud.

The second season of the series was directed by Fabrice Gobert and Frédéric Goupil. It was originally to be filmed in February and March 2014, for screening from November 2014.[6] However, delays in the writing process pushed filming back until the second half of 2014, and broadcast began in 2015.[7] [8] The synopsis for the second season was released in August 2014, which confirmed there would be a total of eight episodes.[9] Filming for the second season ended on 7 April 2015.[10]

Music

The series' music was composed by the Scottish post-rock band Mogwai. The band's guitarist John Cummings said in an interview with The Quietus, "They wanted us to start writing it before they started filming it. They described it as inspiring them, they wanted some kind of musical mood in place before they started, so we were working a bit dry at first ... we'd (only) seen the first couple of scripts in English".[11] The band released a four-track sampler of the music (Les Revenants EP) on 17 December 2012, the day of the showing of the final episode. A full-length soundtrack album, Les Revenants, was released on 25 February 2013. In August 2014, it was confirmed that Mogwai would also write the soundtrack for the second season.[12]

Reception

The series has been critically acclaimed. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 100% with an average score of 9.2 out of 10 based on 39 reviews and a critics' consensus of, "A pleasant change from typically gory zombie shows, The Returned is a must-see oddity that's both smart and sure to disturb".[13] The second season of the show holds a rating of 95%, with an average score of 9.1 out of 10 based on 20 reviews and a consensus of, "After a long wait, The Returned is back with more of the chilling, deliberate, and masterful storytelling that made season one a spooky success".[14] Le Monde said the series marked a resurgence in the fantasy genre[15] with the dead appearing out of nowhere, trying to regain their lives where they left off. Libération said the series recalled the atmosphere of Twin Peaks by David Lynch.[16] In France, viewing figures averaged 1.4 million over the eight episodes, on Canal+.

For its American showing, the series received a 92 out of 100 rating from Metacritic, which averages critics' reviews, based on 28 reviews.[17] The second season received an 82 out of 100 rating based on 11 reviews.[18]

During a visit to Paris, Stephen King remarked on being a big fan of the show and later tweeted about it.[19]

Accolades

In 2013, for the 41st International Emmy Award, The Returned won for Best Drama Series.[1] For the 18th Satellite Awards, it received a nomination for Best Television Series or Miniseries, Genre.[20] In 2014, it was awarded with a Peabody Award.[21] It received a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials for the 2014 TCA Awards.[22] Fabien Adda and Fabrice Gobert received a nomination for Best Screenplay for the episode "The Horde", for the 2013 Bram Stoker Awards.[23]

International broadcasts

Season 1 was broadcast in the United Kingdom from 9 June 2013 on Channel 4.[24] It was the first "fully subtitled drama" on the channel in more than 20 years and was screened in French, with English subtitles.[25] First announced under the English name Rebound, the title was amended to The Returned prior to broadcast.[26] The channel made a feature of the subtitles by broadcasting a specially commissioned advertisement break in French with English subtitles. In the United States, SundanceTV began broadcasting the series' first season on 31 October 2013,[27] before picking up the second season on 11 January 2014.[28] The series began airing in Australia on SBS Two on 11 February 2014.[29] In Canada, the series debuted on 26 April 2014 on Space.[30]

In advance of the second-season premiere, the first two episodes of the season received an advance preview screening at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, as part of the festival's new Primetime platform of selected television projects.[31] The second season premiered on 16 October 2015 on More4 in the United Kingdom and on 31 October 2015 in the U.S. on SundanceTV.[32]

International ratings

Season 1

United Kingdom
No.AirdateViewers (millions)[33]
19 June 20131.91
216 June 20131.60
323 June 20131.53
430 June 20131.57
57 July 20131.50
614 July 20131.48
721 July 20131.51
828 July 20131.38

Season 2

United KingdomUnited States
No.AirdateViewers (millions)[34] AirdateViewers (millions)
916 October 20150.57131 October 20150.123[35]
1023 October 20150.3027 November 20150.100[36]
1130 October 20150.28614 November 20150.127[37]
126 November 201521 November 20150.082[38]
1313 November 201528 November 20150.092[39]
1420 November 20150.2565 December 20150.072[40]
1527 November 201512 December 20150.062[41]
164 December 201519 December 20150.072[42]

Home media release

The first season was released on DVD in France on 20 December 2012[43] and in the UK on 9 September 2013.[44] In the United States, the first season was released on both DVD and Blu-ray on 11 February 2014[45] and the second season on 17 December 2019.[46]

Adaptations

See main article: The Returned (American TV series). In May 2013, it was revealed that an English-language adaptation was in development by Paul Abbott and FremantleMedia, with the working title They Came Back.[47] In September 2013, it was revealed that Abbott was no longer involved with the project and that A&E would develop it.[48] In April 2014, A&E ordered 10 episodes with Carlton Cuse and Raelle Tucker as executive producers.[49] The series premiered on 9 March 2015[50] and was cancelled after one season.[51]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Roxborough . Scott . International Emmy Awards: French Zombie Series 'The Returned' Wins Best Drama . The Hollywood Reporter . 25 November 2013 . 14 December 2013.
  2. Web site: Les Revenants saison 2 entre en tournage . Canal+ . 24 September 2014 . 28 September 2014.
  3. Web site: Les Revenants : tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur la saison 2... . Allocine . Jean-Maxime . Renault . 3 September 2015 . 4 September 2015.
  4. Web site: Return to The Lake Pub in this creepy trailer for The Returned series 2 . Digital Spy . 30 September 2015 . 3 October 2015.
  5. Web site: Les revenants, les secrets du tournage en Savoie ! . Les Revenants: Secrets of filming in Savoie . fr . cpasducinema.com . 26 November 2012 . 13 April 2013.
  6. Web site: Fans of The Returned will have to wait until second series for resolutions . The Guardian . Plunkett, John . Chrisafis, Angelique . 26 July 2013 . 12 March 2014.
  7. Web site: Le tournage de la saison 2 des Revenants (Canal+) reporté à septembre prochain, pas de diffusion avant 2015 . 5 March 2014 . 15 February 2014 . Newstele.
  8. Web site: Les revenants se font désirer . Richard . Therrien . 5 March 2014 . 5 March 2014 . LaPresse.ca.
  9. Web site: Les Revenants : le mystère se lève (un peu) sur la saison 2 . 13 August 2014 . 16 August 2014 . Allocine.
  10. News: Sur le tournage des "Revenants", en quête d'éclaircissements . fr . Télérama.fr . Isabelle . Poitte . Télérama . 26 March 2015 . 11 June 2015.
  11. News: Mogwai on new Soundtrack . . Luke . Turner . 26 November 2012 . 21 January 2013.
  12. Web site: Mogwai confirm plans to soundtrack series 2 of 'The Returned' and reissue second album . NME . 22 March 2014 . 16 August 2014.
  13. Web site: The Returned: Season 1 . Rotten Tomatoes . 23 July 2022.
  14. Web site: The Returned: Season 2 . Rotten Tomatoes . 12 August 2022.
  15. News: Psenny, Daniel . Les Revenants, à la vie, à la mort . Les Revenants: Of life and death . . fr . 26 November 2012 . 13 April 2013.
  16. News: Garrihos, Raphaël . Roberts, Isabelle . Les Revenants, les feux de la mort . Les Revenants: The fires of death . . fr . 25 November 2012 . 13 April 2013 . 3 December 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131203094747/http://ecrans.liberation.fr/ecrans/2012/11/26/les-revenants-les-feux-de-la-mort_956817 . dead .
  17. Web site: The Returned : Season 1 . Metacritic . 12 March 2014.
  18. Web site: The Returned : Season 2 . Metacritic . 22 February 2016.
  19. Web site: Stephen King joins Twitter, praises 'The Returned' . Boston.com . 8 December 2013 . 12 March 2014.
  20. Web site: '12 Years a Slave' Tops Satellite Award Nominations . TheWrap . Steve . Pond . 2 December 2013 . 2 April 2014 . 8 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141108011339/http://www.thewrap.com/satellite-awards-12-years-a-slave-gravity-american-hustle-breaking-bad/ . dead .
  21. Web site: The Returned (Les Revenants) (Sundance TV) . The Peabody Awards . 2 April 2014.
  22. TCA nominations: 'True Detective' starts awards season fight . James . Hibberd . Entertainment Weekly . 27 May 2014 . 27 May 2014.
  23. Web site: The 2013 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot . Horror.org . 23 February 2014 . 7 November 2014.
  24. Web site: Rigby . Sam . Channel 4 to broadcast first ever ad break in French . Digital Spy . 31 May 2013 . 9 June 2013.
  25. News: Morgan . Jeffery . Channel 4 to air French horror drama Rebound . Digital Spy . 19 March 2013 . 13 April 2013.
  26. Web site: Morgan . Jeffery . Channel 4 debuts zombie drama 'The Returned' trailer . Digital Spy . 24 May 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  27. Web site: Sundance Channel Acquires Zombie Sensation The Returned . . 10 September 2013 . 20 October 2013.
  28. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . TCA: Sundance Channel Picks Up Season 2 Of French Drama 'The Returned', Renews 'Writers' Room' . Deadline.com . 11 January 2014 . 11 January 2014.
  29. Web site: Knox . David . The Returned Daily Pick . TV Tonight . 10 February 2014 . 11 February 2014.
  30. Web site: Zombie drama The Returned premieres April 26 . Space . 18 March 2014 . 18 April 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140419022306/http://www.space.ca/article/the-returned . 19 April 2014 . dmy-all.
  31. Web site: TIFF's First-Ever TV Lineup Includes Jason Reitman's 'Casual' and 'Heroes Reborn' . . Ben . Travers . 13 August 2015 . 16 September 2015.
  32. The Returned First Look: See exclusive photos from season 2, debuting this Halloween . Entertainment Weekly . Ariana . Bacle . 16 September 2015 . 16 September 2015.
  33. Web site: Top 30 Programmes . . 24 June 2013.
  34. Web site: Weekly Top 10 Programmes . . 28 February 2015 . dead . https://archive.today/20130113222519/http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-10 . 13 January 2013 .
  35. Web site: UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 10.31.2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151104031928/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-100-saturday-cable-originals-network-update-10-31-2015.html . dead . 4 November 2015 . Metcalf . Mitch . ShowBuzzDaily . 3 November 2015 . 28 February 2016.
  36. Web site: UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 11.7.2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151111002130/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-100-saturday-cable-originals-network-update-11-7-2015.html . dead . 11 November 2015 . Metcalf . Mitch . ShowBuzzDaily . 10 November 2015 . 28 February 2016.
  37. Web site: UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 11.14.2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117140507/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-100-saturday-cable-originals-network-update-11-14-2015.html . dead . 17 November 2015 . Metcalf . Mitch . ShowBuzzDaily . 17 November 2015 . 28 February 2016.
  38. Web site: UPDATED: EXPANDED SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 11.21.2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151125010307/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/expanded-showbuzzdailys-top-150-saturday-cable-originals-network-update-11-21-2015.html . dead . 25 November 2015 . Metcalf . Mitch . ShowBuzzDaily . 24 November 2015 . 28 February 2016.
  39. Web site: UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 11.28.2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151202214406/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-saturday-cable-originals-network-update-11-28-2015.html . dead . 2 December 2015 . Metcalf . Mitch . ShowBuzzDaily . 2 December 2015 . 28 February 2016.
  40. Web site: UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 12.5.2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151208223649/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/the-sked/showbuzzdailys-top-150-saturday-cable-originals-network-update-12-5-2015.html . dead . 8 December 2015 . Metcalf . Mitch . ShowBuzzDaily . 8 December 2015 . 28 February 2016.
  41. Web site: UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 12.12.2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151216021715/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-saturday-cable-originals-network-update-12-12-2015.html . dead . 16 December 2015 . Metcalf . Mitch . ShowBuzzDaily . 15 December 2015 . 28 February 2016.
  42. Web site: UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Update: 12.19.2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151223073722/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-saturday-cable-originals-network-update-12-19-2015.html . dead . 23 December 2015 . Metcalf . Mitch . ShowBuzzDaily . 22 December 2015 . 28 February 2016.
  43. Web site: Les Revenants . Amazon.fr . 12 March 2014.
  44. Web site: The Returned — Series 1 [DVD] ]. 9 September 2013 . Amazon.co.uk . 12 March 2014.
  45. Web site: Les Revenants (AKA The Returned) - Release Date Change for 'The Complete 1st Season' on DVD, Blu . TVShowsOnDVD.com . David . Lambert . 10 January 2014 . 12 March 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140316012216/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Les-Revenants-Season-1/19338 . 16 March 2014 . dmy-all.
  46. Web site: The Returned: Season Two Blu-ray . Blu-ray.com . December 27, 2019.
  47. Web site: AbbottVision to produce They Came Back . 29 May 2013 . AbbottVision . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130730050322/http://abbottvision.com/abbottvision-to-produce-they-came-back/ . 30 July 2013 . dmy-all.
  48. Web site: UPDATED: US remake of The Returned in development . Den of Geek . Michael . Noble . 29 September 2013 . 29 April 2014 . 30 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140430070845/http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/27490/updated-us-remake-of-the-returned-in-development . dead .
  49. Web site: A&E, Lost Boss to Adapt The Returned . TVLine . Matt Webb . Mitovich . 29 April 2014 . 29 April 2014 . 29 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140429215319/http://tvline.com/2014/04/29/ae-the-returned-adaptation/ . dead .
  50. A&E sets premiere date for 'Bates Motel,' 'The Returned' . Entertainment Weekly . Natalie . Abrams . 9 January 2015 . 9 January 2015.
  51. Web site: 'Bates Motel' Renewed For 2 Seasons By A&E, 'The Returned' Not Coming Back . Deadline.com . Nellie . Andreeva . 15 June 2015 . 15 June 2015.

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