8.8 /10 1 Votes
Country of origin Canada No. of episodes 37 Final episode date 29 March 2007 Number of episodes 37 | 8.8/10 IMDb First episode date 12 January 2005 Number of seasons 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Created by Pierre-Yves BernardClaude Legault (co-writer) Starring Claude LegaultJulien PoulinLouis ChampagneJulie Perreault Executive producer(s) Michel BissonnettePaul Dupont-HébertAndré LarinVincent Leduc Network Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Similar Les Hauts et les bas de Sophi, Les Invincibles, Mauvais Karma, Les Bougon, Trauma | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minuit, le soir (French: Midnight, in the evening) is an award-winning, character-driven Quebec television show. Set and shot in Montreal, the 30-minute show revolves around the lives of three bouncers, both in private and at work. The show is notable for its portrayal of the daily hardships facing each of the principal characters. Gritty cinematography and fast-paced direction are also key elements of the show's style. All the show's episodes were directed by Daniel Grou (aka Podz).
Contents
Aired by public broadcaster Radio-Canada, the show achieved critical acclaim in local media and among viewers, reaching on average 1.3 million people during its first season. Minuit, le soir eventually won 17 Gémeaux Awards for its three seasons, the local equivalent of the American Emmys, the Geminis in other Canadian provinces or the British Academy Television Awards.
The title of the show evokes the bouncers' work cycle and the fact they work at night. Although title screens and promotional logos do not include the comma between minuit and le, it does appears officially in the show's title.
Minuit, le soir aired for three seasons, ending its run in 2007.
Plot
Minuit, le soir is a series about three nightclub bouncers at The Manhattan, a fictional bar set in downtown Montreal. At first, all three seem successful: they enjoy working together and feel comfortable, achieving the rough-and-tough persona of the stereotypical bouncer. In an unexpected move, their aging boss sells his bar to an up-and-coming Italian-Canadian nightclub owner, after more than some insistence on her part.
Citing better standards she fires all three main protagonists. She intends on increasing the appeal of the bar by employing inexperienced yet good-looking young men to fill their positions. Nonetheless, one of the terminated bouncers successfully convinces the new owner to reinstate all three employees, showing their love for the job and indispensable experience. After reassembling her team of bouncers, the new owner renames the bar to Le Sas (The Airlock) and assigns the doormen to her other nightclubs in the city, including Le Joystick, a gay BDSM venue.
Minuit, le soir follows the characters working and off the job. The three bouncers are usually shown together being that they are coworkers and lifelong friends. The venues include the various bars, a park where the men procrastinate and their respective apartments.
The show evolves quite rapidly, both visually and story-wise, given its half-hour format combined to a dramatic plot. The camera is at times nervous, at times fluid and often transitions through tracking shots of the city.
Music is a central part of the show. In the club scenes, pounding house, mostly written by Mathieu Desaulniers, DJ Kal & Marco G. In the key moments, a haunting cello-based score ([1]) written by Nicolas Maranda ([2]) often takes over. The team won the 2007 Gémeaux award for their efforts. The music also promotes local artists by playing their songs during club scenes.
Principals
Supporting
Awards
Minuit, le soir won a total of 17 Gémeaux Awards :
2005 (first season)
2006 (second season)
2007 (third season)