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The Bureau (TV series)

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Also known as
  
Le Bureau des Légendes

Created by
  
Éric Rochant

Genre
  
The Bureau (TV series)

Written by
  
Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau, Cécile Ducrocq, Emmanuel Bourdieu

Directed by
  
Éric Rochant, Mathieu Demy, Laïla Marrakchi, Hélier Cisterne, Jean-Marc Moutout, Samuel Collardey

Starring
  
Mathieu KassovitzSara GiraudeauJean-Pierre DarroussinLéa Drucker

The Bureau (original title: Le Bureau des légendes) is a French political thriller television series created by Éric Rochant and produced by Canal+, which revolves around the lives of agents of the DGSE (General Directorate of External Security), France's principal external security service. Originally aired in France from 27 April 2015, it was first launched in the US and Canada on iTunes on 1 June 2016 as part of a new international "Episodic Cinema" label, quickly reaching the Top Five. In the United Kingdom, the series was released exclusively by Amazon Prime on June 17, 2016.

Contents

The first season received positive reviews in both France and other countries, and won several awards. The second season has been universally acclaimed, and has even been seen by some as the best television ever produced in France. It has been renewed for a third season which is estimated to air in 2017.

Synopsis

The Bureau is based upon real accounts by former spies and inspired by contemporary events, and centres on the daily life and missions of agents within France's Directorate-General for External Security, its principal external security service. It focuses on the "Bureau of Legends", responsible for training and handling deep-cover agents (operating 'under legend') on long-term missions in areas with French interests, especially in North Africa and the Middle East. Living under false identities for years, these agents' missions are to identify and recruit good intelligence sources.

The series features intelligence officer Guillaume Debailly, codenamed "Malotru", who returns to Paris after six years undercover in Damascus. He has to face the challenge of reconnecting with his daughter, ex-wife, colleagues, and even his old self. But his return to 'normal life' proves difficult, especially when he discovers that Nadia, who was his love in Damascus, is now also in Paris. The first season follows his attempts to navigate the rules of life as a spy, and his increasingly tenuous position with Nadia.

The second season continues with the same themes, four months later, but also focuses on another character from the first season, Marina Loiseau. She is leaving for Tehran to work undercover as a specialist in seismology, in order to gather intelligence about Iran's nuclear weapons programme. Guillaume has been promoted to deputy director but also become a double agent on behalf of the CIA. He becomes increasingly desperate to resolve the situation with Nadia, which culminates in serious consequences for them both. Meanwhile, the DGSE has the challenge of a bloodthirsty French jihadist who is publicly taunting France.

Broadcasting history

The Bureau originally came to French television in 2015 on the premium network Canal+ with a ten-episode first season. This was the best performing new drama on the French premium pay net since Les Revenants in 2012. It was therefore quickly renewed for a second season, broadcast in 2016, and further renewed for a third season in May 2016.

In the United States and Canada, the series was first launched exclusively on iTunes where it remained in the Top Five most downloaded TV seasons for two weeks, with several episodes in the top 100 most downloaded and a 4.5/5 viewer rating. In the United Kingdom, the series was released exclusively on Amazon Prime on June 17. In Germany, it was sold to RTL Crime for broadcast in 2016.

Main cast

  • Mathieu Kassovitz as Guillaume Debailly, also known as « Malotru ». After six years undercover in Damascus, Syria, he returns to Paris but finds it difficult to re-adapt to a more normal life. When he learns that Nadia al-Mansour, his lover in Damascus, is in Paris, he breaks the rules and renews their affair, returning to his false identity as Paul Lefebvre;
  • Sara Giraudeau as Marina Loiseau. Nicknamed "Phénomène" (Phenomenon), she is the central focus of the second season, as an agent infiltrating the Iranian nuclear industry;
  • Jean-Pierre Darroussin as Henri Duflot, Director of the clandestine service, a unit within the DGSE;
  • Léa Drucker as Docteur Balmes, a new recruit as a psychiatrist specialized in behavioural psychology. She assists the agents in manipulating their targets, but is also working for the CIA;
  • Zineb Triki as Nadia El Mansour, a Syrian professor of history and Debailly's lover from Damascus. Their relationship and her role in seeking to resolve the Syrian conflict form the crux of the first season;
  • Gilles Cohen as Marc Lauré, aka « MAG », Director of Intelligence and Henri Duflot's boss;
  • Pauline Étienne (season 2) as Céline Delorme, a regional expert on the Middle East and North Africa;
  • Florence Loiret Caille as Marie-Jeanne Duthilleul, Debailly's handler, who becomes Loiseau's handler after Debailly's return from Syria;
  • Patrick Ligardes as Marcel Gaingouin, Operations Director of the DGSE;
  • Jonathan Zaccaï as Raymond Sisteron, a colleague of Debailly;
  • Alexandre Brasseur and Michaël Abiteboul as 'Pepe' and 'Meme' ('grandpa' and 'grandma'), two DGSE workers who look after the agents;
  • Alba Gaïa Bellugi as Prune Debailly, the daughter of Guillaume
  • Stéphane Debac as Jérome.
  • Alice Belaïdi as Sabrina Boumaza.
  • Critical reception

    The programme was well received by audiences and the critics. In its domestic market, the first season received very positive reviews. Le Monde commented on its "mastery of its subject" and "rigorous construction of narrative arches" and lauded its "different and credible tone". Le Nouvel Observateur compared it to Mad Men and congratulated it on "staging that exceptional routine with flair and breathing life into a convincing team of heroes".

    The second season was immensely popular. Télérama called it "captivating, subtly written, staged and acted: a mission accomplished" and Le Figaro stated that "to this day, this series is the best ever made in France".

    The New York Times described the series as a "moody, cynical & stylish ... consistently smart and understated". Broadwayworld also wrote a positive review, describing it as a "a riveting spy story told with psychological sophistication and cinematic flair".

    Season 1

  • Séries Mania Festival 2015:
  • International Press Jury Award - Best Actor for Mathieu Kassovitz
  • French Syndicate of Cinema Critics Award: Best Series
  • French TV Critics Association Awards (A.C.S.): Best Actor for Mathieu Kassovitz (2015)
  • Season 2

  • COLCOA French Film Festival:
  • TV Series Jury Special Prize
  • TV Series Audience Award
  • French TV Critics Association Awards (A.C.S.): Best Production
  • Le Parisien: Best French Series (2016)
  • Télérama: Top 10 Series 2016 (N°1)
  • Globes de Cristal Award: Best French Series (2016)
  • References

    The Bureau (TV series) Wikipedia


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