Des vrais mecs

This show feels like a near copy of Alpha Males (Machos Alfa), just rebranded for a new audience. It follows the exact same setup: four middle-aged men dealing with outdated ideas of masculinity and identity. The problem is, it brings nothing new. The writing is flatter, the characters less compelling, and the humor forced. It's almost a scene-by-scene remake without the cultural spark or self-awareness that made the original engaging. If you've seen Alpha Males, this version feels like a lazy cash grab-uninspired, predictable, and ultimately forgettable.

If you're familiar with Italian culture, it's even more disappointing, this show fails to reflect it accurately. The characters feel like outside stereotypes rather than real Italians, lacking the nuances, values, and personality traits that would make them feel culturally authentic. Very disappointing.

Real Men is an unexpected gem that hits all the right notes - humor, heart, and humanity. Centered around four lifelong friends navigating the chaos of midlife, the show masterfully balances laugh-out-loud comedy with poignant moments of reflection.

What makes Real Men truly special is the authenticity of its characters. Each man is going through his own version of a midlife crisis - career doubts, family tensions, identity shifts - yet the bond they share never wavers. Their friendship is the emotional anchor of the series, showing that while life throws its punches, true brotherhood can soften the blow.

The chemistry among the cast is impeccable, and their banter feels effortlessly real. You'll laugh at their antics, cringe at their missteps, and cheer for their small victories. The writing is sharp and emotionally intelligent, making you reflect on your own life and relationships.

Whether you're in the midst of a midlife recalibration or just enjoy heartfelt storytelling, Real Men is a show that will stick with you. It's warm, funny, and ultimately life-affirming - a tribute to the power of friendship through all of life's seasons.

Highly recommended!

I had to write this because many of those who have given series a 2 started with the premises that's a bad copy and paste version of Machos Alpha. Yes, clearly they bought the format - it's obvious and definitely not new. It's been done time and time again, especially from Americans making bad versions of European or Asian tv series. So this is irrelevant. It's definitely not as good as Machos Alpha cause it has very little in it that's typically Italian: take the housekeeper. She should have been of a different nationality, definitely not from a Hispanic country. And so on. So, the series missed a trick in terms of intercultural adaptation (something that Skam for instance did beautifully across most of its versions) but there's still time to do that in the second season and hopefully they'll make an effort-especially when we get a closer look at the world of Italian TV production.

Well, I'm gonna be kind to this cause I do believe they meant well and their heart was in the right place but now really it was all over the place. Or let's say I struggled quite a lot watching it. It is funny and even captivating here and there, but it's also exasperating due to the idiocy of its males and I'm not sure whether this is meant to be a simple comedy that grossly exaggerates its characters for comedic effect or it's actually trying to tell us something or it's maybe meant to show us the sad reality of men. Men will be men and that's that. Birds of a feather and all that. I think what I found most triggering is how two of them were bullying the other two, either for fun or because their ego was bruised or their lives were going badly and they were feeling to need to put somebody down and bring them to their level. If that behaviour is common among male friends it's sad and worrying.

Other than that it's your run of the mill sexist stuff, just compounded. It was unpleasant at times and other times just boring. Also, it doesn't necessarily lift up the women. Eliana is pretty out there, although her smile was always disarming. I guess I'm meant to take it as comedy then.