I first watched this series upon its release, and I find myself revisiting it today on (on TV5Fmondeplus) due to its massive success in France. The narrative indeed is often very grounded in reality, and the performances by the actors are exceptional. However, what strikes me most are the societal changes that France has undergone over the past 20 years, as depicted by the series. France seemed more peaceful then than it is now, and the series shows how office dynamics, attitudes towards homosexuality, and perceptions of racism have drastically shifted. In this respect, the series serves as a refreshing insight into a past era.
The incredible naturalism of the secondary characters, particularly within the courtrooms and among the accused, is also noteworthy. At times, the realism is so intense that it feels more like a documentary than a fictional series. Even if some of the depicted situations and characters might come across as caricatured, they in my opinion authentically represent a portion of the population frequently involved with the justice system at that time.
The relationships within the series are also excellently portrayed, even though Robert's vacillations towards Caroline feel somewhat exaggerated. Nevertheless, every actor delivers an outstanding performance. It surprises me that many of them did not go on to have more substantial careers following this series.
It is truly a pleasure to revisit this series, which provides us with a compelling look into France at the tail-end of the 90s.
