Braquo

The first season of this classy French crime thriller was quite superb . Excellent story lines , first class acting and great cinematography. It all just felt so real with the dodgy cops trying desperately to keep one step ahead of everyone....crooks , internal affairs and fellow police officers.

Then came along Season 2 and everything changed . The story got quite unbelievable , the actors definitely looked as tho their hearts just weren't in it any more and the basic direction was very lacklustre. The soul had completely gone from Braquo . Its no surprise that the show has now been cancelled.

This series is definitely one of the best cops/crime series ever, whatever country. It was strange how I completely forgot there were subtitles, it was like a seamless cross-over to French which I do not speak.

Acting by all is superb, especially Jean-Claude Anglade the charismatic head of 4 cops who get the bad guys seemingly through any means possible including the illegal. Interesting shots of a mostly depressing Paris which matches the mood of the numerous high level and low life criminals. Shows complicity of French politics with corrupt cops. Several stories happening at once so tension remains high even when one case is resolved. Creative and unpredictable moves on part of the police and criminal. Not like white-bread formulaic American cops and crime shows.

I watched all four seasons, binge style. I was sad when it was over, can't think of a way to have another season. Too bad, back to the mostly futile search through the scads of crap shows on TV or internet (except of course the truly excellent like Breaking Bad, Please call Saul, Six feet Under, Sopranos.... Renewed hope in me that great drama is not dead.

Can't believe anyone would pan season two of Braquo. You try putting together something as phenomenal as that show. Just be thankful that the world has crime and detection offerings from something beyond the technocracy filled serials originating in the US. Any human empathy in American serials is swallowed and drowned in the budding stage by the cacophonous technoRock background music. With European master film making we are given highly believable, living people situations with gut wrenching results. Focus on the use of music in Euro filming and compare it to the monster that has come into American stuff. It is sickening. Emotion is the creed with Euro filming not something on the "attempt to exploit" block. I am freaking to hear that Braquo isn't on board for 2014 presentation. It could only be that their writer died or went overboard, took a live round. The corollary serial 'Engranages' is doing well, what on earth could have tipped over Braquo other than the actors got paid and paid well and consequently OD'd in celebration (not acceptable). I think they should come back by popular demand. Their work is totally believable. Maybe the fatah had a hand in undermining the show. I think Braquo is an essential part of Europe's hope of preserving the culture of the continent and surviving the scourging flood of smuggled narcotic toxins.

/refers to Seasons 1-3/ I regard myself as a fan of British and Scandinavian crimes series, but sometimes, for diversity, it is interesting to find out what is going on in other countries. Respective French series were rather unknown to me, but after Engrenages - a pleasant surprise! - I was sure that Braquo would bring along additional pleasant moments.

And I was not mistaken. The series is thrilling, meaty, with versatile characters and performances (particularly Jean-Hugues Anglade as Eddy Caplan and Karole Rocher as Roxane Delgado) with French characteristics and peculiarities caught. There is a thin line between police and criminal actions... well, I am not sure how realistic all this is in an EU/NATO country, but as the activities and comprehensions were motivated and seamlessly depicted, one did not wonder too often.

Well, for me, the Season 3 went a bit onto slippery ground due to post-Soviet mob relations, and those speaking Russian were sometimes not convincing, with terrible accent or mistakes, but still, I am looking forward to the Season 4 already and can easily recommend the Series to all them keen on intensive and effective crime-solving.

PS Season 4 is back on track, nice.

This french mini series came from nowhere and immediately had me stuck in front of the TV until the last episode.

I really enjoyed "The shield" but I find "Braquo" being even better. It's nice to see something this good coming from Europe for a change.

"Braquo" is a story about a group of cops that use really rough methods handling criminals during their investigations and soon gets the attention of internal affairs that does anything in their attempts to bring them down.

"Braquo" is dark, violent and really exciting.

if you're wondering how to spend a couple of hours then this is the answer. Enjoy.