Crimi Clowns

Pure excellent, special show. 1st episode was like "omg what is this" After the 2nd it was the best show in years i've seen. The fact it was filmed in my hometown might have something to do with it. I didn't like Luk Wyns that much. But here, he is fantastic. The music for the show is well chosen and well made. Though, the intro feels very much like it's from the Soprano's. Any fan from Manou Kersting will be pleased. He is again like he always play his characters. Even better performance then in Matrousjkas. You will love this show or hate it. The short breaks in between from "Wesley Tersago", aka "johnny De Mol", is something to get used to. I didn't like them in the beginning, but loved them shortly after.

The first season of this series is without doubt good and entertaining but nothing more, season two is on the contrary legendary and amazing. This is the second time (after matroesjka's) that a Belgian series is able to concur with the great American crime-series such as sons of anarchy. Especially season 2 shows the greatness of this series, here the makers have learned from their mistakes of the first series. The found-footage is better and the story is more elaborate.

The actors are, you can see it by their looks, perfectly casted and perform amazingly. And much like the characters of series like S.O.A. and the shield, the viewer also bounds with the characters and starts to feel pity for them, because you know they's evil and criminals but still you have to admire the way they live.

To put it briefly crimiclowns is one of the better Belgian series that becomes really addictive after the first season. Nevertheless it must be said that there are a lot of explicit scenes, so don't watch this with your children, because this is not about funny clowns. Still with better placed nudity than series like Spartacus and with a language that will remind you of the sopranos this series is a must-see for all crime- lovers, the found-footage filming will not be annoying, that much I can say.

I have finally watched the series in its entirety.

The series starts reasonably well with a strong role of Johnny De Mol and a nice storyline. The story is completely unrealistic, but the series is not really aiming for realism. We get a few laughs and some nice twists.

However, this storyline gets completely lost after a while. When Johnny De Mol finally disappears after season 2, the series becomes in 1 word bad. The acting of Silke Becu in season three as replacement for Johnny De Mol is very bad. Characters are added who do not really bring any substance and the plottwists beviel unpleasant.

This series should have stopped after two seasons. Then I would have given it a 7,5 out of 10. The last season deserves a 4 out of 10.

What we have here, ladies and gentlemen of the - hopefully – international jury, is one of Belgium's most eccentric, atypical, provocative, innovative and brilliantly relevant TV-series ever made. And just because "Crimi Clowns" is all that, it sadly also is the most shamefully neglected and cowardly boycotted TV-series in Belgium… In spite of all the great names in the cast and revolutionary (for Belgian standards) themes and visual aspects, the series only got aired on a secondary national channel and extremely late at night, while the copious amount of dreadful cooking programs and reality-show nonsense gets prime time. Oh well, I guess we could take comfort in the fact that "Crimi Clowns" instantly build up a modest cult reputation and a fair share of loyal fans, as well as the faith that great shows eventually will get the recognition they deserved all along. Meanwhile, there's already a long-feature film and a second season on its way, so I can't be entirely negative. "Crimi Clowns" spawned from the creative and pleasantly deranged brain of Luk Wyns. He's the writer, producer, director and lead star of the series, and he surrounded himself by a large cast of reliable names he frequently collaborates with. Wyns is a bit of a flamboyant outcast in Flanders Film land, as he uses pitch-black and absurd humor (he previously made a series about a dysfunctional family) and doesn't hesitate to insert explicit sexual content, graphic violence and sensitive social news topics. All these elements mixed together resulted in the fantastic formula of an Antwerp bunch that uses a clown act to cover up all their illegal activities and social misbehaviors.

Ronny (Luk Wyns) and Lou (the fabulous Manou Kersting) once were a very popular duo of clowns, but ever since Ronny was in prison for sexual assault of a minor, they only manage to occasionally perform at private birthday parties for children. That's not too bad, though, since they rob the house empty afterwards. Ronny, as well as his son Wesley who has rejoined them after his film school studies in Amsterdam, puts industrial amounts of drugs up his nose, provokes fights with the local Moroccan street gangs and literally spends fortunes on luxurious prostitutes even though they are in the debt of Jos "The Thief"; a local crime lord. For their clowns act, as well as for their burglary activities, they recruit the unique Mike, a midget clown with the special talent of being able to open any safe. In between all his professional stress, Ronny deals with his needy ex-wife, his rebellious mother and his estranged daughter who pursued a career as a topless dancer.

"Crimi Clowns" is groundbreaking and innovative according to Belgian standards, but obviously it borrows influences and stylistic ideas from famous and acclaimed international series. The opening credits are clearly inspired by "The Sopranos" (of which Luk Wyns is a big fan) and there are several more examples. The entire soundtrack is exhilarating, by the way. The show is also filmed in mockumentary/found-footage style, which is also never before seen in Belgium. Wesley registers the gang's activities with a hand-held camera and interviews them supposedly for a school project. This narrative style requires some getting used to and generates a few errors in continuity and logic, but it overall fits the tone and pace of the series. "Crimi Clowns" is the best Belgian series since "Matroesjka's" (another crime series, though revolving on the underground sex industry and people trade) and not coincidentally the two series share many cast and crew members. Personally, I tried to support the series as much as I could and even attended a marathon-showing of ALL episodes, plus the scoop of some unseen footage, in a movie theater and in the presence of Luk Wyns and several other lead stars. It was a fantastic experience and plan to purchase the second season very soon.

While i think that this series is most of all a love letter to the soprano's (which you cant tell by the intro alone) it is so much more. It is unapoligeticly Flemish (antwerp most of all), it cares about it's characters. They know how silly they are with there stories butt they'd be damned if they didn't take every single scene seriously. And best of all, everyone's having a hell of a time.

Nevertheless, some parts don't age that well. Writting this in 2021 the way women are portrayed can be compared to a wolf in a butchershop. And the sheer amount of debotchery can be quit sickening. Then again it does fit to the story perfectly and doesn't feel provocatory when you're in the story.

In conclusion, if you like story's that's embrasses darkness and depravity, with great comedy and awesome characters. Definetly give it a watch.