Le passager

The Passenger starts with a very workable plotline, but doesn't seem to put enough work into delivering its possibility. A watchable series, it's held back by lazy, sloppy writing, leading the episodes with happy coincidences, lucky breaks, repeated way too easy escapes, and incredibly convenient chance encounters. The series tries to present high intrigue by dragging the story all over France for no apparent reason, and the characters seem to get around with lightning speed. But instead of adding depth or grandeur to the events (a la Bourne's world hopping), it just comes across as unnecessary. Some expected red herrings along the way... a little sex thrown in... not a bad way to spend a few hours, all in all.

A relatively good thriller, the suspense was not killing me but I did stay on board and followed it thru. What exasperated me, to be franc, was the character of the lead female detective who is totally incoherent for a cop. I really thought portraying the lead woman as a really damaged, unstable woman did not make the story stronger. I found it hard to believe in a trained detective that would disregard her skills and get subdued by her emotions so that her investigation would always end up one step behind. I guess now I've been used to #nordicnoir where female characters are more interesting, complex and less "helpless that needs saving", I'm having a hard time watching and caring for female roles who fall back on the old stereotypes.

Quite interesting but some really silly and unbelievable bits.

A very well respected cast, and the performance of Agogué, with all of her statuesque, gallic nonchalence certainly catches the eye.

Unfortunately, her romance with Anglade's character is not convincing in the least; not on a physical, emotional, or even an intellectual level.

In brief, the story is bold, intriguing and ambitious, but the execution is so burdened by clichés, procedural flaws and gross improbabilities, that it simply fails to pull you in. - 5.8/10.

A huge disappointment particularly given Anglade appearing in the lead male role. Given his exemplary track record I was expecting great things but this is one of the poorest French series I've ever watched. Most of the plot and scenes stretch credibility to the absolute limits including several miraculous escapes for the 2 leads from supposed professional assassins firing a fusillade of bullets from heavy weapons. The operation and behaviour of the French police is also laughable.....they come across as lazy incompetent clowns. One to be avoided.