Les Revenants (The Returned) season 2 - Excellent fantasy series that is well worth the watch
From the beginning of its first season, I had the feeling this French series was something special. After watching season 2 I have to say that the second half of the show (it is only 2 seasons long) is good but not as awesome as the first one. Since the writers had to finish the story in the remaining 8 episodes, I think they eventually found themselves unable to properly explain all of the mysteries and finished the series with a lot of unanswered questions.
Or they purposely left some implied answers so viewers were forced to pay attention to the smallest of details to figure out for themselves what actually happened. If you don't know anything about this series a short summary is that a bunch of dead people suddenly came back to life. They aren't aggressive like zombies, they simply have no memories of ever dying and they think everything is normal.
Season 1 finished with a potent climax where an important encounter finally takes place. Season 2 is the aftermath and it continues until the end of the story. The show follows several families and some strange characters on this weird journey. The story happens in a little town that like any other town of its type it has dirty little secrets that we will learn about throughout the 16 episodes.
The show appears to focus more on the emotional turmoil caused by the sudden appearance of so many previously dead people than in the actual explanations behind all the impossible things that take place. In this sense, it is similar to the Leftovers show, which I mentioned in the article of the first season because the topic was fairly similar. After finishing with The Returned, I have to say I think the Leftovers is a superior show. There is no weak season in that series whereas with The Returned season 2 wasn't as good as the first one. Both series are awesome nonetheless.
In the second season of The Returned, we will discover new and important characters that complement this crazy story and we will also learn a little bit more about the nature of 2 key characters that are quite special. Sadly, since the show doesn't provide full answers there is a lot of speculation about the real origin of these 2 characters and a potential third one who apparently is similar to them.
At some point in the series I thought for a moment this was going to be a kind of spiritual battle between forces of evil and forces of good but this turned out not to be the case. There are constant flashbacks to events from decades ago that are of big help in providing a proper background to the characters.
This was an excellent fantasy/drama show, that got a bit messy in the second season but despite this, it kept its greatness. If you are looking for an intriguing and very original drama with a fantasy/supernatural touch, you should definitely consider watching this show. Have in mind the show won't answer all of your questions in the end though.
The best
- Intriguing show, which isn't overmilked, something that happens often with current popular shows and has an ending that could be considered appropriate.
- The new characters added new interesting plot lines.
The worst
- Sometimes it felt a bit messy like the writers were confused regarding the direction they wanted to take. The ending left a lot of unanswered questions.
More information: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/46616-les-revenants
Review: AAA
In numbers: 7.5/10