“British series have always been one step ahead of the others,” journalist and director Olivier Joyard told us in an interview in June 2022. The specialist praised their ability to “to speak in a personal and intimate way”, and to give the impression “to be made for us”. Impossible not to think about the rightness of Fleabagthe sensitivity ofHeart fungus or the depth ofI May Destroy You.
Praised for their unique and spicy humor, The Office, Slow Horses or even Monty Python have inspired numerous generations of authors and creators. Aware of the potential of British shows, TF1 has focused on Nightsleeperthe first two episodes of which will be broadcast this October 9, at 9:10 p.m.
Exiting the road
Between Bodyguard, 24 Heures chrono, Speed et Hijackthe BBC thriller focuses on the massive hacking of the British railway network. The thriller series follows a group of 12 people stranded on a night train from Glasgow to London, which was hijacked. Very quickly, the situation becomes critical: the machine is out of control, and the means of communication with the outside world have been cut off.
Joe Roag (played by Joe Cole, known for his roles in Skins et Peaky Blinders) becomes the passengers’ only hope. This former cop with a troubled past will have to team up with cybersecurity director Abby Aysgarth (played by Alexandra Roach, who played in Utopia) to stop the train, and save the travelers.
The investigation, which takes place almost in real time – the duration of the episodes corresponding to that of the journey between Glasgow and London – was not unanimously accepted by the French and British press. Tele-Leisure greet “a devilishly effective scenario, served by an impeccable casting”, but also “a tension” Who “does not run out of steam for a single second over these six episodes”. More mixed, the specialized site Allocinated believes that “Nightsleeper unfortunately misses the boat, and struggles to draw us into its plot sewn with white threads.
He regrets an investigation which “sorely lacks issues and a real sense of danger”, and admits that “even when the tension rises, it is immediately cut off by a sequence which is intended to be humorous and presents very little narrative interest”. An opinion shared by the British newspaper The Guardianwho believes that “the scenario is pitiful and the hero so inexpressive that he will drive you crazy. This so-called high-voltage railway thriller is almost laughable. »
With a low score of 33% on the reference site Rotten Tomatoes, Nightsleeper does not seem to be the essential series of this end of year. On the other hand, Allocinated ensures that “despite its many faults, [elle] remains an effective thriller, which still manages to keep us in suspense thanks to its cliffhangers at the end of the episodes which make us want to watch them all. A forgettable entertainment, therefore, but which could become a good ally during these autumn evenings.