“Super Males” on Netflix, a “Sex and the City” for men, but not only that

TV SERIES – Men, “real” ones. Netflix is ​​putting season 1 of Super Males, adaptation of the Spanish series Alpha males. It follows the daily life of four friends in their forties who navigate a world where patriarchy still exists, but is no longer really what it used to be. A French comedy which aims to be current and lacks neither substance nor spice despite its shortcomings.

As a preamble, however, it is necessary to specify that those who have seen the series Alpha males can go their way. Its French version is really, really very faithful and would have few surprises in store for them. But on the other hand, for Netflix subscribers who would have missed this comedy style Sex and the City which debuted in 2022 on the platform, Super Males worth stopping for a moment.

Super Males follows a group of Parisian friends in their forties: Cédric (Guillaume Labbé) an advertising man, father of a teenager and in a relationship with a former model, Tom (Manu Payet) a broke designer still in love with his ex, Tonio (Vincent Heneine ) flighty but possessive restaurateur, and Jérémie (Antoine Gouy) bike cop and busy father. All of them, in their own way, are confronted with what it means to “be a man” in 2025, in particular facing their respective partners (or conquests), but also their children and society in general.

Netflix-style comedy

The series created by Noémie Saglio (Asshole, Heart Plan, Parents) is, it must be admitted, very funny. It’s hard not to giggle when a couple is interrupted in the middle of their action in the shower by a 6-year-old child who comes to the toilet. Same thing when the four friends who go skiing embark on a trip with hallucinogenic mushrooms.

In this French romantic comedy, we also become attached to the characters. We admit a crush on the couple formed by Antoine Gouy and Ariane Mourier, but also for the scathing dialogues between Cédric and his cleaning lady, or the confidence of the lawyer played by Mélanie Bernier. Because Super Males is centered on four men, but does not ignore their companions, far from it.

They are even the ones who trigger, in a more or less tacit manner, the process of “deconstruction” which the four friends think they do not need. The women in the series act and assert their desires and needs, without questioning their legitimacy. Whether it’s by posting fart videos on Instagram, opening the couple up to other sexual partners, or saying shit to the daily routine, they initiate a fundamental change in their partner.

The “could do better” of Super Males

This new Netflix series is not perfect, however. We can regret, for example, that Super Males only briefly mentions the male deconstruction course (led by an excitable Franck Gastambide) in which the four friends participate. The subject, although central in the trailer, is brushed very furtively, and almost ridiculed.

We would also have liked a little more nuance in the portraits that are made of the different protagonists. The mother who lets herself go and who is “obviously” in jogging pants and starts crying in front of the mistress, or the former model turned influence who lives off her husband and changes sofas like shirts, to name just a few. Same thing with regard to the vision of the couple, which here is sorely lacking in diversity, just like in the original version of the series and other programs of this type for that matter.

Despite this, the six episodes of this first season of Super Males can be looked at very well. And could even, who knows, trigger conversations and initiate questions too, among certain subscribers.

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