For their big return after four years of absence (and their Christmas TV film), the Bouleys and the Lepics return for two exceptional 50-minute episodes, broadcast online from December 5, and on television on December 18.
On December 18, two exclusive episodes of “Don’t do this, don’t do that” will bring the Bouley and Lepic families back into the spotlight, after nine seasons of good and loyal service. The opportunity to look back on the history of one of the most cult series on French television. Here are 5 anecdotes to know before finding the happy troop ready to leave for a trip into space.
A surviving series
This iconic series might not have lasted long. In 2007, when its very first season aired, “Don't do this, don't do that” did not yet have the reputation it had earned over the years. The series airs before 8 p.m. on Saturdays and the story is similar to a docu-reality.
A recipe (inspired by the United States) which does not really take off at its beginnings and leaves the French public indifferent. Finally, the second season is that of success, with a more classic format, better pacing and longer episodes.
A global success
The series is not only a huge success in France (average of 4-5 million viewers per season on France 2) but also internationally. The stories were taken up in around thirty different countries, notably in Europe and East Asia (South Korea, China, Japan). Some countries have even gone further by carrying out a local adaptation: Poland has created “License to educate”, and Italy “How to make mistakes”.
The Morano Affair (season 5)
At the very beginning of season 5, the episodes published on the internet show Denis Bouley (played by Bruno Salomone) on the phone with “Madame Morano”. At the end of his conversation with her, he says “What a bitch that is!”, hanging up. Once broadcast on television, this scene disappeared, as Internet users noticed. For many, it was pressure from Nadine Morano, who did not want this scene to appear. An argument refuted by the politician, reunited with Bruno Salomon on a set. The producer of the series, Thierry Bizot, for his part insisted on RTL: “If we had wanted to do something with her, we would have done something funnier. Besides, we don’t hesitate to make allusions to Hollande or Sarkozy, that’s not a problem”. The mystery still lingers.
A series made in Ile-de-France
The series “Don’t do this, don’t do that” is mainly rooted in the town of Sèvres (Hauts-de-Seine). The two houses in which the scenes are filmed (supposed to be neighbors) are in reality only 400 meters apart. The episodes taking place in Sologne (Centre-Val de Loire) are actually filmed in Saint-Léger-En-Yvelines, still in the Ile-de-France region. For its part, Denis Bouley's barge is located in Suresnes.
But for their big return to the screens, the series has decided to think bigger and will offer a unique journey into space. The two families, selected for a space program, are indeed heading towards the Moon…
Reversed families
The two main women in the film, Isabelle Gélinas and Valérie Bonneton, had initially applied for their respective roles. They even spent their initial casting with the partner they did not meet in the series, before the production, ultimately, changed the distribution of roles at the last second.
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