Les Revenants (TV series) - French supernatural drama series (aka "The Returned")

[Morto Vivente]

Agreed, another entertaining mysterious episode with more questions than answers.   I also wondered if that was Mr Costa's wife in the background. I suspect she's the revenant he tried to kill in episode 1 by setting the fire before he "topped" himself. If so, she's either immune to fire or she can teleport. I was thinking that the current fianceé of Adelé actually know's exactly who Simon is, he obviously knows Adelé's past being a cop in a small community, but can't understand what the hell is going on. I think he wanted to keep them separated by keeping Simon detained. Simon's been dead for 10 years whereas the killings stopped less than 10 years ago. Assuming Sergé was killing right up until his death which I suspect was the case the current fianceé pretty much knows that Simon isn't the killer. I believe his reasons for keeping him locked up were purely personal. Would you let the woman your about to marry hang out with someone you suspect to be a serial killer? Ahh, my favourite....."Creepy Vic". It seems he could have the ability to pull memories from people's minds. Seeing as Julie actually saw Sergé from the bus hours earlier, the memory of the attack was probably running through her mind when she crept downstairs with the scissors. What is it with women and scissors? I agree Draco, Victor's attachment to Julie is probably due to the attack she experienced. I suspect we'll find out that the revenants have all experienced sudden or violent deaths. The weird thing is it looked like the nosey neighbour had been killed in the same manner as Sergé's victims. What has Creepy Vic been up to? Also Victor was in front of the coach on the day of the accident. Did he die then also? Personally I don't think so. I believe he was already dead. All the other revenants seem to have a significant relationship to come back to, i.e. a partner or family. I wouldn't be surprised if all Vic's family are already dead because he's the oldest revenant so to speak. A nice touch that Julie's ex-girlfriend (the cop who came to her door) was Batman to her Catwoman on the night of the attack.

[MinionZombie]

I've changed the tag on the thread's title to say it includes spoilers. Just out of ease, and particularly as it's just a few of us in this thread. Anyway - the third episode - yep, another good one. What's with the scar on Lena's back - what's that about, and was it getting larger? Also, there was almost a weird hint in the dialogue that the idea of a Lena/Camille identity switch might still be on the cards ... I'm not entirely sure, but episode two seemed to nix that idea. It's slightly confusing at times, because obviously the revenants are the age at when they died, so that guy in the pub is the older brother of the pair, but he's much younger looking of course (so aye, that pub manager is indeed his brother, and not his father ... there's so much to keep track of in this show! ) Finally, that nosey parker next door gets what's coming to her, sticking her bloody oar into everything. Really digging this show - and the music is really cool too (by Mogwai).

[Morto Vivente]

I also wondered if the scar on Lena/Camille's back was getting bigger. It seems to have, I can't think why they'd draw attention to it twice in the same episode otherwise. However, there's so much going on in this show so who knows? I agree the music by Mogwai suits the show really well, great atmospherics. There was also a great track by the Cure playing when Lena and Camille are talking in the bedroom. No surprise really in a french teenager's bedroom. Bob Smith, a living legend. IMO one of the best songwriters ever!

[MinionZombie]

I also wondered if the scar on Lena/Camille's back was getting bigger. It seems to have, I can't think why they'd draw attention to it twice in the same episode otherwise. However, there's so much going on in this show so who knows? I agree the music by Mogwai suits the show really well, great atmospherics. There was also a great track by the Cure playing when Lena and Camille are talking in the bedroom. No surprise really in a french teenager's bedroom. Bob Smith, a living legend. IMO one of the best songwriters ever! I'm not really into The Cure, but I did get the Disintegration album because of the above scene - and it's a really bloody good album ... admittedly it's been a while since I listened to it (been distracted by many other musicians/bands/soundtracks etc in recent years) ... but yeah, it is a ruddy good album. If memory serves they show the scar three times - once in Lena's room, once in the school changing room, and once in the Lake Pub - and yeah, I'm pretty damn sure it was looking longer in the Lake Pub scene that it did in the bedroom scene ... oh, the intrigue and mystery of it all! On the soundtrack of the show, this is my favourite track (IIRC they've used it in all three episodes so far): I wonder what will happen when the lake drains completely? Is it some sort of 'sand timer' situation? Is there a hidden mystery on the lake bed? Oh, I can't wait to find out!

[Morto Vivente]

"Hungry Face" is good. But "Wizard Motor" is dare I say, a stellar track. Not unlike parts of "Disintegration" in many ways. Great album btw, happens to be my favourite by the Cure. Incidentally if I recall that's the episode of "South Park" with the "Mecha-Streisand". I get the feeling the decreasing depth of the lake is central to the whole story, quite the mystery. Also 3 scenes focusing on the scar; it has to be pretty major in the terms of the plot. With this show plus "Under the Dome" it's almost enough current "telly" to keep me going until TWD returns.

[MinionZombie]

In my Sky+ programme guide they had a placeholder synopsis for the next episode - and it did say that the scar is growing - so yes, it would seem that our eyes weren't deceiving us. *sticks on "Wizard Motor" again*

[Morto Vivente]

A few questions possibly answered in this weeks episode based on some mild assumptions. With this show it seems you can't be too sure. 1. Victor is the "oldest revenant" so far. With the exception of Mr Costa's possible wife? Assuming that was her at the funeral in episode 3. 2. Victor has some psychic ability, seeing as the nosey neighbour killed herself (it appears)in his presence in the same manner as the attacks. 3. Simon drilled his own melon assuming fiancee is telling the truth, which I think is the case taking Simon's daughter's drawing into account. 4. Cop fiancee definitely knows who he (Simon) is. 5. Also, I'm not so sure that the Camille/Lena switch is a "no go". Could this be the reason why the father supposedly hit "Lena" because he found out through Lucy Clarsen (medium and attempted murder victim) that "Lena" actually is Camille? What is it with that scar, there's obviously something going on between them? Great reveal that the "Helping Hand" administrator was the criminal talking to Vic at the time of his murder. Another great episode IMO.

[MinionZombie]

Aye, another cracker of an episode - the reveal of the Helping Hands guy was quite a good twist. There's enough mysteries going on in the show that it successfully distracts you from thinking of these possibilities ahead of time, so when they come along, you get the surprise at exactly the right and intended time. That's a good theory regarding Lena/Camille and the hitting incident - you could be right - it seems credible to me. That scar's properly messed up ... rather grim! I assume that the killer in the underpass is not going to kill Lena, and instead look after her (kidnap her). Half-way through the series and it's still proceeding very nicely - hopefully it'll hold up for the remainder (I don't see why not).

[Morto Vivente]

Yeah I agree, I don't think the killer will just "off her" right there. So there's only eight episodes, I assume "they got a second season". I'm guessing all these questions we have won't be answered in the next 4 episodes. I hope that if the writers give a unifying cause/explanation for the revenants, it holds up under the dramatic build up they've created. I don't get the feeling that they would allow it to collapse.

[dracenstein]

There will be a second series being filmed early next year for presumably domestic transmission later that year. I am presumbing Victor will not be in it as child actors grow very fast (see Game of Thrones, partically Bran). More good stuff this week, Camille being 'outed', Victor developing scars, oh, Camille's coffin full of water. And Lena running into a crowd of revenants at the end... One thing I like about this series is that they are not afraid of showing nudity (including male nudity) whereas The Walking Dead, despite showing some good gore scenes guaranteeing an adult audience, runs away from showing nudity.

[MinionZombie]

Well I suppose the nudity issue is down to the Americans ... it's weird, you can show endless gore at any time of day and get a TV-14 rating (meanwhile it's rated 18 in the UK and has to be shown after the watershed) ... similarly, TWD has very little swearing, and absolutely no F words. Whereas Les Revenants is European, so sex and bad words aren't a big deal, so Simon can flap his todger around as much as he likes. Yep - it continues to be a good show - only two episodes left in this series though! The bit where those two parents hang themselves was quite creepy - Camille tries to give them peace in life, but they take her words and top themselves to join their kid as he's "waiting" for them. Yeah - what's with this gang in the woods, eh? Creepy stuff indeed - and the previous episode where all those animals jumped into the lake and drowned ... weird and creepy stuff. I wonder where it's all going...?

[Morto Vivente]

More good stuff this week, Camille being 'outed', Victor developing scars, oh, Camille's coffin full of water. Yeah, I noticed the water too. Could it mysteriously be from the lake? There seemed to be water only inside the coffin. One thing I like about this series is that they are not afraid of showing nudity (including male nudity) whereas The Walking Dead, despite showing some good gore scenes guaranteeing an adult audience, runs away from showing nudity. I totally agree man. From a non-sexist no gender bias viewpoint it's refreshing that "tits and todger" are treated equally and it's not just boobs for the boys. To be expected in a French/European production but refreshing nevertheless. The bit where those two parents hang themselves was quite creepy - Camille tries to give them peace in life, but they take her words and top themselves to join their kid as he's "waiting" for them. I found that scene really quite sad. I'm not suggesting this as part of the show, but imagine if their kid did come back, depressing eh? Yeah - what's with this gang in the woods, eh? Creepy stuff indeed - and the previous episode where all those animals jumped into the lake and drowned ... weird and creepy stuff. I wonder where it's all going...? I suspect the gang in the woods are "residents" from the village under the lake, as to where it's all going....I don't have the foggiest! Great isn't it? BTW, loved the scene with the animals suspended in the lake, very peaceful and yet haunting at the same time. All this business with the scars has my head spinning. Is Lena somatizing Camille's scar because they possibly have some sort of psychic link, being twins, (episode 1, one twin experiences the other's orgasm)? Now Victor's developing a scar too, WTF. The Lucy Clarsen character is just so French (IMO), I mean having psychic visions while on the job!

[dracenstein]

The penultimate episode; Camille shocked by the consequences of her little lie and Mrs de Costa seemingly to enjoy it. The serial killer (Serge? forgotten) dragged beneath the lake. Lena (I was going to say, 'obviously survived her encounter with the group of revenants', but did she? Or did she return as a revenant?) reunited with her family. Simon feeling a little peckish. Both Simon and Camille, Victor too, were developing scars or decaying flesh, are they returning to their grave-like appearances? The women trying to escape the town with Victor, but going round in circles. I think Victor isn't being allowed to leave, but I'm not sure if Julie isn't being allowed to leave, either. And Lucy meeting the revenants in the Lake Club... Also noticed the Lake Club sign was in English... And now waiting for the last episode, where everything is cleared up....doubt it, probably more questions to be answered.

[MinionZombie]

The accelerator was pulled back on ever-so-slightly in the last couple of episodes, but the series one finale was pedal-to-the-metal stuff. Another fantastic episode which had it going out as strongly as it came in - I can't wait to see the second series! So Victor is actually called Louis, we've now met his Mum, and we know why he's so attached to Julie (because she looks like the fairy on his storybook, which was really quite sweet) ... Toni was 'killed by Serge' via one of Victor/Louis' mind-warping visions that he can muster, and Simon's going over to the dark side because of that Lucy Clarsen girl ... I don't like her ... she's weird and creepy and she's up to no good if you ask me. It's always good to get a little bit of a firmer grip on the overall story too - we find out that the mature lady whose husband flung himself off the dam (forget her name) must have died somewhere 35 years prior as she turned up at the evacuation camp, and it was cool to see Serge and Toni as children playing silly buggers on the stretchers to scare Victor/Louis ... perhaps we also know why Victor/Louis never sleeps. Are the revenants affected by what they were feeling when they died? Oh - and then Serge and Toni's mother finally turning up in the Helping Hand's basement medical bay - did Serge find her and bring her back after he went under the water? Some very creepy images - the horde emerging from the fog on top of the dam, then approaching the Helping Hand (the horde also smashed up The Lake Pub) ... and the division of the living and the dead was really quite well done. It was a very gripping scene - if only Channel 4 didn't insist on shoving another advert break right in the middle of the exchange! - So we've got Camille being joined by her mother, and Julie joining Victor/Lous ... but Adele is pregnant with Simon's baby, and the baby is either a revenant or some combination (I'm figuring the latter - maybe the solution to how the revenants can survive forever, or become human again?) Chilling ending too - the town was flooded overnight - in revenge for them not handing over Adele? Did the dam burst, or perhaps the horde was somehow keeping the water that was disappearing from the lake somewhere to use for this purpose? Oh, the mystery! Yeah, this series has been bloody good - I'm so glad I started watching it - I've been hooked throughout.

[dracenstein]

I missed the pre-opening titles bit, but liked the final, but wished we had a couple answers, why did the horde want the other dead? How could Lucy, and others, just disappear when Camille couldn't? And about the other dead, why was one drinking out of the toilet at the Lake Pub (pub sign apparently in English)? No bodies outside the Helping Hand, so were the police killed or taken away? And something I read on the IMDb page, no bullets either... Lucy didn't ask for Serge so I presume that since they pulled him under the lake last episode, he was 'enlisted' into the horde. But Toni hasn't resurrected yet, is that why Serge and their mother are still waiting? Looking forward to the next season...