Spiral fans

[supercee]

Just a head's up that Season 1 is on BBC 4 on iPlayer.

I've only watched from about Season 6 onwards so I'm excited to see how it all started.

Thanks OP. I watched from 3 onwards so would love to see how it started (bits implied along the way of course).

I've fallen completely out of touch with this -- the last episode I saw was the end of a season, though I'm not even sure which, was Laure running away from her baby across a hospital car park while Gilou waited with a giant stuffed toy.

@Nore I think that was the season before last - season six?

Thanks -- lots to catch up on, so!

I’m an ardent fan off all foreign crime dramas and after seeing so many fab reviews I started this last night and was so disappointed. It seemed so clunky and the gratuitous naked body just really put me off. Is it worth pursuing?

@RalphtheMouth

I’m an ardent fan off all foreign crime dramas and after seeing so many fab reviews I started this last night and was so disappointed. It seemed so clunky and the gratuitous naked body just really put me off. Is it worth pursuing?

I didn't see the first two seasons, but have liked the later ones I saw -- I hear from others that the earlier seasons were clunkier. To be honest, I hate police dramas, so I think I'm primarily in this one for the glorious Frenchness of it all, and the fact that I get to interrogate a French lawyer friend about the French criminal justice system, which I find fascinating.

@RalphtheMouth

I’m an ardent fan off all foreign crime dramas and after seeing so many fab reviews I started this last night and was so disappointed. It seemed so clunky and the gratuitous naked body just really put me off. Is it worth pursuing?

For me, Spiral is more interesting for the characters - especially the heavenly Pierre - than the crimes they are solving. The plot in series one is definitely the weakest and I share your unease at the use of naked female bodies in crime dramas.

But stick with it. As mentioned above, the production team and script writers seem to have changed after the first series, and subsquent series are a lot slicker.

This is great news. Bizarrely, episodes 1 and 2 of series 2 aren't available on my Sky box

Yay! Not reading the thread in case of spoilers but I got to series 5 on DVD, before realising I didn't have 6 and 7. Brilliant news.

@nore:I also didn't realise that I hadn't seen S7. I've just started watching it on iplayer. Gilou seems to have changed personality. .

Hoping that Roban will make it into S8.

I certainly think the early series went all out for shock factors, and I remember I nearly gave up watching after Series 3 or 4 because of the misogyny and violence.

But it did become different, although as I said earlier, it might be that way only if you have watched from the start and so now more about each character.

Funnily enough I dont think any of the characters are that nice, let alone attractive! Though with the knowledge of what happens in the future am watching TinTin's treatment by his colleagues.

And at the point only about half way through series 2, I still dont understand Josephine's background which have obviously influenced her behaviour.

Piere is a pain in the derriere andworse still at this early stage find Roban underhand and manipulative. But that might be his thinking is so superior he gets to the heart of things, whilst the poor mortals around him haven't even started thinking!

Roban is cunning.

I am part of the way through series 3. There is a fabulous scene in episode 3, in Roban's office; he has just interviewed an arrogant mayor who he suspects of corruption.
As he leaves Roban directs the suspect to sign his statement, typed by Marianne, who hands him a Bic biro instead of the elegant ink pen used in every other statement signing.

Very subtle contempt for the mayor.
The look between Marianne and Roban is priceless.

I love the Roban actor. He brings so much to the character.

Thanks for the responses, I’ll give it another go.

Maybe just not bother with early series. Start at 3 or 4, unless you want to see character development, though not sure how thought out that was.

Clearly, even down to name changes in series 2, they didn't think there would get more than 1 series.

Am currently baffled to here Laure talking about being in a long term relationship with an older man??

I certainly dont remember that and dont think it made my enjoyment of later series any the less!

Am currently baffled to here Laure talking about being in a long term relationship with an older man?? confused.

@stumbledin - Yes I was confused too as she appears to be quite fancy free!
Do you think that she said that, to the psychiatrist, to appear 'normal' by being able to maintain a 10 year relationship?

I think the words 'Laure' and 'long-term relationship' don't really belong in the same sentence!

@rosegoldwatcher

Am currently baffled to here Laure talking about being in a long term relationship with an older man?? confused.

@stumbledin - Yes I was confused too as she appears to be quite fancy free!
Do you think that she said that, to the psychiatrist, to appear 'normal' by being able to maintain a 10 year relationship?

I can’t remember for sure, but if I recall correctly it was for the psychiatrist only to appear more stable

Yes - I think that must be it. Pretending to be everyday "normal". Though surely a police psychiartist would have access to her personnel files.

Just saying that I think Laure's taste in men has gone downhill as the seasons have gone on. It is quite obvious from quite early on though that Gilou has feelings for her.

Gilou is Escoffier (they refer to him as such in Season 4) so presumably 'Gilou' is a nickname like TinTin rather than his surname?

Isn't Gilou actually Gilles?

Tintin's name is actually Luc?

Just looked it up. Gilou is Gilles and Tintin is Frédéric. I think Tintin is referred to as Luc in S7 but I'm not sure why.

On the subject of nicknames - there is a character in season 3 (a cop in Laure's team) who is referred to as Nousnours, which translates as Teddy Bear. He is a big man so that makes sense.

I seem to recall Laure shouting for 'Teddy Bear' in a later season and assumed that he was the same character. But imdb tells me that the actor who played Nousnours was only in season 3.

Started Season 1 again last night. Goodness, how young they all look. I think it took a few episodes to warm to it.
Laure and Joséphine are compelling characters.

Have only just thought this after 15 years of whatever it is(!) but do you think when it first started they were trying to make it like the Wire.

Although had the Wire even been made then?