When Netflix debuted its stylish French heist thrillerLupinin early January, it was just the latest in the streamer’s surprisingly long line of foreign language Originals. Itstrailerwas slick, and starOmar Sycut a captivatingly dashing figure, but it was unclear, that first weekend the series was available, if it would go on to find the kind of mainstream (American) success that shows likeÉlite(Spain),Dark(Germany) andWarrior Nun(Italy-ish) had previously managed to secure, or if it would end up being more of a hidden foreign language gem, à laNinguém Tá Olhando(Brazil),Vampires(France) andBaby(Italy).
Cut to the end of the month, whenNetflix announcedthat not only hadLupinmanaged to become the first French series to crack America’s Top 10 list (an achievement only slightly diminished by the fact that the Top 10 feature is barely a year old), but it was also on track to reach a record 70 million households in its first 28 days. (Previous record-holdersThe Queen’s GambitandBridgerton, by contrast, reached 62 million and 63 million households within their own 28-day periods, respectively.)
Well,Lupinfans: I am here to help. We might not get to see Sy’s dashing Assane pull one over on all of Paris for many more months yet, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing that can fill the hole while we wait. In fact, with so many disparate elements drivingLupinto the success it’s found, the global television scene has more than enough options to satisfy whatever kind ofLupinfan you might be.
To that end, I’ve pulled together a kind of Choose-Your-Own-Global-Recommendation adventure. If you dugLupinbecause you dig a stylish heist (and/or con), start at the top; if you dug it because you’re a francophile at heart, scroll to the middle; and if you dug it because you dug getting to see a Black man take on the kind of lead role that pop culture has historically handed to white men, head to the end. Alternately, if you dugLupinfor all of the above, just scroll straight through…
Note: As savvy natives of the streaming wars, you don’t need us to propose that, if what you liked best aboutLupinwas the heist/gentleman thief angle,you’d probably also digWhite Collar,Leverage, orIt Takes A Thief. Nor, if you dug it mainly for how much fun Omar Sy got to have reinventing an historically white archetype, do you need us to suggest that you check outCress WilliamsonBlack Lightning,Yahya Abdul-Mateen IIonWatchmen, orMalcolm BarrettonTimeless. Happily, these are all beloved, well-known shows here in the states. They’re also all American. With very few exceptions, the recommendations that follow are internationally produced, and most are in a foreign language. All hail the global reach of the Streaming Wars!
For Everyone Who Loves a Stylish Heist (and/or Con)
Carmen Sandiego
Language:English
Voice Cast:Gina Rodriguez, Finn Wolfhard, Abby Trott, Michael Hawley, Dawnn Lewis, Paul Nakauchi, Rafael Petardi, Charlet Takahashi Chung
Watch it on:Netflix
Anyone with pre-teen kids at home is likely to already be familiar with Netflix’s gorgeously animatedCarmen Sandiegorevival, but for anyone who has yet to give it a go, let this be the day you dive in. Featuring the vocal talents ofGina Rodriguezas Carmen, Finn Wolfhardas her homeschooled ops director, Player, andDawnn Lewisas Chief of ACME, this deeply stylish iteration ofCarmen Sandiegoimagines the scarlet-clad thief as more of a Robin Hood-type figure. An Argentinean orphan who grew up inside the walls of the VILE Academy and only recently managed to de-program herself and escape, Rodriguez’s Carmen is on a mission to take VILE down once and for all. With the help of both Player and Boston siblings Ivy (Abby Trott) and Zack (Michael Hawley), she dedicates herself to following VILE around the globe, foiling their evil schemes when she can, and stealing back their previously stolen treasures when she can’t—areverse heistseries, if you will. There is definitely an edutainment element to the whole enterprise, to cater to its core demographic—Player takes a time-out each episode to brief Carmen (and the audience) on key geographical/historical facts for each new locale they visit—but it also gives Carmen a complexly serialized personal arc (not unlike Assane’s inLupin) that will leave both kidsandadults entertained.
(As a bonus, for anyone interested in falling all the way down the crimson caper rabbit hole:Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Stealis the best take on the interactive episode concept Netflix has made to date.)
Casa de Papel (Money Heist)
Language:Spanish (Spain)
Cast:Úrsula Corberó, Álvaro Morte, Itziar Ituño, Pedro Alonso, Miguel Herrán, Jaime Lorente, Esther Acebo, Enrique Arce, Darko Peric, Alba Flores
One of the most straightforwardif this, then thatrecommendations on this list, Netflix’s ownCasa de Papel(aka,Money Heist) is tailor-made for everyone who wished the flashy Louvre heist that kickedLupinoff could have lasted longer than a single episode. Featuring a large ensemble cast that both introduces new Spanish actors to American audiences and draws more familiar faces in from other Netflix projects (its three youngest actors, for example, all coming over from teen hitÉlite), the series follows a crew of near-strangers as they attempt, under the careful direction of their mysterious leader, El Profesor (Álvaro Morte), a heist for the ages: stealing 2.4 billion euros from the Royal Mint of Spain. Now five seasons into its massively successful run,Money Heistmight be a bit closer in vibe toOcean’s EleventhanLupin, but it should still fill the Assane-shaped hole in everyLupinlover’s heart as we await the arrival of Part 2.
El Robo del Siglo (The Great Heist)
Language:Spanish (Colombia)
Cast:Andrés Parra, Christian Tappán, Marcela Benjumea, Paula Castaño
The unbelievabletrue storybehind Colombia’s greatest bank robbery in history has been floating around for decades, but it wasn’t until last year that a big budget adaptation of it hit the world’s small screens. Another international Netflix Original,El Robo del Siglo(The Great Heist) is a limited series out of Colombia that follows the crew behind the wildly ambitious 1994 heist. Using grifter Robert “Chayo” Lozano (Andrés Parra) as its way in,The Great Heistnecessarily loses out on some of the complexity that getting to see the story from other characters’ perspectives might have provided, but with a runtime of only six episodes, that single perspective is probably for the best. In any case, whatThe Great Heistloses in narrative breadth it definitely makes up for in period-specific style.
Now, if only we can get Netflix to adapt the story of Argentina’s“Robbery of the Century”for a follow-up series…
RELATED:How David Fincher Convinced Robin Wright That Netflix Would Be the Future of Television
Enkelstöten (The Simple Heist)
Language:Swedish
Cast:Lotta Tejle, Sissela Kyle, Tomas von Brömssen, Ralph Carlsson, Kristin Andersson, David Wiberg
Watch it on:Acorn TV
The solitary recommendation in this section that doesn’t hail from Netflix, Acorn TV’sEnkelstöten(The Simple Heist) is basically what you would get if you took NBC’sGood Girls, but recast it with a couple of Swedish retirees. StarringLotta TejleandSissella Kyleas age-old friends Jenny and Cecelia, who take on a pre-planned bank heist that serendipitously falls into their laps,The Simple Heistleans on the same societal weaknesses thatLupindoes to give its thieving protagonists such wild success—that is to say, as old* women (*over the age of 50), Jenny and Sissy fade into the background on the streets of Stockholm in much the same way that Assane does as a Black man on the streets of Paris. This doesn’t preclude them (or Assane) from getting tangled up in whole heaps of danger, of course, but obviously, that’s where the fun of the show lies. And with only two short seasons to its name, it’s a fun watch that’s easy enough to binge over the service’s free 7-day trial period.
(Pro tip: If you don’t currently have an Acorn TV subscription, check with your local library; many systems have log-in credentials available for check-out on a short-term basis.)
Cast:Inbar Levi, Rob Heaps, Parker Young, Marianne Rendón, Stephen Bishop, Brian Benben, Katherine LaNasa
Bravo had hardly dipped a toe in the scripted originals pool before it pivoted hard back to what it does best (…reality?), but of the handful of series that made it to air in the second half of the last decade,Imposterswas arguably the most surprising. StarringInbar Levias a con artist who specializes in marrying rich young romantics before taking them for all they’re worth,Rob Heaps,Parker Young, andMarianne Rendónas three marks who band together to seek revenge (slash win her back), andStephen Bishopas a federal agent setting up a honeypot for her by posing as an ideal next mark,Impostersperfectly balances the slick cleverness of a great heist drama with the slapstick shenanigans of a solid rom-com. Between the hot-hot-hot cat-and-mouse game played between Levi and Bishop, the found-family bond that forms amongst the trio of spurned lovers as they master their own skills as con artists/thieves, and a truly bonkers guest turn fromUma Thurmanas a menacing wetwork expert keen to keep Levi in the game,Impostersis the perfect show for heist lovers in search of a bit more love than heist.
For Everyone Looking to Keep Practicing Their French (AKA,pour les francophiles)
One of the best things the rise of streaming has accomplished is making it dead easy to access just about any kind of foreign language series you could dream of—and that’s not counting the whole slate of international Netflix Originals discussed above. No more do avid language learners need to make pilgrimages to their local indie video rental store (RIP) in the vain hope thatmaybea new title in their language of choice might be available; now we’ve got more options than we could ever get through right there on our smart screens, a simple click away.
To that end, if the French of it all was what drew you toLupinin the first place, here are five excellent French language series available to stream this moment, both on Netflix and off.Amusez-vous bien!
Le Bureau des Légendes (The Bureau)
Language:French
Cast:Mathieu Kassovitz, Florence Loiret Caille, Jonathan Zaccaï, Sara Giraudeau, Jules Sagot, Zineb Triki, Irina Muluile, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
Watch it on:Sundance Now
A taut, stylish spy drama,Le Bureau des Légendes(The Bureau) is a long-running cult favorite. StarringMathieu Kassovitz(ofAméliefame) as veteran field agent Malotru, this Canal+/Sundance Now series follows agents from the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) around the globe as they get entangled in increasingly intense international imbroglios. Smartly written and full of exceptional performances,The Bureaustands out not just as a classic entry in the realist spycraft genre, but also for the fact that many of its storylines are inspired by contemporary events and loosely based on the actual accounts of former spies. What’s more, it’s got the seal of approval from the French Institute Alliance Française, which currently hasa longform interviewwith creator Eric Rochant posted on its website, along with a code for an extended 30-day free trial forFIAF members.
Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent!)
Cast:Camille Cottin, Thibault de Montalembert, Grégory Montel, Liliane Rovère, Fanny Sidney, Nicolas Maury, Stéfi Celma, Laure Calamy
Netflix is, as they say,pleine deseries of all genresen français— frommodern dating comediestosupernatural teen thrillerstospies (but make it comedy), you really can find as many great French series to settle into on Netflix as you’re able to heist shows (see above). Ask any francophile in your immediate social circle for their favorite, though, it’s likely you’ll hear the same title come up again and again:Dix Pour Cent, better known in states asCall My Agent!(exclamation absolutely included). A swishy workplace comedy in the vein ofYoungerorThe Bold Typeor even (in a certain light)Ugly Betty,Call My Agent!follows the professional and personal trials of a quartet of high-end talent agents (and their various personal assistants) in the heart of Paris. In a truly inspired gimmick, however—as in, so inspired, I’ll eat my proverbial hat if Netflix doesn’t eventually spin the whole thing into an even more inspired (read: cynically profitable) American adaptation—the series is formatted like a procedural, each episode focused on (and named after) a barely fictional version of some real-life French celebrity. Cécile de France. JoeyStarr. Juliette Binoche. José Garcia. Isabelle Huppert. At one point, NBA star Tony Parker shows up. At another, Sigourney Weaver does. But while all these big names are the superficial draw, it’s the soapy entanglements between everyone working at the agency that will keep you slamming thatouibutton when, hours into your first binge, Netflix asks,Still watching?
Les Ombres Rouges (The Red Shadows)
Cast:Nadia Farès, Manon Azem, Antoine Duléry, Lannick Gautry, Raphaël Lenglet, Mhamed Arezki
Managing to balance the grittiness of the traditional European crime thriller with the balmy sunniness of its Mediterannean setting,Les Ombres Rouges(The Red Shadows) is for everyone who loves a Nordic Noir, but might be looking for a bit of sunshine as the North American winter lingers on. StarringNadia Farèsas Detective Aurore Garnier Paoletti from a ludicrously wealthy Côte d’Azur family andManon Azemas Clara, a woman who might possibly be the long-lost sister whose childhood abduction spurred Aurore to choose the career she did,The Red Shadowsis packed to the Mediterannean gills with twists, turns and tense family drama. As a bonus, its exclusive streaming rights are also owned by Sundance Now, so if you’re already signing up to bingeThe Bureau, you might as well add this to your list.
SKAM France
Cast:Philippine Stindel, Marylin Lima, Axel Auriant, Assa Aïcha Sylla, Robin Migné, Coline Preher, Lula Cotton-Frappier, Léo Daudin, more
Watch it on:France.tv Slash(with some seasons also availableon YouTube)
I haveneverskippedan opportunity to rave about the global teen TV phenomenon that isJulie Andem’sSKAMuniverse, and I’m not about to start now—especially whenSKAM France, from French public service television network France.tv Slash, is currently the franchise’s longest running international adaptation. (Seven seasons and counting!) Originally based on extensive research commissioned by Norwegian public broadcast NRK to figure out the exact kind of original programming Norwegian teens were hungry for,SKAM’s goal, in all its international adaptations, is to get as close to teenage realism as possible—down, even, to giving its actual-teen characters “real” social media accounts that inform story elements within the series, and which fans can interact with in between episode “drops.” (New episodes drop in random “real time” chunks throughout the week before getting edited together into a more traditional episodic format over the weekend.) While each adaptation features a large, ever-shifting ensemble cast, each season is told from the perspective of a single character, and focuses on whatever Major Issue that character is facing (cyberbullying, sexual abuse, homophobia, islamophobia, racism, ableism, addiction, etc.).
Like its fellow international adaptations,SKAM Francefollows many of the same arcs thatSKAMitself did (a favorite fan pastime is mapping the character arcs of newSKAMoffshots to those in the original), but it is also, like its fellow international adaptations, unafraid to stray from the mold when cultural realism demands it. This makes it an ideal pick for the streaming-savvy francophile — you want a window into contemporary French language and culture, you really can’t do any better thanSKAM France.
Note: If you are having trouble isolating SKAM France within the France.tv Slash YouTube channel, fansiteAll of SKAMhas collected earlier seasons (with subtitles)here.
Vernon Subutex
Cast:Romain Duris, Céline Sallette, Laurent Lucas, Flora Fischbach, Florence Thomassin, Athaya Mokonzi
Watch it on:Topic
Topic’s punk rock dramaVernon Subutex, adapted by Canal+ from theVirginie Despentesnovel of the same name, is arguably the most audacious French series to hit American shores in the last few years. StarringRomain Durisas Vernon Subutex, a former record store owner and washed up titan of the Parisian punk scene who finds himself both homeless and the accidental guardian of a dangerous set of videotapes after his friend, punk rock legend Alex Bleach (Athaya Mokonzi), dies from an overdose on their last night hanging out,Vernon Subutexis as much love letter to great music as it is the epic tale of a bearded Peter Pan struggling to find a way to grow up without selling out. (NB:Lupinfans will recognize Mokonzi as the inmate Assane swaps places with to breakintoprison.) Surprisingly, though—thanks to a parallel storyline that follows a producer named Anaïs (Flora Fischbach) and a head-hunter called La Hyène (Céline Sallette) as trawl Southern France for different dirt from Bleach’s past—it manages also to be something of a high-octane mystery. (Think:What did Alex Bleach know, and when did he know it?but with the singer’s old punk friends-turned-corporate sellouts leading the hunt.) A tight single-season series featuring compelling performances and excellent music,Vernon Subutexis more than worth Topic’s price of entry.
For Everyone Ready to See More Black Men Taking the Lead, All Over the World
One of the greatest joys inherent toLupincomes from seeing someone like Omar Sy just absolutely kill it in the kind of frothy lead role that television — both in Hollywood and abroad — has historically handed to white men. To that end, the list that follows is for anyone looking to chase a binge ofLupinwith a few more (mostly) international series in which Black men get to take on the kinds of roles the world’s far more used to seeing white dudes in.
