The Returned, which Sundance Channel launches in the U.S. on Halloween night, is a creepy, eerie, hauntingly memorable miniseries. But you’ll have to trust me on that…
You’ll have to trust me because I don’t think I’ve ever seen a TV drama more dependent on mood, and slowly exposed revelations. The less you know about The Returned, the more engrossing it is from the start. It’s a show that, because of the boldly different way it unfurls, rewards both the patient and the ignorant.
This puts me, as a TV critic, in a very tough spot. I’m of two minds about what people regard as “Spoilers,” and my two minds are these. One, when writing or broadcasting a preview in advance of a TV show’s premiere, I try to reveal as little as possible, at least about surprise or key plot information, so viewers will have the same enjoyment watching as I did. Two, once something has been broadcast or streamed or otherwise made available, then it’s my job to discuss it, in whatever detail I wish, whether other people have seen it or not.
But The Returned, that’s something else entirely.
I’ve read one or two reviews, by critics I respect greatly, to see how they handed this particular case. And, in my opinion, they handled it poorly. So as highly as I recommend you watch The Returned, which premieres Thursday night at 9 ET on Sundance, I just as emphatically recommend that you avoid reading other articles about this miniseries, except for this one, until you’ve seen it.
Then write me – in about two months, when the eight-part drama is over – and say whether I was right to be so cautious and protective.
Meanwhile, to prepare for tonight, here’s all you need to, and what you should, know.
In France, where it was produced and presented by Canal Plus, The Returned was known as Les Revenants. Shown here, it’s still in French, but is subtitled. That’s one secret Sundance has kept from you, at least in its on-air promos, but embrace that, don’t flee from it. Sundance has made a smart and brave move, scheduling a subtitled series in prime time, but it’s hoping for an intelligent audience – which is exactly what The Returned should attract, and delight.
So what can I say about this show, in advance, without diluting its impact? Very little, but this:
It takes place in a small mountain village in the French Alps, a gorgeous but remote place serviced by a giant dam, winding road and a local pub, all of which figure, quickly or eventually, into the plot. And the mood, like the Pacific Northwest of Twin Peaks, is quietly but constantly foreboding. As the bartender tells a new arrival in Episode 6, “If you like tragedy, you’re in the right place.”
And if you like spellbinding, unpredictable stories of life and death, you’re in the right place, too. I’m particularly impressed by Yara Pilartz and Jenna Thiam (seen in photo at top), who play sisters Camille and Lena, and by little Swann Nambotin (right), who plays young Victor – but all of the actors here, and all their characters, are bound to surprise you, whatever your expectations or predictions.
My predictions: Every episode’s pre-credits sequence will hook you in, just like every closing shot will freak you out. The Returned, most of which was written and directed by Fabrice Gobert and Frederic Mermoud, will haunt you long after it’s come and gone.
And if I say that’s entirely apt, given the subject matter, I’m already flirting with revealing too much…