Streaming series review - The New Adventures of Arsene Lupin

The New Adventures of Arsene Lupin *** (out of 5) (NR) The fictional ideal of a suave gentleman thief who uses his talents for good more often than greed has been a staple throughout Western cultures since the 1800s. Perhaps such characters made the world seem safer, as industry and urbanization crammed more of the populace in close proximity to hordes of strangers. It’s also comforting to most readers and viewers that such characters target the (often undeservedly) rich and powerful, rather than regular folk. And as laws became more complex and restrictive, there was a vicarious thrill in someone doing better than the police could, by having the freedom to skirt those laws and procedures to render justice.

One of the earliest and most enduring such characters has been Maurice Leblanc’s Arsene Lupin, who first appeared in several 1905 short stories, paving the way for a steady stream of books, movies, TV series, stage plays and even comic books in multiple languages. This incarnation is a 1995-96 French TV series starring Francois Dunoyer as the suave gent of lore. He’d played the role in a 1989 series before reviving it for another eight episodes with a bigger budget allowing an upgrade in sets, costumes and scale of production. These tales are set in the period between the two World Wars.

The first was made available for review. Each will be a stand-alone adventure taking him to different locales as he wends his way through Europe’s rich and famous, solving the problem du jour, with flair in his actions and an eye for the women. There’s a bit of lightness in the 90-minute shows, akin to the tales featuring counterparts like Leslie Charteris’ Simon Templar a/k/a The Saint. Assuming the rest follow suit in tone and quality - including a bit more on the risque side than U.S. TV other than premium cable channels - each should offer a pleasant evening’s diversion, without stirring the need to binge for closure.

(Mostly French with subtitles; streaming on MHz Choice, starting 2/1/22)