Streaming series review - UFOs

UFOs (OVNIs) *** (out of 5) (NR) Is anyone out there? If so, can people here cope with whoever or whatever that might be? This French TV series gives us a rather light-hearted view of how that may play out. Think of it as an X-Files run by Steve Carrell’s character from The Office.

It’s 1978. Didier (Melvil Poupaud) is in charge of France’s major missile launch that was years in the making. It fizzles spectacularly, but no one, including his ex-wife and collaborator Elise (Geraldine Pailhas), can figure out what went wrong. In the wake of his high-profile flop, someone’s head must roll, so the boss dumps him into an obscure department that deals with reported UFO sightings. That sub-agency is merely a joke to the country’s aerospace scientists and politicians, so his mission is to debunk all the rumors to justify shutting it down.

Didier finds three quirky believers in his new command, all of whom are more open to the possibility of “visitors” than he. But various phenomena start to undermine his skepticism, and the four stumble through a 12-episode maze of characters and events on a shoestring budget, despite mounting pressure to just go away quietly. The team’s efforts are confounded by opposition from all sides, including some DISinformation from high sources. A few sudden disappearances of “witnesses” piles elements of danger and suspense onto their efforts. Didier’s life is further complicated by trying to heal rifts with this ex and kids, plus his overarching goal of rehabbing his professional credibility to land a coveted international leadership position. It’s a scientific/political tug-of-war with Didier as the rope.

The character comedy dangles sci-fi and fantasy elements which are nicely displayed for a TV production. That extra investment pays off, keeping their pursuits and interpretations livelier that the small screen often allows. The 1978 setting allows a lower tech information and communication stream than a present-day premise would, keeping the focus on the players’ ups and downs as they scramble to justify their jobs despite having to work with a tiny toolbox.

This first season ends without a major cliffhanger, but keeps enough questions alive to spur viewers’ (including my own) curiosity for the second season now airing in France to stream here.

(UFOs {OVNIs in France} mostly in French with subtitles, streams on MHzChoice as of 9/6/22.)