After dating shows, Jonathan Cohen pays for adventure games! In The Torch, The Adventurers of Chupacabrabroadcast this Monday at 9 p.m. on Canal +, his character, Marc, the celibate seducer hero of The flame, is just one candidate among many, member of a team of adventurers striving to survive on the paradise island of Chupacabra, beat the opposing team, and win the incredible prize pool of 450 euros. “I am no longer the main character. The 16 candidates are as important as each other”, he warns during the press conference at CanneSeries where two episodes of the Torch were screened at the end of the festival.
The creator uses all the codes of famous survival programs, to parody them as much as possible. “We have this suspense of knowing who leaves and who will win the events. There is a billion times more action in this season,” he says. The cocktail for a successful survival game parody.
“We struggled in writing”
Like season 2 of Burning Lovethe American format that inspired The flame, Jonathan Cohen and his teams initially began to develop this season around “a woman in Marc’s place with lots of suitors”. “We are not going to lie to each other, we struggled in writing. It was a little warm, ”he says. He then hired two new writers who told him: “We’re hot, but wouldn’t we do an adventure show? “. “We thought about it, but we didn’t allow ourselves to,” he explains. Canal+ and the production validate this change. “As soon as we started brainstorm, the ideas abounded immediately. We felt a huge potential, ”he rejoices. The season is written in six months.
Who says new reality TV, says new presenter! “Few actors have the ability to present a TV show. Jérôme Commandeur has hosted programs and has this rather rare way of addressing the public. Vincent Dedienne also had that talent,” greets Jonathan Cohen, before adding: “We are on a much more punchy presenter, a little aggressive. “He’s a little more into it.” What mattered to me was that he had a touch of a friendly host, and at the same time, a little condescending”, comments Jérôme Commandeur.
“A paradise beach”
Survival games always take place in exotic and wild locations. The (fictional) archipelago of Chupacabra is no exception to the rule. “The filming took place in northern Corsica towards Ile Rousse. We are lucky to have Corsicans in the production team, who know the place well, ”says Jonathan Cohen.
The director sets his sights on a “paradise beach” and “preserved” and “difficult to access”. “To go to the set, you had to take 4 carts, stop on a small bridge, walk fifteen minutes… It was tiring, but, in the end, we believe in this Mexico, don’t we? »
“Season 1 veterans”
The strength of adventure games is also based on colorful candidates, The torch don’t miss it. “There are plenty of new characters, but also old ones from season 1,” warns the creator. Much of the crazy clique of The flame arrives in Le Flambeau: Alexandra (Leïla Bekhti), Chataléré (Camille Chamoux), Anna (Ana Girardot), Soraya (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and Marina (Géraldine Nakache).
“Marina is coming back!” In two years, she just changed jobs. She was a physio The flameshe is a cop in The torch and she will fall in love again, ”announces the latter. “We chose these characters because we thought they would be fun in this context,” explains Jonathan Cohen. Doctor Juiphe (Pierre Niney) also resumes service as a psychologist.
“Completely crazy characters”
“Adventure games are dreams to be parodied with crazy situations and people living in extreme situations. There are always crazy characters in this kind of show that stand out. The participants know a little about what they represent, and they play with it. To parody, it’s great, ”analyzes Jonathan Cohen. The torch filled up with new guests like Gérard Darmon (Philippe, the jungle specialist), Kad Merad (Patrice, known as Patoche, manager of a bodega) or even Ramzy Bedia (Tony Tonic, the sports coach) to play this clique unlikely candidates.
“We wrote the characters and then we thought about who could best embody them, with the exception of Laura Felpin, whose character is inspired by the one she created on social networks, an unbearable circus girl”, exposes Jonathan Cohen. “I play Annick, all in kindness and sympathy, hypervolunteer for each proposed awakening game, but who takes it a bit full of the mouth”, smiles Laura Felpin. “I was a fan of La Flamme,” says Mister V, who lends his features to William, the influencer. “He is doing the show to break into the world of influence and intends, thanks to it, to exceed the bar of 1,300 subscribers, he has 800”, he laughs.
“Scabby or stupid, depending on where you are”
“I am Hervé. I am part of the congregation of the children of Saint-Jean-de-Luz which is not located, moreover, in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. I participate in this game to win the 450 euros, which will allow the grand master to bring us to paradise more quickly. It is my quest. My character is a bit flabby, swaying, mediocre,” laughs Jonathan Lambert.
Natacha Lindinger plays Carole, the competitor. “She is a high-level athlete, determined, ready for anything and wants to take revenge on her private and professional life. She is scabby or stupid, depending on where you are, ”summarizes the actress.
“Planet Mars with madmen”
Sébastien Chassagne suffered because of his Soso costume, the bubble child. “I lost 5 or 6 kg. The suit was heavy and gnawed at my shoulders. I wasn’t breathing and I couldn’t hear everything either,” he says. “I can only introduce myself briefly, because everything that will be said by me can be used,” jokes Thomas Scimeca, who plays Yvan, the plotter.
As in real adventure games, Jonathan Cohen has concocted a whole series of tests for his candidate characters. “The construction of rafts, buoys… The aquatic events are more or less inspired by this type of program. And very quickly, we left somewhere else, the tests become more and more eccentric. It was important to keep certain codes, certain appointments of this kind of program to go to the planet Mars with crazy people, ”says the creator. And to conclude: “These games have become social phenomena. We want to make fun of it for the pleasure of doing large-scale bullshit about things we know. »