Warning, this article contains some revelations about the plot of part 3 of Lupine. If you don’t want to be outed, don’t read any further.
At the end of the summary of a few minutes of parts 1 and 2, we are already exhausted. The third part (but second season) of the series Lupine is available on Netflix. And if you’ve forgotten where Assane Diop, the character played by Omar Sy, was at the end of part 2, you risk feeling a little dizzy.
Having gone into hiding after a coup where he revealed his identity (to confuse a nasty villain), Assane Diop does not remain inactive for long. The first two episodes of this new installment of the successful series tell the story of an insane heist with the false air of The House of Paper, other cardboard of certified European origin from the platform.
Of course, the heist is a success for our Lupine-like but the main thing is elsewhere. This high-profile heist is an opportunity to delve into a new corner of Assane’s character’s past. After the father’s story, it is that of the mother which will animate these seven episodes.
The basics
Post-confinement success, Lupine has annoyed as much as excited with its first two parts. This third in no way changes the essence of the series. Incredible heist scenes, ultra-stylized action, clever revelations… Lupine goes quickly and does not worry much about the plausibility or the logic of the brilliant moves of his hero who, even in great danger, is always two steps ahead.
George Kay, creator of Lupine, makes absolutely no apologies for it and takes responsibility for everything: “It’s a family program intended for a large international audience. We therefore have obligations, it must be amusing, surprising, the plot must be gripping. » Likewise, the producer does not hide the fact that he wants to dig into a furrow already proven with this part 3: “We have deepened certain characters, – like Assane’s wife and son, the police officers… – but the functioning of the show remains the same. We also delve deeper into Assane’s past, we discover things little by little. »
A “diverted” discourse on “underlying” racism
Yet, Lupine has the qualities of its faults. Entertaining, certainly, but not only that. If the question of racism was already present in the series, it arises in a more obvious way with Assane Diop who can no longer go unnoticed only by disguising himself as a delivery man or maintenance agent. From a speech on the invisibles of our society, Lupine slides towards a reflection on the perception of racialized people in public space.
Of course, all this is hidden under tons of action scenes and good feelings. “A series where a character inspired by Arsène Lupine is black is already a series with a statement on racism, for George Kay. But the important thing is that the series is entertaining, fun and fast-paced. If we had made a documentary on racism, even with someone famous like Omar Sy, it would not have had the same impact. There, we denounce racism in a roundabout way. »
Here and there is Paris
The series also allows itself a passage in the Parisian suburbs, perceived as a dangerous area but where destinies are at stake. Still the social discourse is hidden under archetypes of action series. “Paris is one of the characters in the series, we can’t do without her,” explains George Kay, who takes on the role of marketing in Lupine. A series like Lupine aims for a global audience, so it is important to have a Paris that is easy to recognize with emblematic places like the Louvre, Place Vendôme… But we also made the choice to show all of Paris and therefore also the suburbs. »
And thanks, in particular, to these passages beyond the ring road, Lupine remains a contemporary Robin Hood. “Assane carries a message of social revenge, that’s what drives him and in this season, as he is now open-faced, he is supported in his fight by the public. It’s a challenge for him because he can no longer hide in the same way. And also because his responsibilities are greater. »
Lupine always runs
Egoist and show-off, neurotic liar and insightful charmer, Assane Diop is more annoying than endearing, like the series that tells his story. When, to escape prison, he makes his wife and son believe that he is dead, when he betrays his only friends on a hunch, when he makes people believe that money and fame do not matter to him, the 21st century version of Lupine is a man of his time, focused exclusively on achieving his ambitions.
If the character experiences redemption at the end of the season, the series remains on its mantra until the end: to entertain above all else. But both remain in good health at the end of this part 3, leaving (even in prison) the door open for a sequel. “We have a lot of ideas but I can’t talk about them,” explains George Kay. But yes, of course the ending is open and calls for new seasons. Nobody stops Lupine! »