Renaissances

A decent enough drama although it is rather over- complicated, particularly in the final episode. As in many series these days there's a lot of time hopping which is confusing and annoying but the cast and plot manage to bring it all together in the last episode.

The fact that there are only 6 episodes helps and there is some attractive location filming in Antwerp and Biarritz. The casting is good but overall it's a rather implausible story and one which makes me feel that the writers couldn't think what bombshell or twist to throw in next.

Overall it's not one of those series where you feel you've wasted your time though and it helps to watch it in one sitting.

I watched this French series courtesy of Walter Presents on channel 4, with subtitles. It is set mostly in Biarritz but partly in Antwerp and involves a woman,Florence, who has a heart transplant and seeks out the donors family. She meets the father, Simon, of the young woman, Ana, who died in a car crash. The father thinks that it was not an accident and, improbably, enlists the help of Florence to find evidence for the police to open an investigation. Only a short time after her transplant she is rushing around like an olympic athelete, so well done to the French health service.

Meanwhile we have some domestic drama with Florence and her husband , Vincent, in constant dispute with their adopted 15 year old daughter, Zoe. Coincidentally, of course, Simons daughter, Ana, is also adopted. To add to the plot Zoe is black with a 25year old boy friend so we have some racial tension and paedo issues thrown in to the pot.

We also get frequent short flashbacks of Ana's life before her death which tells yet another story.

It all sounds a bit complicated and contrived but is actually well worth viewing, and with just six 40 minute episodes it moves at a good pace.