Episode #1.3

If there is any truth to the types of events portrayed here, we have historic evidence of what happens when people feel they have permission to do what they want to those they have power over. The story is severe enough, but the Nazis go beyond the worst human elements. I was most appalled when a black man is kept in a room while his family is about to be slaughtered, even though he provides the information. The Nazi soldier delights in bringing this about. This episode is a flashback which shows us the appearance of Etienne and Daniel's city construction. It shows us how Marie becomes a radio expert and knows how to broadcast. I know there is a formula here and it is manipulative, but it works pretty well. Note: Explosions and last minute rescues are a bit too convenient.

So far the show is entertaining in a lightweight and cliched way, which really doesn't synch well with the violent and horrific plot details. The approach seems to be Young Adult fiction but the events depicted are not for kids.

One of my pet peeves is anachronisms in historical dramas. Since these characters are supposed to be speaking French, they're immune from the usual crime of misplaced terminology and slang, but I noticed a couple goofs:

-A character talks about "50 million" deaths in WWII. Wow he's psychic! That's the usual estimate given for all deaths in WWII, including the Pacific theater (why would a German even be thinking about that?) including the death camps, which were not widely known till after the war. I doubt some average soldier in the midst of the war would be so accurate about the total for the entire war, including deaths still to come.

-Another character mentions "ovens" in a way that obviously references death camps. Again, not widely know till after the war. Average people might know there were camps where people were being sent, and presumably they were not nice places, but not details about what was going on there.

I saw this episode with high indulgence. The final of preview, the beginning of this were, for me, something between ultragious, ridicoulous and absurd. But the appreciation for Hugh Laurie - a not awful Ettienne -, Mark Ruffalo- fighting to propose a some credible daniel - and the charm of. Marion Bailey - not the best Madame. Manec but a reasonable one - are nice support for accept the vision of. Shawn Levy, not ignoring his words about the interest about novel.

So, easy to critic for too complicated solutions to say the beautiful story, for crazy fake details and for awful dialogues. And for profound uninspired Manicheism.

In same measure, I appreciate, very subjectively,Aria Maria loberti, thinking about her opportunity to act a role who seduced so many readers. Like the appreciation for Louis Hofman, not so close by Werner of book but trying offer a decent character portrait.