Updated yesterday at 7:00 am.
The candidate
How not to fall for the charm and chatter of nail technician Alix Mongeau (charming Catherine Chabot), a borderline “douchebaguette” who wins the provincial election almost by accident? This brilliant political comedy, inspired by the journey of the NDP's Ruth Ellen Brosseau, bursts onto our screens like a bubble of pure happiness. It's really smart, funny and adorable. And it seems that screenwriter Isabelle Langlois has done thorough research to tell the story of this verbomotor contestant who is just getting started but has a “beat”.
On Tou.tv Extra; on ICI Télé from January
Succession
How sad: This fourth season marked the (final, yes) end of this compelling media and financial family saga set among New York's super-rich. Patriarch Logan Roy, a bully to his four disadvantaged adult children, has finally named the person who will succeed him at the head of his billion-dollar empire. But who will get this coveted position? The war for the golden throne claims many victims through creative insults, deceit, backroom dealings and outlandish coats. Viewers allergic to cynicism please refrain, thank you.
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Disobedience: Chantale Daigle's decision
This is a historical miniseries (1989, that's a different era!) with a very contemporary theme, almost 35 years after the original events. The six episodes of Désobéir tell the true story of Chantale Daigle (Éléonore Loiselle), a 21-year-old waitress at Giorgio's who fights to have an abortion. Pregnant with mustachioed “loser” Jean-Guy Tremblay (Antoine Pilon), the young woman sparked a massive media storm that ended on the steps of the Supreme Court in the summer of 1989. The sets, the costumes, the actors, there's nothing wrong with the direction in this series, which almost smells like Du Maurier's brown cellar cigarettes.
On noovo.ca and on Crave
The diplomat
Fun and substance at the same time? That's more than possible with this entertaining Netflix production, one of the nice surprises of the TV year. In eight episodes, set at the intersection of “Scandal” and “The West Wing,” we travel to London with Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), the newly appointed US ambassador to the English capital. Then, boom! World War III is brewing in the Persian Gulf, Iran is bombing (or isn't it?) a British aircraft carrier, Kate's husband is plotting in the halls of power and we realize we haven't slept a wink for several hours!
On Netflix
Before the crash
We thought that our four financial “brothers” had reached the bottom of the barrel (crude oil) last year. But no. Through his fault, the banker François (Émile Proulx-Cloutier) lost everything, his wife Évelyne (Karine Vanasse) and custody of little Denis. Marc-André (Éric Bruneau) flirted with the upper echelons of power before suddenly falling apart. Only the friendly Patrick (Mani Soleymanlou) and the rich Vincent (Benoit Drouin-Germain) have managed to stay afloat in this gripping social and economic thriller that adheres to current events in a disturbing way.
On Tou.tv Extra
The bear
The second season of this great series, set in a noisy Chicago restaurant, has surpassed the first, which is a (culinary) masterpiece in itself. It's the most “umami” work on the small screen, with the kitchen and family in constant chaos. The sixth episode, starring the extraordinary Jamie Lee Curtis, is a true gem. We witness the disorganized preparation of Christmas dinner at Berzatto, which will undoubtedly turn into a drama. The Bear's soundtrack is full of treasures (Wilco, Weezer, REM), and the realism that emerges from the 10 episodes makes us want to chain ourselves to the stove (but that eventually goes away).
On Disney+
Megantic
It may not be the ideal suggestion for relaxing between Christmas and New Year, but the fact remains that this choral mini-series is of exceptional quality. Each of the eight episodes revolves around so-called “ordinary” citizens of Lac-Mégantic whose lives changed on the night of July 6, 2013. A barmaid from the Musi Café, a volunteer firefighter, brothers working at the excavation. Some details have been changed to make the story flow more smoothly, but not the beating heart of this moving and poignant work, which whistles loudly in the dark night.
About Club illico
The Morning Show
Is this the most subtle and sophisticated script on American television? Not much. But is it a fun and dazzling product? Absolutely. In this third chapter, seasoned with “Succession,” Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) lands on the evening news and Alex (Jennifer Aniston) boosts the digital platform UBA+ when a leak of personal information rocks the network's management. The snarky boss Cory (Billy Crudup) remains my favorite, along with the news director, the formidable Stella (Greta Lee). Year-end bonus: Jon Hamm appears in the series as a sort of rocket-loving Elon Musk.
On AppleTV+
breath in, breath out
As much a police thriller as it is a slapstick comedy, “Inspire Exhale” is unlike anything seen on Quebec television. I loved this mix of “The White Lotus” and “Knives Out.” The abstract? Two rival friends (Sonia Cordeau and Virginie Fortin) receive a gift certificate for a yoga and cleansing vacation in the forest that turns into a nightmare. The manager of this wellness establishment, Antara Yoni (Édith Cochrane), loses control, the first person dies, the noose tightens, another murder occurs, suspects pile up and gags come from everywhere. Crazy characters, embarrassing situations and modern themes, it's a little treat.
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The last of us
Yes, it's about zombies, debilitating viruses and the end of the world, but it's better than The Walking Dead. In 2023, life has all but disappeared from the face of the earth following a global infection with a rare deadly fungus. The few survivors live in bunker cities controlled by totalitarian governments. The hope of finding a cure for this pandemic rests on the shoulders of rebellious teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsay), the only one who survived her infection. The brave Joel (Pedro Pascal) now has to bring Ellie to a rebel faction without dying. And to say it with Luc De Larochellière: The road back to the sun is long, the nights are dark as the human heart.
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