If you are anything like us, then you saw Lupin pop-up on your Netflix feed, clicked play, and never looked back. (And then, about four hours later, you were probably screaming at Netflix for only giving us the first five episodes.) Loosely based on the novels of Maurice Leblanc, this Netflix French original centres around Assane Diop (Omar Sy), a master thief who is on a quest to clear his father’s name. Inspired by the “gentlemen thief” Arsène Lupin, he is on “one last job” to uncover the truth about his father and take down the man who was responsible for his death.
Wait, Does This Have Anything to Do With the Anime Lupin the Third?
Umapagan Ampikaipakan: So, first things first. To all the anime/manga fans out there, this series has nothing to do with Lupin III, or Hayao Miyazaki’s The Castle of Cagliostro. It is, however, based on Maurice Leblanc’s original Lupin stories – which also inspired Monkey Punch to come up with his manga and that version of the character.
Bahir Yeusuff: The only thing I know of Lupin the Third is when his name showed up on Lupe Fiasco’s verse in Kanye West’s 2005 hip-hop record “Touch The Sky.”
UA: Lupin isn’t quite as famous as Sherlock Holmes (even though they once had a showdown in one of Leblanc’s stories), or James Bond, but he has nevertheless had a few significant pop culture landmarks. “Touch the Sky” is one of them. He was also featured in the popular video game Persona 5. But being the grandfather of the title character in the manga and anime series Lupin III is probably his biggest claim to fame.
BY: Despite all this anime talk, again, Lupin the Netflix series has nothing to do with any of it so don’t worry about needing to know any background stuff. All of this is just real world character introduction that doesn’t get in the way of how enjoyable this series is.
It hits a very specific sweet spot for me. It’s a “fun” heist. Like the Ocean’s series (but not Ocean’s 8), or the TV series Leverage. And I enjoyed it quite a bit. Okay that’s a lie. I enjoyed it a lot.
It’s Got Style and Substance
UA: I think this series has one of the best pilots I’ve seen in a while. We’re constantly griping about how TV in this Netflix era tends to be meandering, often taking far too long to set up characters and stakes. Lupin doesn’t have that problem. This first episode is something of a throwback. It feels more like a traditional television pilot, where all of our players, and a lot of their backstories, are introduced. We are shown (not told) who Lupin is and why he is as skilled as he is. We are introduced to his motivations (the death of his father) and his potential weaknesses (his family). And there is also an incredible heist that takes place at the Louvre. Action. Character. Agency. It had me from the get go.
BY: That pilot, like a good magician had me looking one way, only for the reveal to have me completely hooked by the end. There was a simplicity to it too. We see Assane at work as a cleaner at the Louvre. He makes a comment about some jewels. And it kicks off. There was an elegance to all of it. Nothing overly complicated. The man had a plan and he executed it brilliantly. There were mentions of his skill with sleight of hand that pays off later. There is a hacking of Wikipedia that makes sense later. It all falls into place beautifully.
I feel like there was a trust here between the filmmakers and the audience. You didn’t need to know who Lupin was as a character. They tell you everything you need. But at the same time, they don’t dumb it down for you either. Just hang on, all will be explained.
UA: And all of it was pulled off with such style too. You mentioned the Ocean’s movies (not Ocean’s 8), and I couldn’t help but be reminded of them as well. The look, the feel, the musical choices, all of it lends to this air of “cool” that permeates throughout the series.
This is essentially a “new” character, in a “new” franchise, and what the writers have managed to pull off is to make him feel lived in. The writing is so good, that when you’re done, you too want to put on a long black coat and plan a heist. To be clear, the original Arsène Lupin doesn’t appear in this series. He is an object of inspiration to Assane.
BY: Even then, Lupin isn’t like a spectre hovering over Assane. He never references Lupin directly. Everyone else around him brings it up. The police detectives chasing him do, his wife rolls her eyes when Assane hands their son a Lupin book. Assane isn’t a Lupin cosplayer, it’s that he has, over time, become Lupin in his own story. Again, we’re never shown all this except for the times when we see the inside of Assane’s home. It’s a treasure trove of (what I assume to be) stolen goods from previous heists. Again, there is an elegance to the writing.
The one thing this series has done is made me want to get the original Lupin books. The idea of the “gentleman thief” is an attractive one. An idea made the cooler by Omar Sy and this show.
A Masterclass in How To Update a Classic Story
UA: There is another reason as to why this is such a great adaptation. So many times, writers and showrunners will be inspired by some source material and then try to update and modernise it without doing anything new or different. With Lupin, creators George Kay and François Uzan do more than make their lead Black. The fact that Assane and his father are from Senegal plays a key part in this story. From the implicit and explicit racism that the both of them face, to how it has played a part in shaping their lives and stories, the series doesn’t shy away from addressing these issues. But more than that, it does so in a way that is subtle, and nuanced, and serves the story. I loved how every white person in the series would try to save themselves after making some thoughtless comment in reference to Assane’s race or appearance.
BY: And that nuance is important. This is the sort of everyday racism that we hear about but isn’t addressed or worse still, brushed off.
What did you think of Assane’s “ease” at executing his plans? Was there a sense of it all being a little too convenient? I for one thought there was never really a (I don’t know if I’m using this reference correctly) “deus ex machina” story beat. Sure Assane never told us the audience his plan, but the way it comes together makes it all feel well thought out. As in the last episode, when he has a confrontation with a villain, instead of trying to do a big show (calling the train conductor, etc.) he sends a quick text to the police who have been hunting him. Again, it comes back to the elegance in the writing.
UA: I didn’t really see it as “ease.” When we meet this character, he is already established as a master thief. By this point, he is a man who has honed his craft to the point of perfection. That’s what makes him great. That’s what makes him cool. God knows audiences love these sorts of characters. People who have everything worked out. Who are always two… three… five steps ahead of everyone else. Think Columbo. Think Sherlock Holmes. Think Batman.
I also think that this particular narrative style goes back to the original Leblanc novels. (Or even how Conan Doyle would write Holmes.) Lupin is always in control of every situation that he’s in. Except when he’s not. And when that happens, it makes the drama even more intense and interesting. We know there’s trouble for Holmes when Moriarty shows up. We are fearful for the Doctor when she has to face the Master. It’s an old technique. But it works.
BY: It’s also a refreshing take on the trope in that sense. We’ve gone from characters being who they are (Columbo, Sherlock Holmes, Batman) to everything must have an origin story (think Perry Mason, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men, Bale and *maybe* Pattinson’s Batmen), that having a story start at the pinnacle of a character’s ability becomes refreshing. Lupin does have some flashbacks but it’s mostly for character development. As much as I love the character of Assane, and watching him be the gentleman thief is cool as all heck, I definitely don’t want Arrow style flashbacks where we see him learn his craft. That always just slows the story down.
The Best New Series of 2021?
UA: I know it’s only the second week of this new year, but I’ve already got Lupin down as one of my top shows of 2021. We’ve seen Omar Sy be great in quite a few things – Jurassic World, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and especially in The Intouchables – but I have a feeling that Lupin will do for him what Luther did for Idris Elba. It’s all him and he really and truly shines.
BY: This is his breakout role and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Question. Where do you want the rest of this season to go? And for how much longer do you think they can go? As you mentioned, there is an underlying feeling here that for Assane, this is his last gig, to solve his father’s death. I for one want this show to answer that question, possibly in the next five episodes. I really don’t want to see him struggle with this for 3 seasons. Just like Money Heist, there was a natural end to that first season (which was also technically two parts). They got their money and they got out. And then like Michael Corleone they got pulled back in. What is your prediction about the next part of Season 1 and any potential future seasons of Lupin?
UA: I agree. I’d like this arc to end with Season 1. That said, I think the character lends itself to an anthology format, with every season being its own self-contained story. While I don’t want to see Assane struggle with the same damn problem for five seasons (see: Alias), I love the character and want to see him on more adventures.
BY: Adventures! That would be perfect.
Lupin
Netflix, Season 1: Part 1, 5 episodes
Creators: George Kay and François Uzan
Directors: Marcela Said, Ludovic Bernard, and Louis Leterrier
Writers: George Kay and François Uzan
Cast: Omar Sy, Ludivine Sagnier, Clotilde Hesme, Nicole Garcia, Hervé Pierre, Etan Simon, Shirine Boutella, and Vincent Londez
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