The Returned Episode 1 Review: Is the American Version As Good As The French? (Season Premiere)

A&E recently aired the first episodes of "The Returned". It is a remake of the French show "Les Revenants" which was viewable to American audiences on the Sundance channel (and is currently on Netflix). The series was also based on a movie but had a different ending I hear (I havent seen it). And to make matters even more confusing, ABC also has "Resurrection" which is based on a similar story from a book called "The Returned". Both shows have different characters though. Got all that?

The French version was so good that I voted it my favorite television show of 2013. See reviews here: The Returned reviews and Top 10 Television Shows Of 2013 So how does the American version compare? Maybe A&E did a remake to attract a wider audience? Many people have never heard of the original. Some Americans seem opposed to reading subtitles so that problem is solved. I dont think you can improve on perfection though and I consider the French version to be without flaw. It did after all win the International Emmy for "Best Drama series" that year.

I'm trying approach A&Es "The Returned" with an open mind though. The setting has moved from a French resort town to Washington state. There is of course still the dam (which is very important to the story).

Life Is Rough For A Back-From-The-Dead-Teenager

Episode 1 opens with a bus full of high school students crashing down a ravine. Flash forward four years. Camille (who was on the bus) walks home in the dark. She is starving and lost her cell phone. Her mother (Claire) is shocked to see Camille and immediately calls her father. Next her mother's boyfriend arrives. He's a psychologist. Camille's sister Lena comes home after a night of partying. She is obviously in shock upon seeing Camille. You'll learn more about their relationship later.

Whole Lotta Secrets

There are several other story lines. There is a woman (Lucy) who is violently stabbed by a hooded figure (Serge) in a tunnel. There is a man (Simon) looking for a woman (Rowan or is Adele?) who is traumatized after seeing him. There is a small boy ("Victor"-- we dont know his real name till later) who is taken in by a lonely doctor (Julie). There is an elderly man who awakens to see his long dead wife (Helen) alive in the bed next to him. He later throws himself off the dam.

Julie, You Better Keep An Eye On Victor

Grade: I'm giving the show a 3/12 Monsters (out of 5) for now. I may check back later to see how it's going.

Positives: 1. This is still an intriguing story so if you havent seen the original, you might like A&E's version. 2: Reports are that the show will start to deviate from the original material around episode six. If so I might tune in to see what happens. 3. There were only eight episodes in the original so it should be a quick binge for anyone who wants to watch it all in one sitting.

Negatives: 1. Some of the actors seem wooden. Camille's mother should have displayed WAY more emotion upon seeing her dead daughter raiding the fridge. She doesnt have to have a breakdown but some quiet acknowledgement of the extraordinary event would have been nice. The child actor playing Victor doesnt seem mysterious enough. He just seems like some kid who doesnt say anything and eats a lot. 2. The atmosphere that made the French version so creepy is gone. Everything in the original was eerie, dark and foggy. The A&E version is way too bright. It looks like any other television show. Who knew it was so sunny in Washington? 3. There are lots of recognizable American actors-- Michelle Forbes, Sandrine Holt, Jeremy Sisto, etc. Dont get me wrong. The actors are great but it makes the story less believable to me. I want to see unknown faces that I can immerse myself in the story with.

A&E you've done an excellent job with "Bates Motel" (which is in a similar situation since it's a prequel to the movie). I love it. But something got lost in translation with "The Returned". My advice, dear readers, is to stick with the original French version. Let me know how you like it.