Lupine: wouldn’t season 3 be the best? (critical)

Omar Sy twirls when the burglaries follow one another, but the series plunges as soon as it tries to sprinkle stakes on the popcorn.

He is the biggest thief. Yes, but he’s a gentleman! After two years of absence, Omar Sy is back under the top hat of Lupine, or rather the cap of Assane Diop, elusive manipulative crook and righter of wrongs. But this time, he can no longer act in the shadows. Spoiler alert!

In the wake of the finale of season 2, Assane has become a public figure, a Robin Hood acclaimed by the good people of Paris, who gloat over his exploits taunting the police. Normal life is a thing of the past for the burglar, now public enemy number 1 hunted by Lieutenant Sofia Belkacem and her team. Although he would like to escape with Claire and her son, he quickly understands that it will not be that simple…

George Kay, co-creator of the series, seems to have taken the measure of his character inspired by Maurice Leblanc. The excellent screenwriter of Hijack (with Idris Elba, on Apple TV+) knows how to write thrillers like no one on TV right now. And he once again proves his ability to trick us, from episode to episode. As we look at his right hand, his Lupine we do it backwards with his left hand and we applaud the sleight of hand. From clever twists to startling surprises, the first part of this season 3 is particularly delightful, like an exhilarating first episode in the heart of Place Vendôme. Diop announces the time and date when he will steal the Black Pearl, a priceless jewel. The police are waiting for him around the corner, barricading the place and curling their mustaches. It feels like a good old episode of Cat’s Eyes ! Obviously, Lupine will succeed in stealing the treasure from under everyone’s noses.

How ? Is this all a bit overwhelming? Are there big strings everywhere? The series thrives on ridicule and while we think we have found the trick, it smokes us with delight. From impossible thefts to improbable antics, from crazy schemes to lunar scams, this part 3 of Lupine emphasizes where it feels good: pure entertainment, the gentleman burglar in all his splendor, playing even more than in past years with his exceptional Parisian setting: the Arc de Triomphe, the Galeries Lafayette, the Père Lachaise.. . Everything is there.

Too bad the scenario is much more sluggish, as soon as it tries to incorporate issues into these heists. The series seeks to arouse a little emotion by bringing in bonus characters from Assane’s past. Ouch! All of this is too artificial and hampers a well-oiled machine. Everything becomes more laborious. No doubt: the series works much better when Omar Sy makes Lupine popcorn, without taking herself for what she is not.

Lupine, season 3 in 7 episodes, on Netflix from October 5, 2023