Marseille: The New Boss

Last week Netflix premiered a new French-language series Marseille.  Starring legendary French actor Gerard Depardieu, the plot involves a mayor of 20 years hoping to leave a legacy and protege behind as he steps into the sunset. Of course, this all falls apart or we would have a boring series. 

What I found most interesting (outside of it being French series) was the use of dubbing. I am not sure why Netflix trusted us with Occupied, a subtitled Norwegian series, but thought French was too much. I would have preferred an option at least. 

The first episode of this eight episode series reminded me of the Starz show Boss, where Kelsey Grammer also played an ill mayor with a beautiful wife and troublesome daughter who could not hold together his political "allies" or his changing city.  I enjoyed the acting on Boss, yet it is harder to see the acting in this new series given the dubbing. Instead a great actor is only half there. 

Boss lasted for two seasons, which may be more than we will see of Marseille. While this is Netflix's first foray into local French content, the French do not seem to care for the series. I do not always agree with the French, but they may have a point.

Maybe a series about Depardieu's real battle with French authorities over high taxes would be a better series. His emigration to Belgium and Russian passport certainly raised eyebrows yet might be more entertaining to viewers.