‘The Returned’ is a 2 season French television series with a deceptively simple premise; a coach load of children and several adults die during an accident when their bus falls off a cliff. 4 years later, some of the dead start to return, not aging a day and also not having any recollection of what has occurred in the time since the fatal crash. This rocks the community who are unsure as to whether this is a blessing or a curse.
Over the course of season 1 we start to gain insight into each of the families and how the return of their loved ones (and sometimes unloved) affects their life and mental wellbeing. The first season garnered much praise upon its 2012 release and won many awards.
Season 2, followed 3 years later and had a 6 months time jump after the cliffhanger of season. A pregnant woman gives birth to her baby which she had with her returned ex-fiancee, but is the baby totally human? Also, some more people from the bus accident and from further back in time start to return at a faster rate but no-one is quite sure why. They live in an abandoned estate and are swelling in number but what is the endgame?
Both seasons are gorgeously shot with neutral colors and shades of grey, white, blue and blackness. The scenery is spectacular and the cinematography is gorgeous with lots of shots of the woods and mountains. It's all very moody and eerie but it's more than a pretty show, it throws up lots of existential questions like:
What would be the reaction if the dead did return?
What happens after we die?
Is a chance to speak to the deceased a good or a bad thing?
The feel of the show is slow and meditative. It is purposely slow paced so you invest in the characters. It is a complex show which has a lot going on but it slowly reveals itself, it truly is French in that there is a slow burn pace that it languishes in; it revels in the story and atmosphere, where the rush?
The Returned is a beautifully shot show.
It makes me uneasy and uncomfortable and there is a sense of dread permeating the whole show. There is no humour and there are no jokes, the dialogue and acting is played straight and is all the more gripping for it. In places, the show has a feel of ‘Twin Peaks’ as the mythology is the central mystery, however rather than a white or black lodge strangeness, ‘The Returned’ is more character focussed and we get an intense look at each of the people who have returned. The haunting music by Mogwai compliments the mood and intensity of the show and gets under your skin.
‘The Returned’ runs at 16 episodes and is well worth the time investment if you like slow, meditative shows.