The Bureau

Just found this French t.v. series - The Bureau. 

I like it.  I think it is the best such I've ever seen.

Spy drama.  The Bureau is the French Intelligence Agency.

They get around like no such I've seen - to Syria and Iran..

And they get around to those places and weave those people into their story in a way no such I've ever seen does.

And I fancy it is because France knows Algeria, Iran, Syria, Muslims, Islam, terrorism etc..  in a way that no other t.v. series producing country that I know of does.

And France is more 'grown up' anyway.  Isn't French the language of diplomacy?    They have, I think, a long history of concerning themselves with international diplomacy.

Big things about it please me - the acting, the actors,  the plots,  the scenes - but little things, too.

The head of the bureau just visited this suspect psychologist woman and planted a mic under her desk.  What pleases me is the thought that she'll certainly find it - she sweeps the room frequently, her and the hero when he used to visit and he's the total expert so I guess it'd be a good sweep, the last word in detection.

And the plot writers are not that dumb.  Unless this is the first time.

So the idea is that she'll find it but then what?  The boss is going to know immediately if she removes it.....  significant.  

And if she doesn't move it I guess there'll be a change in her behaviour because she is going to have to do business in a different way.  Significant.

And not only her but those she associates with - she's a spy for the CIA - they can no longer meet and talk in her office.  And they will necessarily have to consider the possibility that she's been compromised and suspicion is falling on themselves...

It deals always with this kind of subtlety and I like it.

There's constant discovery and measure and counter measure...  gaining of information and understandings, suspicions, conjectures arising from it...

Makes things like Longmire look crude.    Well they are crude.  Virtually everything except this is crude. 

That's it, that's what I like:  I think it sophisticated.  I like the sophistication.