Spin ( - literally The Shadow Men) is a French political television drama series created by Dan Franck, Frederic Tellier, Charline de Lépine and Emmanuel Daucé, and broadcast from 25 January 2012 on France 2.
After the success of the first season in its native France, a second season was commissioned, which premièred on France 2 on 1 October 2014 with 13.5% of the viewing audience. While prime time viewing figures were disappointing, combining those with on-demand numbers led to a more stable audience. A third series was subsequently commissioned. It was broadcast in France in October–November 2016.
In December 2015 it was announced that Spin would air in the UK on More4. The show premiered on 8 January 2016 and the two existing seasons were broadcast consecutively on a weekly basis. The third and final season was broadcast in April–May 2017.
Synopsis Season 1 The President of France, visiting a striking factory in Saint-Étienne in the Loire, east-central France, is killed in a suicide attack. Presidential elections are announced for 35 days later and there is no doubt that the prime minister, Philip Deleuvre (), will run for the Élysée. But what few people know is that the Prime Minister knows more than he claims. This grand lie causes a return to business of Simon Kapita (Bruno Wolkowitch), a former spin doctor to the late president. Anxious to preserve the honour of his dead friend and some form of political ethics, this "man of the shadows" sets out to find a candidate who will be able to beat Deleuvre — who is being advised by Kapita's former protégé Ludovic Desmeuze ().
Cast ActorCharacterDescriptionAppearances 1 2 3 Bruno Wolkowitch Simon Kapita Visage's and later Marjorie's Spin Doctor colspan=3 Grégory Fitoussi Ludovic Desmeuze Deleuvre's and later Carrère's Spin Doctor colspan=3 Philippe Magnan Philippe Deleuvre Desportes' Prime Minister; later Leader of the Opposition colspan=3 Emmanuelle Bach1 Apolline Vremler Journalist and ex-wife of Simon Kapita colspan=2 Valérie Karsenti colspan=2 Yves Pignot Robert Palissy Senator; later Marjorie's Minister of the Interior and Prime Minister colspan=2 Marianne Fabbro Juliette Kapita Simon and Apolline's Daughter; freelance journalist Nicolas Marié Alain Marjorie President of France colspan=2 Carole Bouquet Elizabeth Marjorie Marjorie's wife; First Lady of France colspan=2 Nathalie Baye Anne Visage Desportes' Secretary of State for Social Affairs and Health colspan=2 Clémentine Poidatz Valentine colspan=2 Mathieu Barbet Marc Kajanef Webmaster colspan=2 Philippe Hérisson Jean Guénelon Deleuvre's Chief Cabinet Secretary colspan=2 Abdelhafid Metalsi Malik Gendre Head of Presidential Security colspan=2 Aure Atika Gabrielle Tackichieff Marjorie's Secretary-General of the Élysée Olivier Rabourdin Benoît Hussan Marjorie's Minister of the Interior François Berland Pascal Diot Marjorie's Chief Cabinet Secretary Stéphanie Crayencour Rose Sarfati Hussan's wife Laurent Lucas Maxime Beaugendre Marjorie's Prime Minister colspan=2 Rachida Brakni Clémence Parodi Marjorie's Secretary of State for Parliamentary Relations colspan=2 Aïssatou Diop Lili colspan=2 François-Régis Marchasson Petitjean Leader of the Parti Du Rassemblement colspan=2 Smadi Wolfman Alexandra Marjorie's Spin Doctor colspan=2 Sandra Choquet Claudia colspan=2 Christiane Millet Isabelle Desportes Desportes' wife; First Lady of France colspan=2 Patrick Harivel Desportes' Minister of the Interior colspan=2 Jackee Toto Jamie colspan=2 Serge Biavan Prat Head of Anti-Terrorism colspan=2 Cyril Couton Pollster colspan=2 François Dunoyer Pierre Desportes President of France who is killed in episode 1 colspan=2 Jérémy Bardeau Arthur Frot Hervé Pierre Marjorie's Prime Minister Elisabeth Commelin Sonia Marjorie's Secretary Lucien Rumiel Braun Rudolph Deleuvre's Parliamentary Assistant Eric Herson-Macarel Editor of Mediamag Peter Hudson Bakian Businessman and arms dealer Stefan Godin Gaillaud Admiral Anne Loiret Annie Vaneck Director of Directorate-General for External Security colspan=2 Marc Pierret Bataille colspan=2 Anne Benoît Hélène Sacco Marjorie's Prime Minister colspan=2 Sophie-Charlotte Husson Anne-Marie Carrère MP for Hauts-de-Seine and candidate for President colspan=2
1 In series 1, Valérie Karsenti portrayed Apolline.
Episodes
Season 1 (2012)
Season 2 (2014)
Season 3 (2016)
International broadcasts Country TV network(s) Broadcast title SBS Spin BNT DR2 SpinDR TV: Spin Linked 2016-02-24 France 2 SET Spin – ERT More4 Spin Ofogh Men of Shadow yes "Men Of Shadows"
Recognition Year Award Category Name Result Ref 2012 Best female actor in a series Nathalie Baye (season 1) 2012 Monte-Carlo Television Festival ("Press award for best French series") Season 1 ("Best mini-series") Season 1 ("Best actor in a mini-series") Bruno Wolkowitch (season 1) 2013 Awards ("Best TV movie or TV series") Season 1 2014 ("Best French series") Season 2, episode 1 2017 Awards ("Best TV movie or TV series") Season 3
References
External links (French)