Review of Series One:

THE RETURNED, a French TV series tackling a zombie epidemic, is one of the freshest and most inventive pieces of television I've watched in a while. Everything about it screams impressive: it boasts wonderful performances from a series of outstanding actors, huge attention to detail, and exceptional technical values from the direction to the camera-work, the set design, you name it. It's also very well written, with a cast of intriguing characters and just the right level of incident to keep you watching.

Another plus is the horror theme, which for once is handled with maturity and insight into human emotion. These aren't clichéd, flesh-eating zombies, rather missing loved ones, and watching them return to their family members - who have long since stopped the grieving process - is heartbreaking. The horror comes from a growing sense of mystery, of an increasing foreboding, enhanced by some excellent, long-held musical notes which send suspense levels through the roof. It truly doesn't get much better than this, and it puts Hollywood to shame.

If there's one problem with THE RETURNED, it's that it ends up incredibly frustrating, because it answers very few of the many, many questions it raises. By the end of the last episode of season one, we're no closer to the truth of the matter than we were at the beginning of the first episode, which is a real pity; the audience will only go along with you for so long, and there should have been some real, concrete answers to sweeten the mix. As it is, we're now forced to wait - for a very long time - for the second series, which should hopefully provide at least some explanation as to what it's all about.

Review of Series Two:

Most of us who were fans of the first series were eagerly awaiting this second series as it would hopefully tie up some of the mystery from the first. No such luck. Instead of finally telling us what's been going on, THE RETURNED continues to plough the same furrow, deliberately obscuring the viewer and raising more questions than it answers.

The use of flashbacks has gone into overload here. Every episode opens with a flashback and they recur throughout. They're pretty tiresome by now, especially when they add very little to the plot development. Plus, a bunch of new and rather extraneous characters are introduced and the series tells their stories instead of adding much in the way of new stuff to the existing characters.

The quality of the acting is still good, and the cinematography - all stillness and gloom - remains excellent. But the characters seem like they're stuck in a rut, and viewers are forced to wait until the final episode until something finally happens. I'm not sure what - the ambiguous nature of it means that the viewer must make his or her own mind up as to what transpired - but at least it provides a conclusion of sorts. Please, no third series though, as this was a huge step down from the excellent first.

Slow in a good way, of course, because it's all about suspense. People start coming back from the dead - some are better remembered than others, some are more aware of what's going on, some just want to start again. This makes the narrative layered, the characters' stories only slowly become clear, the whole situation gradually starts to make sense. There's no hurry, plenty of atmosphere, and a lot is left to the imagination (or at least not explained properly, which I suppose amounts to the same). Family drama overlaps with the fantasy element, so one minute it's really sad and moving, the next weird or horrifying, and all wrapped up in a melancholy soundtrack and lovely mountain scenery. Unsettling, sometimes baffling, but strangely addictive viewing.

Much credit is deserved here, to find such a fresh field amongst the hordes of undead programming assaulting our screens just now is a real achievement.

The setting is also a nice change adding bags of atmosphere. The acting is excellent with almost all the players showing just the right level of reluctance to accept the mind breaking reality of what is happening around them. The characters are diverse enough to give a real sense of the effect the events are having on the community and not just the individuals.

It's hard to criticise a show that makes such an effort to do things differently, and I wouldn't dream of being harsh to this one. The plot is that of a teasingly slowly unravelling mystery, and I would say this can naturally be just a little frustrating at times. One or two scenes are perhaps a little tough to accept as the genuine reaction of the character.

Little (almost petty) criticisms aside, I really enjoyed this show. It always left me eager for the next episode and I recommend it heartily to anyone looking for a smart new approach to an increasingly tired category.

This is the best creepy drama I've seen this year. I was gripped every second. The title sequence is full of mysteries. Disturbing and yet beautiful imagery. The music is by Mogwai and it stirs the soul. It is the very heart of the series. All the cast are excellent. The "Returned" characters, especially the young Vincent, are both sympathetic and scary by turns. Some are seeking love and acceptance. All are hungry and confused. They are not your typical horror monster. They are just people who happen to have been given a new chance at life. The plot-line unfolds slowly and subtly. Some scenes are left to the imagination, but there are still shocks. Certainly lots of questions which lead to questions, but that did not bother me. I was simply drawn further in. I am excited about the 2nd series.

Just finished watching the last episode of Series 1. Last time I was this gripped was in the 90's with Twin Peaks, not usually a TV fan unless something out of the ordinary is on. It takes it slow, gives you red herrings, plays down major plot parts, builds up tension, then BANG, you can't wait till next time. It is set in a small French town, where 35 years previous a dam broke causing many deaths, but "they will have their revenge". Don't want to give too much away, so will just tell you that every part of each characters life is given to you in fine detail, some things will make sense while bits of the plot are left open. However it flows like a full string orchestra playing the Blue Danube, and on that er,note, the music by Mogwai only makes it more enjoyable. The acting is terrific, characters believable, storyline as tight as a ducks hole, I cannot think of one thing to gripe about, which is unusual! Series 2 is on next year, need to keep my diary open. Unmissable, off to buy the series one box-set!

Great series. I'm watching the English-language version of it now with French subtitles and it's great. I can't remember when I watched something that passionately last, waiting for each Sunday installment on British TV. The beauty of it is, it's very realistic and human, spooky in a very believable way. How would you feel if your child or lover came back from the dead and you had to deal with all the problems of hiding them from all the friends and neighbors who were present at their funeral AND have to avoid the truth as the poor souls apparently don't realize they've been dead for years or decades!

I did knock off one point for the dialogue. I'm just not a big lover of "suspenseful" evasiveness when people just don't tell each other things because if they do, the mystery will end after just one episode! Sometimes I was on the verge of hurling something at the TV, so annoyed I was with the characters' constant ambiguities. I don't think I've heard one line of plain honest information in the whole film, it's all understatements, or alternatively something happens just when someone was about to say something important. To me, it's not suspense, it's sloppy manipulative dialogue. So one point off for that.

Otherwise, the actors are very good, the story is well-developed and the atmosphere is beautifully spooky. If realistic horror is your thing, this is definitely a film to watch.

Les Revenants is a simply stunning production with its evocative setting and equally musical score. With well drawn characters and an intriguing premise which offers a thrilling obtuse take on the zombie genre each episode makes for wonderful, entrancing viewing. Its resonance reflects David Lynch's TV tour de force, Twin Peaks (itself about to get a 21st century make-over by Lynch). The only disappointing thing is how long it is taking for the second season of Les Revenants to be broadcast. If the second season replicates the very high production standard of the first, Les Revenants is destined to mark its place in television history as one of the greatest shows of all time.

This show is fantastic. It has got great character developments which make you feel for everyone of them. I don't speak French but the performances are so engrossing that you can feel each character's emotion. The town in which the story takes place is also a major character in the show. Although I am not a fan of supernatural genre but this show with its unique story line and superb direction has made me a fan. Beautiful locations too engross you and I love the opening theme of the show. Wish they created more shows like this one. I am eagerly waiting for the second season. I will recommend this to anyone with a taste for mystery and thriller.

For my money, this is beautifully produced, brilliantly cast and its pace is both challenging and exciting. Breaking Bad, Mad Men, (and even though I've never seen an episode, I presume Lost) have introduced us to the idea that TV series can take time to develop intricate and dense story arcs.

The Returned is clearly doing the same, but it is pushing us viewers even further by withholding almost everything. It's piling up the questions and then leaving us at a pretty excruciating tipping point. At the same time, it is redefining the idea of being 'episodic' by using each instalment to thicken the plot rather than resolve it.

It's hard to not have a reaction to this strategy. We all want answers, goddamit! Even more so than The Fall, The Returned drops us cold right as the accumulation of questions seems to have reached its peak.

I love that this approach has created so many theories and ideas about the 'answers' and what comes next. I think it's exciting to see that kind of engagement rather than the usual "Did you see the last episode? A bomb went off and everyone died".

It's really hard to recalibrate our expectations, but this new way of telling an extended story is clearly something we're going to have to adjust to! In only hope that ultimately, when The Returned does conclude it manages to find an end point that is less frustrating than the 'pause' points. I can forgive being strung along, but I'll be furious if I'm still left to turn to theories on IMDb when the final series ends.

Two episodes in to this French mystery/horror/drama, I'm totally hooked. Everything about it is little short of excellent - great scenery, performances, suspense-building, pacing, story-telling, soundtrack. Another reviewer bitched about C4's chopping it up with adverts, for whom I have news; only the BBC channels could've broadcast this in the UK without them! Perhaps you'd like every programme you might like to only appear on one of these? Please.. I won't elaborate on the plot, as it was summed up perfectly elsewhere, but episode 2 ended on a fantastic question-raiser. It may struggle to maintain the quality of the first few episodes, but I sincerely hope not, because I don't know what else I'd do with my Sunday evenings.

Don't waste a second on the mawkish, predictable American remake. "Les Revenants" is the real deal, and I have to rate this as the best supernatural thriller series ever made for TV. It bears some similarities to earlier efforts like Twin Peaks and Lost, but unlike its forebears it never disappoints, never veers off into the kind of silliness or pomposity that marred both of those otherwise fine programs. If the first episode, in which a young French girl inexplicably returns from the dead, doesn't grab you, then I don't know what will - intriguing, riveting and strange - and it just gets better from there. It builds from this low-key, mysterious beginning, getting weirder, more mysterious, more disturbing with each episode, and climaxes with a gripping, edge-of-the-seat cliffhanger. An unforgettable highlight for me was the scene in which we first see mystery-boy Victor emerging from the darkness behind the bus stop - no gore, no knives, no monsters, nothing overtly "thrilling" - yet it's one of the most profoundly scary TV moments I've ever witnessed. The series moves at a deliberate pace, and some (American?) viewers might find a little slower than they are used to, but I exhort you to just get into its strange, sombre mood and go with it - you will not be disappointed. The script and storyline are brilliant, and the revelations, as they unfold, leave you panting for more. The performances are uniformly excellent, and the younger actors are particularly fine. most notably the boy who plays Victor, who is is *amazing* - it's no wonder that (as I read on the internet last year) people ran away from him when they saw him on the street when he was on holiday in the south of France! Easily the best child performance in this genre since young Bill Mumy's iconic turn in 'The Twilight Zone'. The photography, design and the fantastic Mogwai score are all superb. The magnificent locations - the stunning mountains, the looming dam, the lake - are both stunning in themselves, and absolutely intrinsic to the story. I cannot recommend this highly enough. I realise that the fact that it's a subtitled French-language series it will inevitably dissuade some viewers and prevent it from gaining the wider recognition it deserves, but in my view this is absolutely one of the very best TV series I have ever seen. Do not miss it.

The eerie atmosphere in this strange, beautiful series about returning dead people is absolutely captivating and a unique experience. Beautifully photographed and with a haunting score by Mogwai, this French TV-marvel is as touching as it is frightening. I would call it a very original crossbreed of mystery and horror and a rather unique take on the zombie theme. This ranks among the best I've recently seen on TV or in the cinema. The whole production, from the actors to the setting and the music, is pure art. 9 stars out of 10.

In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:

imdb.com/list/ls070242495

Whenever "Vampire" or "Zombie" or "Horror" films or series are made they are almost certainly done so with mainly a teenaged audience in mind,mainly with rather inane gore,slasher and obvious shock-horror content.

All perfectly okay for maybe 90 minutes of fun and other than the really memorable greats,it really is true that for the main part,the rest are watched and then immediately forgotten,having no real substance.

However,"The Returned" is something altogether different!

I didn't realize just what I had missed until recently receiving a e-mail from C4 to announce the upcoming new series along with the opportunity to see the entire last "box-set" on All4 before the next lot starts on Friday,Oct.16th.

SO....I thought,what the heck,I'll give it a go.

It is unlike any other "undead" story I've ever seen or heard of ever before.

Mature in its' telling..yes,it DOES involve 'teens and children....but so,so different to the "norm".

The entire first series has so much to offer,being a tale of every human emotion and not anything remotely like the usual blood and gore,with someone creeping up from the shadows!!

Don't think it is simply based on turmoil of human complexities,though.....there is plenty by the way of shock value and disturbing events to more than capture anyone's interest from 'teen to adult and I am just so,so glad I was given that opportunity to get to see it before Friday and the second series.

I watched every single episode avidly of the first series while the chance arose over three evenings and now can barely wait for the next episodes!

It is difficult to emphasize just how truly good this is because in no way would I want to spoil anything for anyone....all I CAN say is,if you thought this might be the usual empty zombie/horror kind of thing,you're in for a treat.

I've never written a review here before despite my absolute love of films,great TV series,etc.etc......hope that says a lot for anyone considering watching The Returned!

This show has it all!!!!

Drama - mystery - Sifi - and yes horror!!!!

All in the correct dosage.I usually get bored easily then TV shows go around the main plot developing the characters, but man, the characters of this show are so interesting!!!!

I cant believe i have never heard of this show. Even after i watched the first 3 episodes of the American version and got bored to death, i didn't know there was a Frenchversion. I only found out about it now that the new season begins.

The plot evolves nicely, and when the episode ends you cant wait to start the next one.

I recommend it to everyone.

Absolutely fell in love with this show unlike anything I've seen before. Don't be put off by it been in French with English subtitles didn't make a difference to my experience couldn't imagine it without it to be honest.and the music in the show is brilliant and works so well with the feel and essence of the show. fantastic!!!

So, 'Twin Peaks' clones turn out to be like buses: you wait twenty years for a slow-moving multi-part television drama with eerie music about weird goings on in an isolated mountain community, and then two come along at exactly the same time. I'm thinking here of Jane Campion's 'Top of the Lake' and this French version, 'The Returned'. 'The Returned' has a brilliant score (by Mogwai), understated, high quality acting, stunning background scenery, a dark mood (the sense of humour in Lynch's series is completely absent), cool French teenagers, and an ever growing army of de-facto zombies who the living would rather make-believe are all in the mind. But it's certainly not a thrill-a-minute, nor is it clear how much depth there is behind the surface, and in some ways these two problems are linked: each episode may hint at the explanation to come, but its real purpose is stretching out the mystery. In the end, it was this absence of substance that did for 'Twin Peaks'. For one series, 'The Returned' was pretty good. But I fear that another might merely prove dull.

I haven't seen every zombie show ever made. I haven't seen every horror show ever made. Nonetheless I'm pretty sure this is the best ever made, on the simple basis that it's inconceivable there could be better.

Action? There is little. Gore and violence? Again, little. What there is, is slow-burning weirdery by the bucketload. And character! In spades!

We are loosely based around the broken Seguret family, with the despairing, obsessed Jerome, unable to let go of his dead daughter; the similarly-tortured Claire, seeking unsatisfying solace in the splendidly-sinister Pierre; the terrified surviving twin, Lena (is Jenna Thiam the most beautiful woman ever to take to large or small screen? This reviewer believes so); and into this maelstrom of despair walks the four-years-dead Camille, Jerome and Claire's daughter and Lena's sister.

And there's the rest of the ghastly cast! Where to start? We have the tortured, scarred district nurse Julie, adopting the strange waif Victor with his haunting demeanour and sinister powers. The knowing, clairvoyant traveller Lucy, whose powers manifest only when she's having sex. The creepy police chief Thomas, constantly watching the entire town (and more) through a vast wall of screens, and whose life with Adele and her young daughter Chloe is threatened by the re-appearance of Adele's former fiancee, Simon. And, for goodness' sake, there is Serge: terrifying, psychopathic, cannibalistic serial killer. Dead, but not dead, and battling for survival against his desperately sad brother Toni who is trying to put an end to Serge's shocking crimes.

Over all this looms haunting mountain scenery, in reality around the town of Annecy in the French Alps. Many of the settings (including the iconic Lake Pub, and the incongruous American Diner) are entirely real, and this sadly-obsessed reviewer has visited them. I have even sought and found the utterly, utterly chilling Helping Hand refuge (as run by the aforementioned spine-tinglingy-sinister Pierre), high in the tiny mountain roads above Annecy.

There is also a back-story, relentlessly but mysteriously dropping hints about dams and death and tragedy, manifesting in the present through falling water levels, drowning wildlife, intermittent power and fleeing hydroelectric workers.

And if little, calm, dangerous Victor seems to hold the key to all of this horror and weirdness, well so he does: but that's a story for the equally-brilliant season 2, and I'll say nothing more so as not to spoil season 1, except that season 2 finishes cleverly, tying up enough loose ends to be satisfying but leaving plenty unexplained and a massive hook upon which to hang season 3.

Sadly it is not to be. In the UK, Les Revs gained the largest audience ever for a sub-titled show but, it seems, it was a commercial flop in its native France, hence there will be no more. Shame.

Finally, we can't review this series without commending the magnificent score from the Scottish band Mogwai. Every track is perfect for the scene it accompanies, and so splendid is the haunting music that we purchased the album and it's become a firm favourite in our collection.