' (screened as ''Republican Gangsters'' in some markets) is a French

political drama A political drama can describe a play, film or TV program that has a political component, whether reflecting the author's political opinion, or describing a politician or series of political events. Dramatists who have written political dramas i ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

which premiered on

Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...

on 8 February 2016. The series was developed by Eric Benzekri and Jean-Baptiste Delafon.

Premise

Baron Noir is the political and judicial saga of Philippe Rickwaert,

member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

and mayor of Dunkerque, who is driven by an irrepressible thirst for personal revenge. Between rounds of the Presidential election, he sees his future collapse when his mentor, the leftist candidate, sacrifices him to save his campaign. Determined to reinvent his career, Rickwaert uses cunning and connections to win political fights against those who betrayed him, creating a new alliance with the closest adviser of his enemy. Formidable but uncontrollable, conflicted between truth and lies, cultivating friendships in all strata of society (including within the police and organized crime), Philippe Rickwaert's life dissolves into a fascinating organised chaos. Rickwaert takes the fight to his opponents - and to his own demons - at every opportunity.

Cast

Main

* Kad Merad as Philippe Rickwaert *

Niels Arestrup Niels Arestrup (; born 8 February 1949) is a French-Danish actor, film director and screenwriter. He has won three César Awards. Biography Arestrup was born in Paris into a family of modest means; his father was Danish and his mother was Br ...

as Francis Laugier (Season 1) * Anna Mouglalis as Amélie Dorendeu *

Hugo Becker Hugo Becker (born Jean Otto Eric Hugo Becker, 13 February 1863, died 30 July 1941) was a prominent German cellist, cello teacher, and composer. He studied at a young age with Alfredo Piatti, and later Friedrich Grützmacher in Dresden. Biograp ...

as Cyril Balsan *

Astrid Whettnall Astrid Jadot (née Ullens de Schooten Whettnall, known as Astrid Whettnall; born 17 March 1971) is a Belgian stage and film actress. She studied at the Kleine Academy in Brussels and began working in theatre. Her film credits include ''Capital'' ...

as Véronique Bosso

Recurring

* Laurent Spielvogel as Armand Chambolle * Jade Phan-Gia as Françoise Levasseur * Lubna Gourion as Salomé Rickwaert * Scali Delpeyrat as Martin Borde * Philippe Résimont as Daniel Kalhenberg * Eric Caruso as Laurent Mirmont * Erika Sainte as Fanny Alvergne * Maryne Bertieaux as Alison

Guest

;Season 1 * Michel Voïta as Jean-Marc Auzanet * Jean-Pierre Martins as Bruno Rickwaert * Michel Muller as Gérard Balleroy * Mahdi Belemlih as Medhi Fateni * Patrick Rocca as Alain Chistera * Alban Aumard as Sylvain Buisine * Yannick Morzelle as Bruce Rickwaert * Rémy Stiel as Jordan Rickwaert * Marie Lanchas as Elodie Jacquemot * Alain Pointier as Jean-Pierre Barthélémy * Stéphane Ropa as Boris Valentin * Phénix Brossard as Sébastien * Damien Jouillerot as Toph * Alain Pronnier as Eddy * Jean-Erns Marie-Louise as Ménadier * Brigitte Froment as Maryse * Léon Plazol as Théo * Sébastien Beuret as Arthur ;Season 3 *

Marie-France Alvarez Marie-France Alvarez is a French actress. Born in Paris, from a Congolese mother and a Spanish father, she trained at LAMDA in London and L'école des Enfants Terribles in Paris. Career Her first appearance on British Television was in the role ...

as Malika

Episodes

Season 1 (2016)

Season 2 (2018)

Season 3 (2020)

Development and production

On 29 February 2016, Eric Benzekri, the writer of the series announced that the season 2 will be shot during the next presidential and it was aired in 2018. Season 3 debuted in February 2020.

Reception

The TV Series was very well received by French critics.

Le Monde ''Le Monde'' (; ) is a French daily afternoon newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average circulation of 323,039 copies per issue in 2009, about 40,000 of which were sold abroad. It has had its own website si ...

L'Obs (), previously known as (1964–2014), is a weekly French news magazine. Based in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, it is the most prominent French general information magazine in terms of audience and circulation. Its current editor is Cécil ...

Les Inrockuptibles ''Les Inrockuptibles'' () is a French cultural magazine. Started as a monthly magazine in 1986, it became weekly in 1995. Now it is a monthly again, since 2021. In the beginning, rock and roll, rock music was the magazine's primary focus, though ...

, Metro International,

Paris Match ''Paris Match'' () is a French-language weekly news magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. History and profile A sports news magazine, ''Match l'intran'' (a play on '' L'Intransigeant ...

and

Télérama ''Télérama'' is a weekly French cultural and television magazine published in Paris, France. The name is a contraction of its earlier title: ''Télévision-Radio-Cinéma''. Fabienne Pascaud is currently managing editor. Ludovic Desautez is de ...

gave the first season 4 out of 5 stars. L'Express and Libération gave 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{IMDb title, id=tt4835480, title=Baron noir 2010s French drama television series 2020s French drama television series 2016 French television series debuts French political drama television series Serial drama television series French-language television shows Television shows set in France Canal+ original programming Television series by StudioCanal