User Reviews

This is the review of the whole serie who just been finished on the French Belgian Television. (1 month ahead of the Dutch Belgian Broadcast although the people can see all the episodes now).

*Of course, it contains major spoilers about the plot of the series, only read if you don't mind or have seen the whole show*

Overall we have a near-perfect picture of how the lifestyle of the young and not-so-young people was in the early 80's. With their dreams, their hopes, their purpose in life.

Of course, it's a Serie based of true events but it's not intented to be fully accurate. We'll see 2 friends, Marc de Vuyst and Franky Verhellen who both joins the Gendarmerie, the national Police force.

To make the story short, Marc de Vuyst goes the "good path" and get involved in the major crimes series that hit Belgium in this time period (Thoses crimes remains unresolved) while Franky Verhellen goes the "bad path" and be corrupted by their superiors and enrolled in the extremist and, in the end, takes part in one of the last crime in a supermarket.

The first 7 episodes shows how progressively the main actors get more and more involved on their respective path. Making aquintances etc with a side-story between Marc & Vicky, the sister of Franky with the pinnacle (in my opinion) with the last shootings.

However, in the last episode, the scenarists have to deal with the mystery that fades the investigation away. It goes, in my opinion, pretty fast and maybe rushed a little in order to conclude that "nobody have the truth anymore" in a short timelapse.

In the investigation, Marc and Guy Goffinard, the head agent in charge of the case are in a hideout in order to caught some of the people involved red-handed. Due of the poor health condition, Guy has to leave Marc alone to go to the hospital.

The plot seems to fit that Marc have to dealt with the truth facing Franky and his officer entering the garage containing the guns. With the truth given to him... Marc decides to flee the scene leaving the major evidences gone forever.

The last 10 minutes it's mainly a succession of people dying to hide evidences. Too quick, too fast. Goffinard dies shortly after the failed mission due of his health cocndition. Franky fled and, indirectly, reported dead by his sister over some bogus explanation and Marc get killed on a "bike accident". The only one who "survives" is Herman Vernaillen who left the Police forces and failed his suicide attempt. Facilitating a quick conclusion of the series without any trace of prolongating further with a season two, etc.

This leave a quite unsatisfying taste and we could've expected something different, more complete, more concrete since it's a fiction.

Also something that annoyed me is how the series have removed any use of cigarettes while it was widespread in Belgium (more than 1/3rd of every adult smoked daily back then) but normalize the use of illegal drugs (which were minor) and strong alcohol abuse. I believe is to fit with a "smokeless" environment for the young viewers but it's entierly biased as it alters a lot of the reality of the 80's. It fails with some small details that would make it more real, more accurate.

Great series, as someone from the Netherlands born in the 90's I had heard about the Nijvel gang and Operation Gladio a couple of times, but I never really knew what it was. I also confused it a bit with the German Rote Armee Faktion. I think the story is very believable, given how bizarre the real story is. I also liked the the statements and news images at the end of every episode.

The only question I have is: why does Marc dig up the weapons at the initial hiding place, only to toss them in the canal and anonymously call the police about them being in the canal?

Why doesn't he anonymously call the police to inform them the weapons are at the location he read about in Franky's letter (potentially after checking whether the weapons are indeed there)?