| Liaison | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Written by | Virginie Brac |
| Directed by | Stephen Hopkins |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Walter Mair |
| Country of origin |
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| Original languages |
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| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Apple TV+ |
| Release | February 24 (2023-02-24) – March 31, 2023 (2023-03-31) |
Liaison is a British-Frenchthriller television series written by Virginie Brac, directed byStephen Hopkins and starringVincent Cassel andEva Green. It premiered on 24 February 2023 onApple TV+.[1]
A thriller following French spies and terrorists.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [2] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Storm Warning" | Stephen Hopkins | Virginie Brac | February 24, 2023 (2023-02-24) | |
Hackers Samir and Walid Hamza requestpolitical asylum at the French Embassy inDamascus. They claim to have information about upcoming terroristcyberattacks in Europe. Instead of using theDGSE, the French President authorises Elysee security taskforce head Didier Taraud to have them extracted by Telkis private operative Gabriel Delage. The extraction is intercepted by mercenaries, but the two escape. Delage is captured, but is released when the men realise that they previously worked together. The Hamzas enterTurkey and use French passports from Delage to fly to their uncle in theUK. InLondon, theNational Cyber Security Centre is hacked, but with no apparent damage.Home Office Minister Richard Banks and his Anglo-French private secretary Alison Rowdy demand a full investigation. A second hack that night disables theThames Barrier, causing extensive flooding. Walid and Samir try to contact Mark Bolton, CEO of the NCSC. Telkis head Alain Dumas relays Taraud's instructions to Delage to retrieve aUSB key from the cousins. In London, he injures Walid and takes the key, but later discovers that he needs his fingerprint to unlock itsencryption. Taraud becomes concerned about the key falling into British hands. In aCounter Terrorism Command briefing, Delage is identified from CCTV when he confronted Walid, and is recognised by Rowdy. Whilst the Home Office strategises on how to revoke Delage'sdiplomatic immunity to arrest him, Delage turns up outside Alison's house. | |||||
| 2 | "Chaos" | Stephen Hopkins | Virginie Brac | March 3, 2023 (2023-03-03) | |
Delage reveals to Rowdy that the Hamzas were wipingSyrian police data servers they discovered the attack intel. Rowdy's partner, lawyer Albert Onwori, is hired by Banks to help them revoke Delage's immunity.Metropolitan Police DI Hobbs tells Onwori that they believe that the Hamza's may have terrorist motivations. A third hack onNetwork Rail causes a train crash, injuring Onwori's daughter Kim and killing others. Delage infiltrates the hospital where Walid is recovering and tries to use this fingerprint to unlock the key. Walid later dies when the hackers poison him. Delage discovers that Samir's fingerprint, and a password, is also needed to gain access. The French President transfers control to the DGSE, concerning both Taraud and Dumas. Samir flees the UK toDunkirk. Hobbs discovers that Delage is working for Telkis and his diplomatic cover is false. She sends to arrest Delage, who escapes and meets with Rowdy. Rowdy reluctantly agrees to help if it prevents more attacks. At aCOBRA meeting, she and Banks propose signing a cybersecurity agreement with theEU. Taraud meets with Bob Foret, who has a vested interest in the deal not being signed. Taraud meets with Sabine Louseau, his former mistress who works in theEuropean Commission, convincing her to sabotage the signing. Rowdy realises that Delage stole her phone. | |||||
| 3 | "Manipulations" | Stephen Hopkins | Virginie Brac | March 10, 2023 (2023-03-10) | |
Onwori asks Rowdy to marry him. Telkis track Samir's wife Myriam toBelgium, where she arrived as a refugee. Dumas instructs Delage to go toBrussels to take her, and speak with Louseau to see whether Taraud is playing both sides. Rowdy and Bolton arrive at the European Commission, but are confronted by Louseau. Bolton meets with Foret, revealed to be responsible for the attacks so his firm Antropa can secure IT contracts with the UK government. Bolton, paid to cause the NCSC hack, cuts ties when he realises his implication in UK citizens deaths. Impersonating anNGO doctor, Delage removes Myriam from the refugee camp with her son, and they escape pursued by men. Injured, he calls Rowdy for help and she checks them into a hotel. Banks calls from London, where another hack on theNational Grid is taking place, and urges her to secure the cybersecurity deal. The next day, Rowdy bypasses Louseau and meets with EU Commissioner Vandermeer directly, agreeing to sign the deal at 8pm. Taraud, infuriated, demands that Louseau recuse herself from the signing. Hobbs shows Onwori CCTV from the hospital involving Rowdy and Delage. Preparing to sign the deal, Rowdy finds Boltonhanged in the toilets by the men who pursued Delage. | |||||
| 4 | "Carnage" | Stephen Hopkins | Virginie Brac | March 17, 2023 (2023-03-17) | |
Delage hacks Louseau's laptop webcam to Telkis. Louseau is recalled to the European Commission due to Bolton's death, and informs Taraud, who tells her to report Bolton's dealing with Antropa to theAnti-Fraud Office. Louseau confronts Rowdy, telling her she is being used, and an anti-fraud investigation into Bolton will halt the UK joining the cybersecurity deal by years. Samir calls Mariyam, she explains the situation and he reveals he is in Dunkirk. Taraud says his mission from the President is to ensure the French company Antropa signs with the UK, contrary to EU regulations. A new hack causes a plane to fly dangerously close toSt. Pauls Cathedral. Banks calls Rowdy, telling her that senior government advisor Gleason has forced them into a deal with Antropa. Dumas instructs Delage to fake Samir's death to maintain their cover. Taraud meets with Foret, who confirms the UK contract has been signed, and later demands Louseau provide her work passwords to Antropa. Delage and Rowdy collect Samir and his friend Krimo from Dunkirk. They take them to thechateau of Alison’s father Jack, a retiredMajor General and friend of Banks. They pass off Krimo as Samir, knowing Antropa are watching via drone, and take him to apanic room. Jack is sent footage of Alison and Gabriel attending an eco-protest in 2000, where someone was killed by aMolotov cocktail, and receives a call trying to blackmail him. They reveal to him Samir is on a boat in Dunkirk. The operatives who killed Bolton arrive at the property, but Delage shoots Jack when he aims his pistol at him. | |||||
| 5 | "Family Album" | Stephen Hopkins | Virginie Brac | March 24, 2023 (2023-03-24) | |
Rowdy and Delage escape the operatives, and take Jack to a hospital. Realising Taraud's treachery from the webcam footage, Dumas provides it to DGSE Director Sophie Saint-Roch. The DGSE reveal to Telkis that Antropa plan to access information to enable them to target cybersecurity weaknesses of all 27EU member states. They also note Antropa must have a mole in the UK government. Rowdy and Delage meet with their former eco-protester friends who are housing Samir and his family, who shun Alison for testifying against Delage and having him imprisoned 20 years prior. Samir opens the USB key, revealing Antropa plans to attack various countries. He reveals they approached Bolton before going to the French, but he never showed to the meeting. Rowdy and Delage meet with Dumas and Saint-Roch, who reveal that Taraud is meeting with Antropa CEO Francis Miller in London, and convince them to allow Samir to return to the UK, on the condition they provide Taraud's movements to her. Banks, not wanting to sign with Antropa, agrees to meet Rowdy and Samir when they arrive in the UK, knowing Samir can provide evidence which will stop the signing. A posthumous letter from Bolton, containing evidence of his dealings with Antropa, arrives at Rowdy's house. Onwori gives it to Banks. The full video footage shows Rowdy was responsible, albeit indirectly, for fellow activist Nathalie being burned alive at the protest. The group try to kill her, but she is saved by Delage who reveals he was an intelligence infiltrator to their group. Rowdy, Delage and the Hamzas arrive inScotland via boat. | |||||
| 6 | "An Eye for an Eye" | Stephen Hopkins | Virginie Brac | March 31, 2023 (2023-03-31) | |
Rowdy, Delage and the Hamza's steal a van and drive down to London, where they stay in her house with Onwori. She tells Delage she never intended to kill Nathalie. Louseau is forced by Taraud to attend a meeting in London. Banks visits Rowdy, who tells him the DGSE have a copy of the key. Saint-Roch and Dumas meet with DI Hobbs, who plans on havingCTSFO's arrest Taraud, Louseau and Miller when he arrives in the country. Concerned about her plans, Dumas and Saint-Roch instruct Delage to exfiltrate Taraud independently. Antropa CEO Joseph Miller reveals to Foret the DGSE have a copy of the key, and they can no longer sign with the British and need to liquidate and disappear in the next 24 hours, but will reform under a new name in the future and reinstate the agreement with the UK. Rowdy gets a taxi to the home office, but it is intercepted by a corruptProtection Command officer working for Antropa, who also kidnapped Samir, and taken to their headquarters. Hobbs, Saint-Roch and Dumas see her entering, and believe Rowdy to be the mole. Delage infiltrates Antropa’s UK offices, where he discovers them removing everything. Louseau is forced to provide her EU access passwords. Samir sacrifices himself so Miryam and Louseau can escape. Rowdy and Delage are brought to Miller, but Rowdy disarms one of his men and the two escape. Delage stays behind to hold off security whilst Rowdy flees. Taraud, Foret and Miller are killed whilst escaping from London, when their helicopter explodes. Rowdy meets with Banks, who reveals he was working with Antropa, but eliminated them when they ceased serving British interests. Disgusted, she declines to continue working with him and reunites with Delage who survived the shootout. | |||||
In June 2021, it was announced that Apple TV+ had greenlitLiaison, marking the platform's first "Anglo-French" production.Stephen Hopkins is directing, Virginie Brac is writing, and Gub Neal and Jean Benoit Gillig are executive producing. Additional executive producers include Hopkins, Sarada McDermott, Justin Thomson, and Ed Barlow, with Joanie Blaikie and Eric Jollant producing. It is co-produced by Ringside Studios and Léonis Productions.
It was announced alongside the main series announcement in June 2021 thatVincent Cassel andEva Green would star. Also cast were British actorsPeter Mullan,Daniel Francis, andBukky Bakray and French actorsGérard Lanvin,Stanislas Merhar,Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu,Laëtitia Eïdo,Eriq Ebouaney andThierry Frémont.[3]
Principal photography began inLondon in June 2021.[4]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 48% of 23 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "More tedious than it is dangerous,Liaison generates some spark from Vincent Cassel and Eva Green's pairing but generally underwhelms as an anemic addition to the espionage genre." OnMetacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating, the series has received an average score of 48 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[5][6][7]