{ "id": "ep8xhr32xd", "slug": "marseille-2016-tv-series", "title": "Marseille (2016 TV series)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv", "label": "Scripted television and comedy series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series", "label": "Drama and prestige series (individual series)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series.crime-and-thriller-series", "label": "Crime and thriller series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series.crime-and-thriller-series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series.crime-and-thriller-series.spy-and-political-thrillers", "label": "Spy and political thrillers", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series.crime-and-thriller-series.spy-and-political-thrillers" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series", "label": "Western Europe · 2001 to 2020: Drama and prestige series (individual series)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series", "path": [ { "id": "geo.weu", "label": "Western Europe", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001", "label": "Western Europe · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv", "label": "Scripted television and comedy series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series", "label": "Drama and prestige series (individual series)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Marseille (2016–2018) is Netflix's first French original series, a political drama created by Dan Franck starring Gérard Depardieu as mayor Robert Taro versus protégé Lucas Barrès (Benoît Magimel); two seasons, 16 episodes, panned by critics, canceled in 2018.", "snippet": "Marseille (2016–2018) is Netflix's first French original series, a political drama created by Dan Franck starring Gérard Depardieu as mayor Robert Taro versus protégé Lucas Barrès (Benoît Magimel); two seasons, 16 episodes, panned by critics, canceled in 2018.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_scripted_tv.drama-prestige-series.crime-and-thriller-series.spy-and-political-thrillers", "markdown": "# Marseille (2016 TV series)\n\n**Marseille** is a French political drama series and the first French original series produced by Netflix, created by the novelist and screenwriter Dan Franck and directed by Florent-Emilio Siri, Thomas Gilou, and Laïla Marrakchi.[1](https://federationstudios.com/is/marseille/) Its first season of eight episodes debuted globally on Netflix on May 5, 2016, and the series ran for two seasons and 16 episodes before Netflix canceled it in April 2018.[2](https://groupe-tf1.fr/sites/default/files/communiques/cp_tf1_netflix_marseille_vuk.pdf) • [3](https://www.numerama.com/pop-culture/347812-netflix-annule-marseille-sa-premiere-serie-francaise.html) It stars [Gérard Depardieu](https://www.edgepedia.org/gerard-depardieu) as Robert Taro, the longtime mayor of [Marseille](https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille), and [Benoît Magimel](https://www.edgepedia.org/benoit-magimel) as Lucas Barrès, the ambitious protégé who turns against him.[2](https://groupe-tf1.fr/sites/default/files/communiques/cp_tf1_netflix_marseille_vuk.pdf)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Status | Netflix's first French original series; produced by Federation Entertainment for Netflix[1](https://federationstudios.com/is/marseille/) • [4](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/episodes-1-and-2-of-netflix-original-series-marseille-to-be-broadcast-on-tf1-on-may-12-the-full-season-debuts-exclusively-on-netflix-on-may-5) |\n| Release | Season 1 (8 episodes) on Netflix worldwide May 5, 2016; season 2 (8 episodes) February 23, 2018; canceled April 2018[2](https://groupe-tf1.fr/sites/default/files/communiques/cp_tf1_netflix_marseille_vuk.pdf) • [3](https://www.numerama.com/pop-culture/347812-netflix-annule-marseille-sa-premiere-serie-francaise.html) |\n| Creators | Written by Dan Franck; directed by Florent-Emilio Siri, Thomas Gilou, and Laïla Marrakchi[1](https://federationstudios.com/is/marseille/) |\n| Main cast | Gérard Depardieu (Robert Taro), Benoît Magimel (Lucas Barrès), Géraldine Pailhas (Rachel Taro), Nadia Farès (Vanessa d'Abrantès), Stéphane Caillard (Julia)[4](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/episodes-1-and-2-of-netflix-original-series-marseille-to-be-broadcast-on-tf1-on-may-12-the-full-season-debuts-exclusively-on-netflix-on-may-5) |\n| Budget | About 1 million euros per episode, roughly 8 million euros for the season[5](https://www.europe1.fr/emissions/Le-fait-medias-du-jour/marseille-debarque-sur-tf1-2743180) • [6](https://at.media.france.fr/sites/default/files/document/press_kit/Provence%20-%20Marseille%20-%20Presskit%202016%20%28EN%29.pdf) |\n| French broadcast | Episodes 1 and 2 aired on TF1 on May 12, 2016 at 8:55 pm, one week after the Netflix debut[2](https://groupe-tf1.fr/sites/default/files/communiques/cp_tf1_netflix_marseille_vuk.pdf) |\n| Critical reception | AlloCiné press average 1.7 out of 5 across 10 reviews; season 1 Tomatometer 33% on Rotten Tomatoes[7](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/critiques/presse/) • [8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/marseille) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise\n\nThe series is set around a municipal election in Marseille, France's second-largest city. Robert Taro, a mayor in place for 20 to 25 years depending on the account, does not intend to stand again and has chosen his first deputy, Lucas Barrès, as his successor.[9](https://www.premiere.fr/Series/Marseille-Netflix-a-rate-sa-bouillabaisse-review) • [8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/marseille) The two finalize Taro's last major project, a luxury marina and casino on the site of the disused docks, a plan opposed by left-wing elected officials and by the local mafia, which risks losing the market in clandestine slot machines. Barrès then betrays Taro, and the succession becomes a ruthless struggle involving drug barons, unions, and political actors.[9](https://www.premiere.fr/Series/Marseille-Netflix-a-rate-sa-bouillabaisse-review) • [10](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie_gen_cserie%3D18040.html)\n\nThe second season picks up after Taro has suffered a stroke: he is in intensive care while journalists surround the hospital, and Barrès, nine votes short of becoming mayor, negotiates with the political parties as the far right waits to make its move.[11](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/80037278)\n\n### Season 2 and cancellation\n\nNetflix announced a second season about a month after the first, despite the negative reviews; the series journalist Alain Carrazé argued that Netflix routinely commissions its originals in two eight-episode seasons from the outset.[18](https://www.europe1.fr/medias-tele/netflix-malgre-le-bad-buzz-de-la-saison-1-pourquoi-marseille-est-de-retour-3581804) The eight new episodes went online on February 23, 2018.[3](https://www.numerama.com/pop-culture/347812-netflix-annule-marseille-sa-premiere-serie-francaise.html) For this chapter the series brought in a new trio of writers: the journalist Philippe Pujol, winner of the 2014 Albert Londres Prize for an investigation into Marseille's northern districts, Marie-Anne Le Pezennec, co-creator of the summer saga *Dolmen*, and the documentarian Thierry Aguila.[20](https://www.telerama.fr/series-tv/marseille%2C-saison-2-cest-moins-nul%2C-mais-pas-necessairement-mieux%2Cn5486661.php) Télérama judged the second season more disciplined and less grotesque than the first, though it asked what remained of the series once its worst flaws were gone.[20](https://www.telerama.fr/series-tv/marseille%2C-saison-2-cest-moins-nul%2C-mais-pas-necessairement-mieux%2Cn5486661.php)\n\nOn April 20, 2018, Netflix confirmed to Première that there would be no third season.[3](https://www.numerama.com/pop-culture/347812-netflix-annule-marseille-sa-premiere-serie-francaise.html) Because Netflix was the sole producer, the decision to stop was its alone.[19](https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/marseille-canceled-season-3/) A French outlet cited by What's on Netflix attributed the cancellation to poor ratings in France and abroad plus negative reviews.[19](https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/marseille-canceled-season-3/)\n\n## Production\n\nSeason 1 was filmed in several districts of Marseille between August and November 2015.[12](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/secrets-tournage/) Netflix had originally planned to release it in the autumn of 2016, according to press announcements in 2015, but moved the launch forward to early May.[12](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/secrets-tournage/) The production used means unusual for French television fiction: two crews of 150 people, with a smaller unit for shooting in the city's housing estates.[13](https://www.rtl.fr/culture/musique/sur-le-tournage-de-marseille-la-nouvelle-serie-netflix-avec-gerard-depardieu-7779788786) [Europe 1](https://www.edgepedia.org/europe-1) reported a budget of about 1 million euros per episode, and a Provence press kit put the total at over 8 million euros for Netflix's first European series.[5](https://www.europe1.fr/emissions/Le-fait-medias-du-jour/marseille-debarque-sur-tf1-2743180) • [6](https://at.media.france.fr/sites/default/files/document/press_kit/Provence%20-%20Marseille%20-%20Presskit%202016%20%28EN%29.pdf)\n\n**Casting.** The producer Pascal Breton approached Depardieu several times before he accepted the role of Taro. It was ultimately Florent-Emilio Siri, director of the first four episodes, who convinced him by sending a copy of his film *L'Ennemi intime*, about the [Algerian War](https://www.edgepedia.org/algerian-war); Benoît Magimel, who plays Barrès, held a leading role in that film.[12](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/secrets-tournage/) Six days of shooting were needed for the opening scenes of episode 1, in which Taro and Barrès attend an [Olympique de Marseille](https://www.edgepedia.org/olympique-de-marseille) match, a rare authorization from the Vélodrome stadium.[12](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/secrets-tournage/) Real French journalists, including Patrick Cohen, David Pujadas, Olivier Truchot, and Michaël Darmon, appear briefly in the first season, a device also used by the Canal+ political series *Baron Noir*.[12](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/secrets-tournage/)\n\n## Release and the TF1 partnership\n\nNetflix announced on April 19, 2016 that all eight episodes would debut exclusively on Netflix worldwide on May 5, one week before the first two episodes were broadcast on TF1 on Thursday May 12 at 8:55 pm as a one-time event.[2](https://groupe-tf1.fr/sites/default/files/communiques/cp_tf1_netflix_marseille_vuk.pdf) Erik Barmack, Netflix's Vice President of International Original Series, described the arrangement as a collaboration with TF1 to showcase the first French original series from Netflix, and Fabrice Bailly, TF1's Director of Programs, framed it as part of the channel's investment in original French productions.[2](https://groupe-tf1.fr/sites/default/files/communiques/cp_tf1_netflix_marseille_vuk.pdf) In June 2016, TF1's chief executive Gilles Pélisson said the group would be able to offer the eight season 1 episodes when Netflix released season 2, which he expected at best in the second half of 2017.[14](https://www.studiotf1.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Revue-de-presse-Newen-Juin-2016.pdf)\n\n## Reception\n\n**Critical response.** Season 1 was received harshly by French critics. After a press preview of five episodes at the Séries Mania festival, Télérama's Pierre Langlais called it Netflix's first home-grown flop, criticizing the poverty of the script, the thinness of the dialogue, and the heaviness of the direction, while [Le Monde](https://www.edgepedia.org/le-monde)'s Pierre Sérisier opened his review by calling it, in formal language, an industrial accident.[15](https://www.premiere.fr/node/679541) AlloCiné's aggregation of 10 press reviews gives an average of 1.7 out of 5.[7](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/critiques/presse/) English-language reviews were also negative: [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hollywood-reporter) scored the season 40 and The New York Times 30 on Metacritic, the latter calling it proof that the most risible clichés of dark American streaming drama can be exported as easily as fast food.[16](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/marseille/critic-reviews/) Season 1 holds a 33% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes.[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/marseille) The poor notices prompted a head of the production company to say that only Parisian critics disliked the show.[17](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/may/05/marseille-netflix-gerard-depardieu-cocaine-shame-brash-new-show-nothing-to-sniff-at)\n\n**Audience.** Netflix, which does not publish viewing figures for its content, never released audience data for the series.[18](https://www.europe1.fr/medias-tele/netflix-malgre-le-bad-buzz-de-la-saison-1-pourquoi-marseille-est-de-retour-3581804) A French news outlet cited by What's on Netflix reported 4 million viewers for the premiere episode on TF1.[19](https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/marseille-canceled-season-3/) Numerama reported that Netflix privately credited the show with some success in Brazil and Russia.[3](https://www.numerama.com/pop-culture/347812-netflix-annule-marseille-sa-premiere-serie-francaise.html)\n\n## Place in Netflix's French strategy\n\nMarseille was Netflix's first French production, arriving two years after the platform launched in France in September 2014.[3](https://www.numerama.com/pop-culture/347812-netflix-annule-marseille-sa-premiere-serie-francaise.html) • [21](https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2024/09/15/netflix-en-france-la-decennie-qui-a-change-la-face-du-paf_6318191_3234.html) Le Monde's retrospective on the platform's French decade notes that Netflix used the series to show goodwill toward French creation early on, though the real acceleration in its local productions came only in 2020 with *Lupin* and the documentary series *Grégory*.[21](https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2024/09/15/netflix-en-france-la-decennie-qui-a-change-la-face-du-paf_6318191_3234.html) The series was widely presented before release as a French *House of Cards*, a comparison its creators rejected and most critics used against it.[15](https://www.premiere.fr/node/679541) • [17](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/may/05/marseille-netflix-gerard-depardieu-cocaine-shame-brash-new-show-nothing-to-sniff-at)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Marseille, Federation Studios](https://federationstudios.com/is/marseille/)\n2. [Episodes 1 and 2 of Netflix Original Series Marseille to be broadcast on TF1 on May 12, TF1 Group press release](https://groupe-tf1.fr/sites/default/files/communiques/cp_tf1_netflix_marseille_vuk.pdf)\n3. [Netflix annule Marseille, sa première série française, après deux saisons, Numerama](https://www.numerama.com/pop-culture/347812-netflix-annule-marseille-sa-premiere-serie-francaise.html)\n4. [Episodes 1 and 2 of Netflix Original Series Marseille to be broadcast on TF1 on May 12, About Netflix](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/episodes-1-and-2-of-netflix-original-series-marseille-to-be-broadcast-on-tf1-on-may-12-the-full-season-debuts-exclusively-on-netflix-on-may-5)\n5. [Marseille débarque sur TF1, Europe 1](https://www.europe1.fr/emissions/Le-fait-medias-du-jour/marseille-debarque-sur-tf1-2743180)\n6. [Provence–Marseille Press Kit 2016](https://at.media.france.fr/sites/default/files/document/press_kit/Provence%20-%20Marseille%20-%20Presskit%202016%20%28EN%29.pdf)\n7. [Critique presse Marseille, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/critiques/presse/)\n8. [Marseille, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/marseille)\n9. [Marseille : Netflix a raté sa bouillabaisse (review), Première](https://www.premiere.fr/Series/Marseille-Netflix-a-rate-sa-bouillabaisse-review)\n10. [Marseille, AlloCiné series page](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie_gen_cserie%3D18040.html)\n11. [Marseille, Netflix Media Center](https://media.netflix.com/en/only-on-netflix/80037278)\n12. [Anecdotes sur la série Marseille, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/series/ficheserie-18040/secrets-tournage/)\n13. [Sur le tournage de Marseille, la nouvelle série Netflix avec Gérard Depardieu, RTL](https://www.rtl.fr/culture/musique/sur-le-tournage-de-marseille-la-nouvelle-serie-netflix-avec-gerard-depardieu-7779788786)\n14. [Revue de presse Newen, juin 2016, Studio TF1](https://www.studiotf1.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Revue-de-presse-Newen-Juin-2016.pdf)\n15. [Marseille : les critiques françaises flinguent la série Netflix, Première](https://www.premiere.fr/node/679541)\n16. [Marseille critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/marseille/critic-reviews/)\n17. [Cocaine shame: Gérard Depardieu's brash new show Marseille, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/may/05/marseille-netflix-gerard-depardieu-cocaine-shame-brash-new-show-nothing-to-sniff-at)\n18. [Netflix : pourquoi Marseille est de retour malgré le bad buzz de la saison 1, Europe 1](https://www.europe1.fr/medias-tele/netflix-malgre-le-bad-buzz-de-la-saison-1-pourquoi-marseille-est-de-retour-3581804)\n19. [Why Netflix Original Marseille Isn't Coming Back for Season 3, What's on Netflix](https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/marseille-canceled-season-3/)\n20. [Marseille, saison 2 : c'est moins nul, mais pas nécessairement mieux, Télérama](https://www.telerama.fr/series-tv/marseille%2C-saison-2-cest-moins-nul%2C-mais-pas-necessairement-mieux%2Cn5486661.php)\n21. [Netflix en France : la décennie qui a changé la face du PAF, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2024/09/15/netflix-en-france-la-decennie-qui-a-change-la-face-du-paf_6318191_3234.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Drama and prestige series (individual series) › Crime and thriller series › Spy and political thrillers*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille-2016-tv-series", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille-2016-tv-series.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Marseille (2016 TV series)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille-2016-tv-series. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Marseille (2016 TV series)](https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille-2016-tv-series)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille-2016-tv-series](https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille-2016-tv-series). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Marseille (2016 TV series)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/marseille-2016-tv-series. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Marseille is Netflix's first French original series, a political drama created by Dan Franck starring Gérard Depardieu as mayor Robert Taro versus protégé Lucas Barrès; two seasons, 16 episodes, panned by critics, canceled in 2018." }