Kaamelott: Seasons 1-6 (2004-2009)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2004-2009
	Creator: Alexandre Astier
	Actors:  Alexandre Astier, Lionnel Astier, Franck Pitiot
	Country: F
	Genre: Comedy, Drama
	Conditions of visioning: December 2015 - February 2016, SD VOD, 10" tablet screen
Synopsis: Arthur, King of Britain (Astier) struggles in maintaining order around the Round Table and motivating his Knights to find the Holy Grail.
Review: I would normally not review on this blog comedy TV-series that usually last 20 minutes per episode, and especially not this one in the very short format of 3.5 minute in its first four seasons. But in the course of the series the tone has changed to a more dramatic one and the format has been extended to 52 minutes. So it started with a 14-minute short produced by Alexandre Astier called Dies Irae and that already contained all the ingredients of what the series would become, and most of its main cast. Then for four seasons it filled the gap of the short comic series to watch just before dinner or the News, like did the successful Un Gars, Une Fille or Camera Café before it. It became quickly very popular thanks to its mix of fantasy, history and a typical french humour that I have read opposed to the British more absurd one for example. My personal favorite character is Perceval played by Franck Pitiot (that some theories compare to Superman...), followed by Merlin (Jacques Chambon). But they all have their special enjoyable traits, and in addition the series includes a vast number of guest actors (cameos) from the French repertoire. Indeed Alexandre Astier is creator, writer, director and actor of the series and he seems to have an excellent knowledge of Arthurian legends and pop culture at the same time, leading to plenty of hidden references throughout the series. Very satisfying when you get one of them... Some episodes are hilarious, usually because of the stupidity of such and such character, and it is thus no surprise that the series is continuously replayed on TV. For its fifth season the series evolved to focus more on the story, the quest of the Grail, the conflicts between Arthur and Lancelot and the background of the characters. I think it was still shown on TV as short episodes but as the humour was less present it probably didn't please the audience. I would rather recommend to watch the 52-minute episodes, also re-edited for this length, which allow better understanding where Astier is leading the story. The sixth season keeps the same format and introduces the other genius idea of being a prequel, i.e. telling the story of Arthur 15 years earlier and showing us the first encounters between all the characters we have come to know. This season is also even more dramatic than the fifth, and ends quite openly, in the fashion a movie would do it. Note that thanks to their format, those last two seasons also display more outdoors scenes, longer shots and a good use of music (also composed and recorded by Astier). Apparently the planned seventh season will never be, but instead one or several full-length movies should be made in the coming years, the long delay being due to some conflicts around the rights for the show. I really wonder what those movies will look like.
Rating: 7 /10