Riviera (TV series)
| Riviera | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre |
|
| Created by | Neil Jordan |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Philipp Kadelbach[2] |
| Starring | |
| Opening theme | "Was It Love?" by Isabella 'Machine' Summers |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Running time | 45-46 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Sky Atlantic |
| Release | 15 June 2017 – present |
Riviera is a British television drama created by Neil Jordan and co-written by Jordan and John Banville. It premiered on Sky Atlantic on 15 June 2017.[3] The ten-part series stars Julia Stiles, Lena Olin, Adrian Lester, Iwan Rheon, Dimitri Leonidas and Roxane Duran.[1]
The first series of Riviera was released on 15 June 2017 on Sky Box Sets and NOW TV.[4]
Synopsis
Set in the French Riviera, the series follows Georgina Clios, a midwestern art curator whose life is turned upside down after the death of her billionaire husband Constantine Clios in a yacht accident. Georgina becomes immersed in a world of lies, double-dealing and crime, as she seeks to uncover the truth about her husband's death.[5]
Cast and characters
- Julia Stiles as Georgina Marjorie Clios, an American art curator who seeks to uncover the truth about her husband's death.[5]
- Lena Olin as Irina Atman, Constantine's ex-wife.[6]
- Iwan Rheon as Adam Clios, Constantine and Irina's eldest son who rejects his family's extravagant lifestyle and wants to be a writer instead.[6]
- Adrian Lester as Robert Carver, Georgina's old friend and an art dealer who sells forgeries and stolen artwork.[6]
- Anthony LaPaglia as Constantine Clios, Georgina's billionaire philanthropist husband who dies in a yacht accident.[5]
- Phil Davis as Jukes, a British art fraud investigator who works in the Serious Financial Crime Agency of Interpol.[6]
- Dimitri Leonidas as Christos Clios, Constantine and Irina's second son who becomes the head of the Clios business empire after his father's death.[6]
- Roxane Duran as Adriana Clios, Constantine and Irina's troubled youngest child.[6]
- Amr Waked as Karim Delormes, an inspector in the Nice police force.[6]
- Igal Naor as Jakob Negrescu, Constantine's former head of security who has links with drugs, prostitution and gambling.[6]
Episodes
Note: Every episode was available in the United Kingdom by download from Sky "catch up" following the first episode satellite broadcast.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) [7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Villa Carmella" | Philipp Kadelbach | Neil Jordan & John Banville | 15 June 2017 | 0.71 |
| 2 | "Faussaires" | Philipp Kadelbach | Neil Jordan & John Banville | 22 June 2017 | 0.67 |
| 3 | "La chambre secrète" | Damon Thomas | Lydia Adetunji | 29 June 2017 | N/A |
| 4 | "Tableaux de famille" | Damon Thomas | Christopher Smith | 6 July 2017 | N/A |
| 5 | "Elena" | Hans Herbots | Stacey Gregg | 13 July 2017 | N/A |
Production
Filming began in August 2016 in the South of France.[5] The Clios' lavish "Villa Carmella" estate was filmed at the Chateau Diter in the French Riviera.[8] The first episode of the series debuted at the MIPTV Media Market event in Cannes on 3 April 2017.[2]
Reception
Critical response
The series has received mixed reviews.
The Irish Independent's Darragh McManus described the series as an "exceedingly well-crafted soap" that is "beautifully filmed...with a stately pace, top-of-the-range acting talent and some interesting little philosophical musings on the nature of money."[3] Writing for The Guardian, Euan Ferguson commended "the presences and talents of Julia Stiles, Adrian Lester, Phil Davis and Lena Olin," and called the series "borderline unmissable".[9]
On the other hand, The Telegraph's Michael Hogan gave the first episode three stars out of five, noting that with Academy Award-winner Neil Jordan as the series' creator and Booker Prize-winner John Banville as co-writer, "the script should have soared but was disappointingly pedestrian."[10] The Guardian's Sam Wollaston called the series "awful", concluding that "Riviera might be flashy and moneyed but it lacks personality, charm, humour, soul. It is shallow, vulgar and boring."[11]
Ratings
Sky stated that first episode of Riviera drew 1.2 million viewers live and on-demand, the largest audience for a Sky original series premiere since Fortitude in 2015.[4] However, BARB announced official consolidated ratings for the episode as 709,000.
References
- ^ a b c Tartaglione, Nancy (8 March 2017). "Altice To Co-Produce Sky's 'Riviera'; Cannes TV Fest Project Adds Former Culture Minister – Global Briefs". Deadline.com.
- ^ a b c Ryan, Maureen (3 April 2017). "MipTV Review: 'Riviera' From Sky Atlantic". Variety.
- ^ a b McManus, Darragh (15 June 2017). "'It's brain-candy of the purest grade' - Neil Jordan's Riviera is the new Dallas". Irish Independent.
- ^ a b O'Halloran, Joseph (24 June 2017). "Red hot Riviera becomes Sky Atlantic's biggest premiere in 2017". Rapid TV News.
- ^ a b c d Tartaglione, Nancy (9 August 2016). "Sky's 'Riviera' Completes Cast Opposite Julia Stiles In Neil Jordan Jet-Set Thriller". Deadline.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kelly, Helen (31 March 2017). "Riviera season 1: Meet the star-studded cast led by Game of Thrones' Iwan Rheon". Daily Express.
- ^ "Weekly Viewing Summary (see relevant week)". BARB.
- ^ "Riviera: Where to find Julia Stiles' lavish villa in the Sky Atlantic drama". Radio Times. 15 June 2017.
- ^ Ferguson, Euan (18 June 2017). "The week in TV: Wife Swap: Brexit Special; Fearless; The Loch; Riviera". The Guardian.
- ^ Hogan, Michael (15 June 2017). "Riviera episode one: a stylish holiday for the eyes that needs to transport our imaginations, too: review". The Telegraph.
- ^ Wollaston, Sam (16 June 2017). "Riviera review – where's Dynasty when you need it?". The Guardian.
