Call My Agent is exactly what the stars are screaming, but in this case it’s with excitement as they queue up to be the special guest of this hit comedy drama. The story centring around a talent agency as they combat contracts, demands, competition – not to mention; fix, mess and destroy their own relationships. In a bit of tongue-in-cheek reality the celebrity guests star as the A-listers they are; Monica Bellucci, Jean Dujardin and Juliette Binoche etc, albeit playing fictional versions of themselves. The heart of the show though has a grounding of truth, with its competitive portrayal of entertainment, from typecasting, conflict, insecurities and workloads and more. The difficulties of the industry being at any stage of production, whether it’s at the signing of a contract, in the performance (with difficult co-stars etc), right through to publicity.
Brilliantly relatable, the star-studded world of entertainment is brought down to earth with its never-ending stream of real-world problems, and with the hilarity of agents shooting themselves in the foot, just as much as their clients do. Each episode (named after its star guest) presents the agents of ASK with a new quandary of problems; from their business (that’s struggling to stay afloat); from their talent (struggling in balancing parenthood, to professional issues with poor scripts and difficult crew); and more than anything their attempt to rescue their home life. Each one handled with a great deal of arm-flapping, for though these agents are playing a game for grown-ups, with jobs, tax and relationships at stake, they’re still incredibly childish in their temperament and actions.
Cleverly pairing its comedic and dramatic elements, without the need for additional flourishes, Call My Agent just works. It might not be laugh-out-loud, but it creates (and with the look of ease) that balance between the two – making the near hour long episodes an easy watch. Without this, the uncertainty and intricacies of the characters’ jobs and personal lives would be too heavy to watch, making it more like a soap opera.
The acting in Call My Agent is flawless from start to end, but Camille Cottin who plays agent Andréa Martel certainly steals the show – with an acting range to die for. But she’s not the only one who captures the camera, with Stéfi Celma as Sofia Leprince exuding a presence that just gravitates you towards her, and it’s clear in her chemistry with the show’s other actors that they feel the same. A criticism to the show, if that, is that Liliane Rovère who plays Arlette Azémar (a brilliantly likeable agent) is given too few lines – but when she does speak Rovère creates a calm and authority that you just want to sit down and listen to.
A fully realised show, the characters are rounded, their issues the everyday (sort-of) even if their job might not be. But in lifting the curtain, the show reveals the entertainment world to be insecure, hypocritical, underhanded, full of acts of bribery and to involve a great deal of sucking up. In essence, it’s human – and it’s these tactics that the agents and clients need in order to survive, and to occasionally get the job done. Inspiration for the show, along with its informed knowledge, comes from writer and producer Dominique Besnehard, who for over twenty years was one of France’s leading talent agents. The show’s been so successful that there’s even been a remake, 10 Percent, which is set within the UK. However, the original will be a hard one to follow, so I’ll be sticking with that.
In summary, the world of entertainment is anything but glamourous, and yet it’s enticing, with each episode leaving you wanting to know more. Not to mention the complexities of those who work in such a high-pressured job; loneliness, affairs, secret daughters etc. But what’s really great about the show is that it remembers the little points from three or four episodes ago; bringing them back to the surface for review, and although you don’t need prior knowledge to enjoy the odd episode – it makes it all the more sweet for those loyal fans.
So line up with the stars in watching this series, and enjoy the god-like-view as you see it come crumbling down, pick itself up, to then only surprise you again at the end.
Creator: Fanny Herrero
Other notable works:
- A French Village 2009-2017
