The agents of "In the service of France" resume service

Moulinier, Jacquart, Calot, nickel plated racist, macho and obnubilated by their bills of expenses of In the service of France resume service. After three years of absence, the jubilant parodic series of espionage, created by Jean-François Halin, the writer of OSS 117: Cairo, nest of spies and OSS 117: Rio no longer responds returns this Thursday on Arte at 20:55. Cold war, putsch of the generals in Algiers, and African emancipation are at the heart of the missions that await this happy band of broken arms in this second part which transports us a year after the season 1, in 1961. We cooked, during a round table with some confreres, the team to know everything about this second part.

More insurance for André Merlaux

Remember, in season 1 (available on Netflix and arte.tv), we discovered meanders and the often absurd operations of the French secret service offices in 1960 through the eyes of a young trainee handsome boy, serious and idealistic, André Merlaux (Hugo Becker), who would quickly become disillusioned. In season 2, "he is more comfortable, more confident. He is no longer at a disadvantage because he discovers things, but because he is amazed by what he sees, "summarizes Hugo Becker.

More about the characters' private lives

"The challenge of the second season was not to be a repeat of the first. We had the ambition to leave the office of the season 1 and to go more towards the private life of the characters ", explains the producer, Gilles de Verdière. "1961, it's close to 1960; the risk was to repeat historical issues already dealt in season 1. What amused us was to look in the personality of our heroes, which in the great history could resonate with them ", details the screenwriter Claire Lemaréchal

"We wanted to create loopholes, to create dilemmas for them: I think in particular of a character who finds himself obliged to reveal his homobaduality which is not obvious in 1961, and still today in the eyes of some, "continues Jean-François Halin.

More space for female characters

Season 2 speaks of emancipation, that of Africa black, which has just conquered its independence, that of Algeria which is heading for the referendum, and independence, but also that of women. "We found it amusing to deal with this issue through female characters who emancipate themselves: Marie-Jo (Marie-Julie Baup) will exceed the men professionally to their chagrin. Irene, the Colonel's wife, leaves him and divorces in 1961, which is rather improbable! "Explains Jean-François Halin. "Yes, the length of the text of my character has tripled", fun Marie-Julie Baup.

More rhythm

The director Alexandre Courtès created the visual identity of At the service of the France . "We were very happy with the artistic direction of the first season, but we regretted, at times, a small lack of rhythm," says Jean-Francois Halin. "The idea was to bring back rhythm and comedy, and to be more with the characters rather than being in the aesthetic. I got ready to bring modernity into this obsolete universe thanks to the rhythm, "says Alexis Charrier, the director of season 2. Result? A more muscular montage

More references

As in season 1, the series is based on many references and references to popular culture. "We had fun making parallels between current events, which mirrors those of today, and our characters," said Jean-François Halin. Here and there, allusions to Donald Trump in relation to Islam, but also winks at Hergé and Tintin, Alfred Hitchbad's spy movies, but also a tribute to
Jacques Demy with a musical comedy sequence that slips into one of the episodes.

More seasons?

In the service of France will she be entitled to a season 3? "What amuses us would be to take a leap in time, at the time of the space conquest for example, it would be funny to see these characters that we saw frozen, gummed and costumed and plunge them in 1969 or 1970 », Announces Jean-François Halin.