Belgian-Swiss director Bruno Deville delves into a community grappling with personal and environmental crises in the snowless ski resort of Excelsior in his latest series, Endangered Species [+lee también:
tráiler
entrevista: Bruno Deville
ficha de la serie]. The six-part tragicomedy premiered its first two episodes out of competition at the Locarno Film Festival, introducing audiences to a narrative that intertwines both literal and metaphorical meltdowns faced by its characters. The plot drifts through a bride-to-be's mysterious disappearance, a couple's deteriorating relationship, a misguided men's retreat and the impending collapse of a glacier. Deville, known for his sharp blend of humour and social commentary, co-created the series with Léo Maillard and Marina Rollman.

The show opens by introducing a range of characters in the picturesque village, in the midst of an annual carnival. Tiffany and Victor are a couple who have recently opened up their relationship. Victor (Vincent Veillon), a former mountain guide, has transitioned into a new career as a life coach for men, while Tiffany (Emilie Charriot), who manages the ski resort, contends with a hen party gone awry, the latest emergency concerning the melting glacier, and trust issues with Victor. Victor's latest course attracts four very different participants: the overzealous Camille (Yoann Blanc), who has attended every possible retreat on masculinity; Thomas (Thomas Wiesel), an actor pivoting to a new career as a comic and searching for inspiration for his act; male escort Brice (Baptiste Gilliéron); and the somewhat confused teenager Loris (Nathan Thomas).

Tiffany, meanwhile, seeks to unwind with her girlfriends, including a burned-out bride-to-be, Solange (Sodadeth San), who is struggling with issues concerning her son and her impending second marriage. Solange is accompanied by her overbearing colleague Kim (Rébecca Balestra) and their hard-partying friend, Charlie (Tiphanie Bovay-Klameth), a mother of four enjoying her only holiday without her children. When Charlie spikes their drinks for a wild night out, they wake up to find Solange missing and Brice in Tiffany's bed.

Endangered Species uses climate change as both a backdrop and a plot device for the characters' misadventures in the microcosm of Excelsior. A dead man is discovered in the mountains with a bag full of money. Victor's brother Virgille (Vincent Kucholl), a former freeride champion and now a bar owner, is missing a similar bag of cash – funds he owes to a local crime boss who is growing increasingly impatient. To recover the dosh from the mountain, Virgille enlists Victor’s help by joining his course, hoping to persuade him to undertake the climb. Virgille's unexpected alpha-male energy adds a dynamic twist to his brother's masculinity retreat.

The series cleverly employs well-known tropes and conventions of small-town mysteries which fuel the plot, including a baffling high-altitude murder and a slight supernatural element in the form of a woodland spirit. Endangered Species blends genres, combining crime with mystery, relationship comedy with bromance, and global-warming thriller with sitcom. The writing maintains a steady pace that bolsters the humour, with a mix of gags, situational comedy and one-liners. Furthermore, the series distinguishes itself with its cataclysmic environmental backdrop while also exploring more topical themes such as open relationships and the redefinition of masculinity – each handled with a comedic touch and, in the case of the latter, with a sharper, satirical edge.

Endangered Species was produced by Switzerland’s Rita Productions and RTS - Radio Télévision Suisse. Playtime handles the world sales.