It's a good premise for a television drama serial: that Belgium is in the grip of a secret society, a hybrid of the fascists and the Freemasons, crossing all walks of life. It's an especially powerful idea in Belgium because that country has relatively week political parties and perpetual coalition; which makes the idea that real power lies elsewhere especially effective. Then you have a standard thriller set up, with the honest cop, various people in the government trading off their own interests and instincts in different ways, the society's members (and they have their own internal power struggles), and finally a mysterious gang of bank robbers with a hidden agenda of their own. Taken as a whole, it's preposterous, as all such dramas are, but it's also fast-paced, well-acted and cleverly plotted. Three quibbles: why would a group of senior public figures keep evidence incriminating themselves in a bank, instead of just destroying it? Isn't money the true power in our society anyway? And while the Salamander organisation seems to be reasonably good at getting people killed, we don't see any evidence of it actually achieving anything else; for a supposed group of all-powerful people, they seem to spend the entire story on the defensive. But it's still gripping stuff, and thankfully avoids the "psychopathic genius" nonsense that spoils a lot of similar work.
25 Reviews
Excellent Television
craig-hopton28 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
An excellent series. Had all the ingredients of a thrilling crime/political drama - a convoluted plot line, secret dealings between people in power, ethical dilemmas, a strong lead character and violence (but not too much violence).
The plot is rooted in a secret that has its origins in the Second World War. I wasn't initially keen on the flashbacks to this period as they seemed a distraction from the main events, but as the story progressed and the link from the past to the present became clearer, this historical angle gave the series even more strength and depth.
Filip Peeters is excellent as Paul Gerardi, the disgraced detective that is the only person to have the nerve to pursue the secret Salamander society and risk life and limb in doing so. He is supported by an excellent and large cast who come in and out of the story.
The role of women portrayed in the series is disappointing. All of the main protagonists are men. The only women to really feature are Paul Gerardi's wife and daughter, the wife of a politician who takes a liking to Paul, and the woman he falls in love with near the end. These women are on the whole powerless and at the mercy of the men around them. Women could have been used in some of the other roles to better effect.
Aside from a handful of episodes in the latter half of the series where things seemed to slow down a bit, Salamander is top notch, an excellent piece of television.
The plot is rooted in a secret that has its origins in the Second World War. I wasn't initially keen on the flashbacks to this period as they seemed a distraction from the main events, but as the story progressed and the link from the past to the present became clearer, this historical angle gave the series even more strength and depth.
Filip Peeters is excellent as Paul Gerardi, the disgraced detective that is the only person to have the nerve to pursue the secret Salamander society and risk life and limb in doing so. He is supported by an excellent and large cast who come in and out of the story.
The role of women portrayed in the series is disappointing. All of the main protagonists are men. The only women to really feature are Paul Gerardi's wife and daughter, the wife of a politician who takes a liking to Paul, and the woman he falls in love with near the end. These women are on the whole powerless and at the mercy of the men around them. Women could have been used in some of the other roles to better effect.
Aside from a handful of episodes in the latter half of the series where things seemed to slow down a bit, Salamander is top notch, an excellent piece of television.
A Flemish change-of-venue
wvmcl6 November 2014
Ran across this series on Netflix, and was surprised when I turned it on and heard the sounds of the Flemish language, which I know well from my many years living in Belgium and the Netherlands. My experience with the country made this show especially interesting for me, since Belgium actually is a bit of a cauldron of political tensions and conspiracy theories. A horrific pedophile scandal involving government officials and including the deaths of some young girls tore the country apart in the 1990s, and I'm not sure they have ever recovered.
Apart from that, it's a fairly typical lone-cop-against-conspirators story, but with a bit more European subtlety and flair than American equivalents like "24" and "Scandal." It's pretty well-paced and certainly held my attention for its 12 episodes. I have mixed feelings about Filip Peeters in the lead role - he seemed to have the same bewildered expression on his face most of the time - but this series is more story than character driven. It's certainly worth your time as a change of venue from the usual thriller.
Apart from that, it's a fairly typical lone-cop-against-conspirators story, but with a bit more European subtlety and flair than American equivalents like "24" and "Scandal." It's pretty well-paced and certainly held my attention for its 12 episodes. I have mixed feelings about Filip Peeters in the lead role - he seemed to have the same bewildered expression on his face most of the time - but this series is more story than character driven. It's certainly worth your time as a change of venue from the usual thriller.
Intense and gripping drama, great cast.
hodgessian16 March 2014
After watching the first couple of episodes, I was completely hooked, the guy who plays the lead is a fantastic actor and the more you watch, the more involved in his life you become and instead of being the usual crime/whodunit mystery, it evolves into a personal mission for Geradi to find the truth. I love Belgium, and it is a great country, so the fact that this story has the backdrop of such a great location and history adds to its appeal. This mini-series seriously competes with other US addictive thriller rides, and yet has something more endearing and genuine at its heart. I loved it, and only wish they would do a second series with the lead character solving another new mystery.
Money, power, corruption, greed, murder, scandals
. A lecture in Belgian politics!
Coventry24 November 2017
Lately I've been watching and re-watching many films in my favorite exploitation sub-genre, the Italian Poliziotesschi or Eurocrime- thriller, and it's undoubtedly thanks to those films that I valorized and enjoyed my second viewing of "Salamander" on Belgian television even more than the first time. Apart from the different country setting and not featuring the guerrilla filming-style or overly excessive violence, "Salamander" basically is a Poliziotesschi stretched over 12 episodes. The story of one tough and unbreakable police detective single-handedly battling against an unknown but relentless criminal organization, but even more so against his superiors and the corrupt national legal & political system! Of course I realize this series isn't really modeled after gritty and sleazy Italian cop thrillers, but it was fun to see the same ideas and principles here in a much more polished and prominent (for Belgian standards) TV-format. Of all the great things about this series, the most praiseworthy aspect certainly is the script. The basic idea is already fantastic, but the further unfolding of the mystery, with all its crucial supportive characters and numerous convoluted twists, is so unbelievably compelling and intelligent that it's actually unseen on Belgian television.
Early one morning, well-organized and utterly disciplined men break into the vault of a bank and steal the content of 66 specific safety deposit boxes. The bank in question – Bank Jonckheere - is a private and very prestigious bank, however, and the safe-owners are all highly eminent and influential people (ministers, senators, magistrates, business tycoons, generals ) who use their deposit boxes to safeguard secretive documents like hidden financials, photos of orgies and sexual escapades, blackmail, political cover- ups and slush funds. Whoever owns all this stolen information has the power to destabilize and literally pull the plug out of the entire country, and that is clearly what he/she wants to achieve. Via Joachim Klaus, the top-criminal who organized the heist, the instructor gradually sends back copies of the safes' content to the rightful owners, and abrupt resignations, chaos in the parliament and even suicides immediately ensue. The heist was never reported to the police, for obvious reasons, and the concerned magistrates are holding off an investigation. Inspector Paul Gerardi nevertheless examines a tip from an informant and quickly ends up in a position that put his career, healthy and loved ones in great danger.
With all the scandals and corruption that occurred here in Belgium during the past 20-25 years, the script of "Salamander" becomes extra realistic and plausible. I'm convinced that every fellow Belgian who watched this series also thought at one point or another (and probably several times): "Surely this is really going on in those ivory towers in Brussels". The mystery around the bank heist is upheld very admirably and, in the end, all the little pieces of the large puzzle neatly fit together. "Salamander" contains a lot of action compared to traditional Belgian detective/krimi-series, and every episode features at least a few grisly murders, violent shootouts or wild chases. The acting performances are really high- level, with familiar and famous Belgian faces even in the smallest supportive roles. Everybody gives stellar performances, and several cast members even play their best roles in many years, like Jo De Meyere, Mike Verdrengh, Vic De Wachter and An Ceurvels. The second season will start airing on Belgian TV soon, early 2018, I think.
Early one morning, well-organized and utterly disciplined men break into the vault of a bank and steal the content of 66 specific safety deposit boxes. The bank in question – Bank Jonckheere - is a private and very prestigious bank, however, and the safe-owners are all highly eminent and influential people (ministers, senators, magistrates, business tycoons, generals ) who use their deposit boxes to safeguard secretive documents like hidden financials, photos of orgies and sexual escapades, blackmail, political cover- ups and slush funds. Whoever owns all this stolen information has the power to destabilize and literally pull the plug out of the entire country, and that is clearly what he/she wants to achieve. Via Joachim Klaus, the top-criminal who organized the heist, the instructor gradually sends back copies of the safes' content to the rightful owners, and abrupt resignations, chaos in the parliament and even suicides immediately ensue. The heist was never reported to the police, for obvious reasons, and the concerned magistrates are holding off an investigation. Inspector Paul Gerardi nevertheless examines a tip from an informant and quickly ends up in a position that put his career, healthy and loved ones in great danger.
With all the scandals and corruption that occurred here in Belgium during the past 20-25 years, the script of "Salamander" becomes extra realistic and plausible. I'm convinced that every fellow Belgian who watched this series also thought at one point or another (and probably several times): "Surely this is really going on in those ivory towers in Brussels". The mystery around the bank heist is upheld very admirably and, in the end, all the little pieces of the large puzzle neatly fit together. "Salamander" contains a lot of action compared to traditional Belgian detective/krimi-series, and every episode features at least a few grisly murders, violent shootouts or wild chases. The acting performances are really high- level, with familiar and famous Belgian faces even in the smallest supportive roles. Everybody gives stellar performances, and several cast members even play their best roles in many years, like Jo De Meyere, Mike Verdrengh, Vic De Wachter and An Ceurvels. The second season will start airing on Belgian TV soon, early 2018, I think.
Belgian gun-fight
Lejink16 February 2014
Selected by BBC4 to replace the Saturday night spot traditionally taken by moody, brooding Nordic Noir series like "The Killing" and most recently "The Bridge", this Flemish cop-drama is very different in tone, but entertaining for all that.
I'm about three episodes in and while the plot lacks the darker undertones of its Scandinavian predecessors and there's far less character development too, both these aspects are commendable in my eyes in avoiding over-complexity in the plotting and the sometimes overdone quirkiness and personal problems of the main characters.
The central character interest is a transparently big, bluff everyday senior detective in the Belgian police, Paul Gerardi, who finds himself involved in sinister machinations when an underworld source tells him a major private bank has been broken into and yet has chosen not to report it to the police and indeed actively tries to cover up any sign of the break-in. Moreover, the robbery didn't involve money or bullion but rather the personal effects of some 66 highly connected individuals in Belgian society. Naturally, there's a malevolent, powerful network behind all this who will stop at nothing it appears to maintain the secret and who wish to silence Gerardi from bringing the matter to light.
Pacily filmed, more in daylight than the dark, I rather like the fact that it's more about the story than the characters' hang-ups although the latter may yet be invoked to pad out the next nine episodes but I'm hoping instead on a twisty-turny roller-coaster ride as Gerardi presumably avoids capture, finds out more about the mysterious "Salamander" group and their aims and the motives of the only scarcely glimpsed gang-leader behind the initial theft.
While I don't expect my insides turned outside-in, I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of this so far entertaining and involving production.
I'm about three episodes in and while the plot lacks the darker undertones of its Scandinavian predecessors and there's far less character development too, both these aspects are commendable in my eyes in avoiding over-complexity in the plotting and the sometimes overdone quirkiness and personal problems of the main characters.
The central character interest is a transparently big, bluff everyday senior detective in the Belgian police, Paul Gerardi, who finds himself involved in sinister machinations when an underworld source tells him a major private bank has been broken into and yet has chosen not to report it to the police and indeed actively tries to cover up any sign of the break-in. Moreover, the robbery didn't involve money or bullion but rather the personal effects of some 66 highly connected individuals in Belgian society. Naturally, there's a malevolent, powerful network behind all this who will stop at nothing it appears to maintain the secret and who wish to silence Gerardi from bringing the matter to light.
Pacily filmed, more in daylight than the dark, I rather like the fact that it's more about the story than the characters' hang-ups although the latter may yet be invoked to pad out the next nine episodes but I'm hoping instead on a twisty-turny roller-coaster ride as Gerardi presumably avoids capture, finds out more about the mysterious "Salamander" group and their aims and the motives of the only scarcely glimpsed gang-leader behind the initial theft.
While I don't expect my insides turned outside-in, I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of this so far entertaining and involving production.
pulls you in and keeps you wanting more
scottna579 March 2014
Never having encountered Belgian TV before, my expectations were modest. This starts as a cop show but quickly develops into a political/power drama with more than a touch of edge to it. Characters are allowed to develop, the acting is realistic, shooting is stylish, it has drama, baddies, an occasional chase and some small gunfire - a central angle is how can the lone good guy succeed against the big baddie machine?
Its a bit different from the run of the mill, reasonable production values, quality acting, different faces (maybe not for a Belgian audience?) Euro feel - its pulled me in.
Its being shown on BBC 2 episodes at a time, now after 10 from 12 I can't wait for the finale - got a feeling the hero will survive, not so sure about those he cares for.
Its a bit different from the run of the mill, reasonable production values, quality acting, different faces (maybe not for a Belgian audience?) Euro feel - its pulled me in.
Its being shown on BBC 2 episodes at a time, now after 10 from 12 I can't wait for the finale - got a feeling the hero will survive, not so sure about those he cares for.
Gripping Belgian crime drama
Tweekums16 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This twelve part Belgian drama follows the investigations of police inspector Paul Gerardi as he investigates a break in at a private bank. Thieves broke in and took the contents of sixty six carefully chosen safety deposit boxes. The boxes belong to members of the Salamander Group; some of the most powerful people in Belgium and everybody involved would rather Gerardi didn't investigate as they don't want the contents of the boxes becoming public knowledge
to such an extent that things get very dangerous for Gerardi and those around him. Meanwhile those responsible for the break in start sending copies of sensitive stolen material to members of Salamander leading to some high profile resignations and suicides. As the series progresses we learn how Salamander came to be formed and why they are being targeted by somebody who clearly wants to destroy them.
This Belgian crime thriller proved to be a gripping addition to BBC4's 'Euro-Crime' slot; the opening got me gripped and as each double episode passed I found myself keen to discover what happened next. I had been expecting a fairly standard investigative drama but here the victims of the crime seem more concerned with shutting down the investigation than the thieves indeed the more we learn the more we sympathise with the person behind the theft compared to his victims. The cast do a solid job; especially Filip Peeters who plays the somewhat dishevelled Gerardi. The ending seemed to wrap everything up fairly neatly but apparently a second series is being written.
This Belgian crime thriller proved to be a gripping addition to BBC4's 'Euro-Crime' slot; the opening got me gripped and as each double episode passed I found myself keen to discover what happened next. I had been expecting a fairly standard investigative drama but here the victims of the crime seem more concerned with shutting down the investigation than the thieves indeed the more we learn the more we sympathise with the person behind the theft compared to his victims. The cast do a solid job; especially Filip Peeters who plays the somewhat dishevelled Gerardi. The ending seemed to wrap everything up fairly neatly but apparently a second series is being written.
Surprisingly meaty and versatile Belgian (=Flemish) production
BeneCumb10 March 2016
Recent decade has seen so vast accrual of UK and Scandinavian crime thrillers, including political ones, that those coming from other European countries have often remained in the shadow. Being a fan of "modern" crimes series (i.e. without episode-based case settlements), I have tried to broaden my mind; thanks to Internet and IMDb, it is far easier than decades ago.
Based on some previous knowledge about Salamander, I was surprised at first as the first 1-2 episodes were rather slow and amply sentimental, although some events aside could create more robust and fixed approach. But then the characters and scenes became nicely fit for a crime thriller and the inclusion of past events made the storyline more versatile and with interesting twists. Both adversaries had their ups and downs and casualties, and even if you could guess some things happening next, there was still plenty of space for surprises. Beautiful urban and rural landscapes formed a nice background to otherwise nasty or sad events.
As for the performances, the males were more convincing and significant, particularly Filip Peeters as Paul Gerardi and Jo De Meyere as Armand Persigal; I have to admit that it was my first aware familiarisation with Belgian/Flemish actors. I will look forward to meet them again, eventually in another similar creation.
Based on some previous knowledge about Salamander, I was surprised at first as the first 1-2 episodes were rather slow and amply sentimental, although some events aside could create more robust and fixed approach. But then the characters and scenes became nicely fit for a crime thriller and the inclusion of past events made the storyline more versatile and with interesting twists. Both adversaries had their ups and downs and casualties, and even if you could guess some things happening next, there was still plenty of space for surprises. Beautiful urban and rural landscapes formed a nice background to otherwise nasty or sad events.
As for the performances, the males were more convincing and significant, particularly Filip Peeters as Paul Gerardi and Jo De Meyere as Armand Persigal; I have to admit that it was my first aware familiarisation with Belgian/Flemish actors. I will look forward to meet them again, eventually in another similar creation.
Mostly by-the-numbers but watchable
GeeDi9 September 2013
First, a synopsis, sine IMDb doesn't provide one: A private bank in Brussels has its locker room broken into, and the contents of some selected safes burgled, but only of their documents, not money. Turns out those safes belonged to prominent members of Belgian politics and society. The burglars use those documents to blackmail said prominent members. Enter Paul Gerardi, a Belgian police detective, who gets a whiff of the robbery and soon finds himself in over his head, as neither the robbers nor the victims care for a public police investigation.
The premise holds a lot of promise but the execution is by-the-numbers. People get killed for, in retrospect, no useful reason. A fair amount of investigative clues just conveniently fall into the detective's hands. The story doesn't make it seem as if he earned them. The main narrative arc of the first few episodes seems pointless, and could have been avoided had some of the main characters just talked to each other. The conclusion falls within the zone of predictability, and yet could only get there via a serendipitous series of developments in the final few episodes.
Having said all that, this is still a fairly watchable series. There are hit men to be avoided, car tails to be lost, criminals to be identified and caught, and the pacing is competent enough for a decent fortnight's romp.
The premise holds a lot of promise but the execution is by-the-numbers. People get killed for, in retrospect, no useful reason. A fair amount of investigative clues just conveniently fall into the detective's hands. The story doesn't make it seem as if he earned them. The main narrative arc of the first few episodes seems pointless, and could have been avoided had some of the main characters just talked to each other. The conclusion falls within the zone of predictability, and yet could only get there via a serendipitous series of developments in the final few episodes.
Having said all that, this is still a fairly watchable series. There are hit men to be avoided, car tails to be lost, criminals to be identified and caught, and the pacing is competent enough for a decent fortnight's romp.
Brilliant
martimusross15 April 2018
The Future is Now
macpet49-130 September 2014
This is what is going on in all the West and has been in the East for decades--organizations of corporations determining policy and human history. It's difficult to watch because you realize we are here and there is no turning back. As far as the show is concerned, the only lame part is that in REAL life the bad guys rarely get found out and even if they do, they are covered by other countries/friends in high places who bail them with more lies and stories. Besides, the general populace has a short memory. We are so pummeled with news stories that we forget things we heard 2 days ago. I think Big Brother was always depending on that. Keep the general public happy playing with their toys and eating their junk foods and we won't have any problems with them.
Don't take it too seriously-is worthwhile journey into escapism
StoryLover1016 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I always feel the need to respond to critiques I feel unfair or perhaps to which I can contribute. Regarding coincidences-yes there are many; all roads seem to lead to Paul Gerardi or the Salamander crew or both. Are they unrealistic, perhaps n some cases, especially when sending Gerardi's daughter to the same boarding school as DeWolfe's granddaughter, then subsequently running into DeWolfe's daughter (and future lover) at a mixer. Does this make the series necessarily bad. IMHO--No. It's just a reminder that fluke, chance, luck are tenets of fiction, especially episodic programming, and part of storytelling lore. To those who disparage this, I ask: Have you ever read Dickens or Dostoyevsky or Shakespeare or any ancient mythology? How about Jackie Collins or Jacqueline Susanne? Raymond Chandler? Agatha Christie? Coincidence is a proven and useful literary or dramatic device.
To the schmuck or schmuckette who thinks Gerardi is somehow "uncool" in season 2 because in five years he's put on a few pounds-really? Fat shaming a middle aged man is no less offensive than were it aimed at a teenage girl. It reveals more about the insulter than the insulted.
For my thoughts on "Salamander:" It's a decent means for a weekend escape. It entertains, has a few over acted moments, but in 20 or so episodes that's to be expected. It also has some unlikely plotlines, e.g., the hacker geek and former intelligence cop presently living as devout monks who reside in a monastery that allows civilians (including the teenage daughter) to come and go freely. It has reliant conventions found in a light grit, lone wolf cop series, but is not burdened by over-the-top alpha male lead arrogance and entitlement ala Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Dwayne Johnson, or even any of the Hemsworth brothers. The direction and cinematography transport viewers into Belgium and Africa. Architecture of centuries past against gorgeous landscapes screams Old Europe in the modern world. The first season weaves in historical, WWII, fiction, which I particularly find engaging.
Season 1: Mystery involves historical references and backdrop, mostly spoken in Flemish (Dutch) with light scatterings of Belgian French.
Season 2: Set more in current day Belgium and Africa with increased French peppered in with the Flemish. Story references moments of times past (the Salamander must continue to live on after all).
Both Seasons: Themes include familial loss, betrayal, corruption, revenge, political intrigue, integrity/truth/honor, grey areas that blur lines amid good and evil, between protagonist and antagonists.
In sum, "Salamander" is a character-driven mystery-thriller drama with storylines to include cops, secret societies, decades-long Fascism and oligarchic power structures, collusion, deception, and yes, coincidence.
To the schmuck or schmuckette who thinks Gerardi is somehow "uncool" in season 2 because in five years he's put on a few pounds-really? Fat shaming a middle aged man is no less offensive than were it aimed at a teenage girl. It reveals more about the insulter than the insulted.
For my thoughts on "Salamander:" It's a decent means for a weekend escape. It entertains, has a few over acted moments, but in 20 or so episodes that's to be expected. It also has some unlikely plotlines, e.g., the hacker geek and former intelligence cop presently living as devout monks who reside in a monastery that allows civilians (including the teenage daughter) to come and go freely. It has reliant conventions found in a light grit, lone wolf cop series, but is not burdened by over-the-top alpha male lead arrogance and entitlement ala Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Dwayne Johnson, or even any of the Hemsworth brothers. The direction and cinematography transport viewers into Belgium and Africa. Architecture of centuries past against gorgeous landscapes screams Old Europe in the modern world. The first season weaves in historical, WWII, fiction, which I particularly find engaging.
Season 1: Mystery involves historical references and backdrop, mostly spoken in Flemish (Dutch) with light scatterings of Belgian French.
Season 2: Set more in current day Belgium and Africa with increased French peppered in with the Flemish. Story references moments of times past (the Salamander must continue to live on after all).
Both Seasons: Themes include familial loss, betrayal, corruption, revenge, political intrigue, integrity/truth/honor, grey areas that blur lines amid good and evil, between protagonist and antagonists.
In sum, "Salamander" is a character-driven mystery-thriller drama with storylines to include cops, secret societies, decades-long Fascism and oligarchic power structures, collusion, deception, and yes, coincidence.
Excellent Series
stevealdridge-346046 January 2023
One of the great benefits of streaming services is that the delve into the output from Europe and elsewhere and unearth some gems like this one. This is the story of someone trying to uncover and stop the plans of a secret society (not a Vincent Price/Hammer Horror style one) who are interfering in politics and the government.
Apart from good writing and filming, it gives us the opportunity here in the UK to see some new actors and many of them put the usual lot to shame with their acting ability. I don't know if it is common outside of the UK and America, but there is a tendency these days to give parts to ex comedians and other entertainers who for some unknown reason, think they can act. See Alan Davis for an example. Instead here we have people who have learned their craft and can deliver the story.
There are two series under this heading. The first one is the best in my opinion but the second is still worth watching.
Apart from good writing and filming, it gives us the opportunity here in the UK to see some new actors and many of them put the usual lot to shame with their acting ability. I don't know if it is common outside of the UK and America, but there is a tendency these days to give parts to ex comedians and other entertainers who for some unknown reason, think they can act. See Alan Davis for an example. Instead here we have people who have learned their craft and can deliver the story.
There are two series under this heading. The first one is the best in my opinion but the second is still worth watching.
Great Show
kcurry-5321621 August 2020
Better than Poirot.
swc-9376514 May 2018
Does not make sense
cuorefelino10 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
*** Warning: major spoilers ahead ***
I have just finished watching the first season and I am not going to see the second one. The series is intriguing at the beginning but soon becomes predictable and cannot keep up the interest. The characters commit silly errors that are clearly fabricated by the authors to stretch the plot by inserting artificial adversities. Nevertheless the show would still be worth 6/10 if it were not for the ending. * SPOILER * This is one of those endings that makes you wonder why the fuss of all previous episodes and whether it has been written by another author who did not care to read the script of the first 11 episodes. Up to the last 15 min of the show you will have witnessed a complex scheme to steal documents from the safes of a bank and use them to blackmail many Belgian VIPs, from politicians to entrepreneurs. Then you learn that the heist is masterminded by a man who wants to revenge his father's assassination, which occurred during WW2 by the hand of the father of a present-day banker. He goes a long way to accomplish this, by hiring a gang of criminals and letting them send the stolen documents to scare the VIPs, who are associates of the banker in a secret society. Some of them are so terrorized by the scandal that they immediately commit suicide. This goes on until the last 15 min of the last episode, when the guy someway decides that this is enough so he enters the office of the banker and just shoots him. So the question while the closing credits appear is: why did he not just kill the villain 15 min into episode 1.
I have just finished watching the first season and I am not going to see the second one. The series is intriguing at the beginning but soon becomes predictable and cannot keep up the interest. The characters commit silly errors that are clearly fabricated by the authors to stretch the plot by inserting artificial adversities. Nevertheless the show would still be worth 6/10 if it were not for the ending. * SPOILER * This is one of those endings that makes you wonder why the fuss of all previous episodes and whether it has been written by another author who did not care to read the script of the first 11 episodes. Up to the last 15 min of the show you will have witnessed a complex scheme to steal documents from the safes of a bank and use them to blackmail many Belgian VIPs, from politicians to entrepreneurs. Then you learn that the heist is masterminded by a man who wants to revenge his father's assassination, which occurred during WW2 by the hand of the father of a present-day banker. He goes a long way to accomplish this, by hiring a gang of criminals and letting them send the stolen documents to scare the VIPs, who are associates of the banker in a secret society. Some of them are so terrorized by the scandal that they immediately commit suicide. This goes on until the last 15 min of the last episode, when the guy someway decides that this is enough so he enters the office of the banker and just shoots him. So the question while the closing credits appear is: why did he not just kill the villain 15 min into episode 1.
Preposterous
markfranh19 July 2018
My wife and I managed 1 and a half episodes of Series 1. The early part of Episode 1 set a reasonable tone for what might have been an interesting series. Unfortunately, it took a worrying turn into the absurd about half way through. After about 20 minutes of episode 2, we concluded it was getting totally preposterous with so many unbelievable assumptions and premises for what was going on that it just became totally unwatchable. Series abandoned and we will be looking for something else. A shame as the brief summary of the series had been so promising but the reality was something else entirely.
Too many coincidences to make it entertaining on any but a CARTOON level
Pizzaowner4 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Tapping into the increasingly popular Scandinavian and Belgian made movies this thriller was decidedly less than thrilling.
The story started well enough but by the second episode you are asking yourself if the story could be supported if it weren't for some fortuitous and most unlikely coincidences.
The lead detective has the misfortune to be axed from the 'investigation' after all the witnesses conveniently kill themselves or are killed.
If you are among the group of viewers that STILL believe the Road Runner can run off a cliff and run back on....if he's REALLY quick....then this will probably appeal to you but for the rest of us, there's just TOO MANY coincidences we need to accept in order to even half believe this unlikely plot.
Not for the critical viewer.
Disappointing until the last breath
reis-joao8523 November 2014
The plot is completely ridiculous to say the least... Everything is predictable, the characters are deep as a piece of paper and Gerardi, the inspector and main character is possibly the stupidest detective ever created in the history of television. From a weak casting (the acting is really low-level, don't expect a Oscar-winning role from these guys) to bad editing and directing skills, the series is a complete disappointment and I can't really recommend it. If you want some good thriller or investigating European series, try to watch The Bridge (Bron - Broen). Salamander is not even a thriller, since you know everything before it happens, including the pathetic explosions and creepy cheesy sentimental crappy scenes.
Propaganda
chrisdorf-8402421 July 2018
Long Way from Tipperary.
liveroc20 March 2024
Acting shows the quality of the 1930-50's. A serious upgrade is overdue.
Script writing needs a makeover, it kills a rather good plot.
Except for Prince Olivier and his palace slave making the joke of the day, the overall use of the names were acceptable indicators of the resistance. The Flanders, still, does remember the Resistance.
Throwing in a few naked skin, vulgar, scenes is always an indicator of overall poor script and plot failures.
Camera scores a pass grade at 75% and saves the day.
Overall Disappointing.
Waste of time.
Not sure why this window shows "Required Characters:600"
Script writing needs a makeover, it kills a rather good plot.
Except for Prince Olivier and his palace slave making the joke of the day, the overall use of the names were acceptable indicators of the resistance. The Flanders, still, does remember the Resistance.
Throwing in a few naked skin, vulgar, scenes is always an indicator of overall poor script and plot failures.
Camera scores a pass grade at 75% and saves the day.
Overall Disappointing.
Waste of time.
Not sure why this window shows "Required Characters:600"
Gerardi is the most clueless detective...
resukcs17 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
...ever. By the third or fourth show he's broken the case for the most part. But his boss doesn't want him to solve it so he has some of his people kidnap his daughter and then try to kill him. What does he do? He agrees to work for these same people to find out who robbed the bank. When his wife cheats on him he decides they should stay together. There is no outrage or angst, just a shrug of the shoulders. Even when his wife is killed you think he would go right after Jonkhere who did it. But no, he says he must find the bank robbers first which makes no sense. And by letting Jonkhere live it results in several other needless deaths. The entire series could have lasted half as long and would have been less painful based on Gerardi's ineptness.
A long way home
Posterboy129 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Season 1 and 2 are involved and complex stories that could be told way more briefly. The characters are over exposed and by time it's over it's hard to care about them. There is also the issue of unbelievable plot holes and after not too far into it you're exhausted from all the suspension of belief.
If I had it to do over I would have watched just one season.
If I had it to do over I would have watched just one season.
Good scene-for-scene, doesn't really make sense - serious spoilers in this review
kmoh-118 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Enjoyable tense Belgian conspiracy thriller, well-made and illustrative of the weird and paranoid politics of Belgium. Particularly good performances by Jo de Meyere, Mike Verdrengh and Koen De Bouw.
However, it really doesn't make a great deal of sense viewed as a whole. A couple of the major flaws have been recognised by other reviewers. First, why did Wolfs concoct his elaborate plot to expose Salamander, and then in the end just shoot Jonkhere? It might have been easier to do that in the first place (although admittedly he had just been shot, so perhaps he thought it would be his last chance). Second - more importantly - why did the 66 members of Salamander keep incriminating documents in their safety deposit boxes, rather than destroying them? It might have been that the Salamander organisation kept the documents for blackmail purposes, but Jonkhere seemed to have no knowledge of the boxes' contents.
The main problem, though, is that Gerardi falls in love with Wolfs' daughter when they meet in a car park at their daughters' school. Er, the rogue detective pursuing a conspiracy accidentally finds himself with one of the conspirators as a prospective father-in-law, out of a country of 11 million people? Klaus turned on Wolfs because, as he said, only a naive sentimentalist could believe it was a coincidence - but it was!! The plot would never have been unravelled without that glaring happenstance.
Other more minor issues - it wasn't really confirmed how Wolfs or Klaus got the inside information about the deposit boxes. There was a suicidal clerk who might have given them the information, but he can't have known that all the boxes would contain incriminating documents.
It also wasn't clear how the Salamander people sabotaged Gerardi's car. He had parked outside his house after a night out. He told his wife and daughter to stay in the car while he investigated the house. Only after a while did they join Gerardi inside. The sabotage could only have happened after that. But then Gerardi decided to send his family away on the spur of the moment, so the sabotage had to have happened before then. How did the bombers know that they had this extremely brief window of time to sabotage the car, and how could they be sure they would not be caught in the act? The reasonable assumption would be that the Gerardis would go to bed, and so the car could be sabotaged at their leisure at any time during the night, and so they would wait until the lights went off.
It is also a bit weird that an order of monks might be better equipped than the Belgian police to deal with a major conspiracy and coup attempt. Or maybe not.
However, it really doesn't make a great deal of sense viewed as a whole. A couple of the major flaws have been recognised by other reviewers. First, why did Wolfs concoct his elaborate plot to expose Salamander, and then in the end just shoot Jonkhere? It might have been easier to do that in the first place (although admittedly he had just been shot, so perhaps he thought it would be his last chance). Second - more importantly - why did the 66 members of Salamander keep incriminating documents in their safety deposit boxes, rather than destroying them? It might have been that the Salamander organisation kept the documents for blackmail purposes, but Jonkhere seemed to have no knowledge of the boxes' contents.
The main problem, though, is that Gerardi falls in love with Wolfs' daughter when they meet in a car park at their daughters' school. Er, the rogue detective pursuing a conspiracy accidentally finds himself with one of the conspirators as a prospective father-in-law, out of a country of 11 million people? Klaus turned on Wolfs because, as he said, only a naive sentimentalist could believe it was a coincidence - but it was!! The plot would never have been unravelled without that glaring happenstance.
Other more minor issues - it wasn't really confirmed how Wolfs or Klaus got the inside information about the deposit boxes. There was a suicidal clerk who might have given them the information, but he can't have known that all the boxes would contain incriminating documents.
It also wasn't clear how the Salamander people sabotaged Gerardi's car. He had parked outside his house after a night out. He told his wife and daughter to stay in the car while he investigated the house. Only after a while did they join Gerardi inside. The sabotage could only have happened after that. But then Gerardi decided to send his family away on the spur of the moment, so the sabotage had to have happened before then. How did the bombers know that they had this extremely brief window of time to sabotage the car, and how could they be sure they would not be caught in the act? The reasonable assumption would be that the Gerardis would go to bed, and so the car could be sabotaged at their leisure at any time during the night, and so they would wait until the lights went off.
It is also a bit weird that an order of monks might be better equipped than the Belgian police to deal with a major conspiracy and coup attempt. Or maybe not.
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