This is a Corsican cousin to "Godfather II", only with a woman taking over the family. It begins with her - a lawyer - apparently inclined to live closer to a normal life than that she's been called to, but through the two seasons I've watched shows her embracing the role she's been given all the way. Which soon includes a lot of violence. The real key here is her relationship with her brother, who has been passed over for the top role, but fully supports her for a long time. The anchor of the series is Hélène Fillières, who has a fascinating face with the angry sexuality of a teen, a smoldering way of looking at those she's confronting - for business or otherwise. Many of the scenes come down to her staring intently at someone else - whether with menace, seduction or decison. The big weakness is in the writing, which isn't always consistent, notably in her sexual behavior, which may well spice up the series but seems out of character at times. Also, for those used to this genre of the fundamentally decent person somehow involved in unsavory activity, there are certain rules, which are blithely violated here: the family keeps its word (not always here); the protection of the family is guaranteed (not so much), Sometimes when people are killed the reason is obvious; sometimes it seems very arbitrary. And the show gets increasingly violent as it goes on. It retains a unique quality and a variety of engaging relationships, so I'm sure many will be drawn in to keep watching. But to a large degree, I think it's more for Fillières's compelling presence than well-crafted stories.
