The series was directed by Thierry Poiraud and Édouard Salier, with a script by Guillaume Lemans, Xabi Molia and Raphaëlle Richet. The Les Sentinelles books were published across four volumes between 2009 and 2014, and the television adaptation was developed and filmed in 2023.
Louis Peres plays the lead role of soldier Gabriel Ferraud. According to the series synopsis, at the outbreak of World War I, gravely wounded soldier Gabriel Ferraud is recruited into a top-secret French military program to create enhanced humans. After being injected with a mysterious serum, Gabriel gains extraordinary strength, speed, and resilience. He joins an elite unit known as the Sentinels, augmented soldiers forged for the front lines. As the war escalates, Gabriel uncovers a terrifying truth that could alter the fate of the conflict.
wild, stylish series that surprises at every turn
The ensemble cast includes Thibaut Evrard, Kacey Mottet-Klein, Carl Malapa, Olivia Ross and Ouassini Embarek. The series launched in France in 2025 and has proved a resounding hit with audiences. One IMDb reviewer called it a 'wild, stylish series that surprises at every turn', while another impressed viewer noted that the show contained some 'nice surprises' for its audience.
Nick Lee, head of BBC Programme Acquisition, described the series as a fully immersive war drama drenched in adrenaline. He added that the graphic novel origins have been cleverly adapted into a premium television experience by CANAL+ and that BBC audiences will revel in the blend of steampunk meets robo-cop. Lee also noted that there is a Frankenstein-ian level of depth and empathy to this story that really grips, and urged viewers to prepare for something totally different and unforgivingly entertaining.
nice surprises