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1985 - season 1
The series 1985 leaves you with a feeling of unease, but you should definitely not miss it.
In 1985 we follow the lives of three young adults who, at the end of their student days, make the transition to real life. Marc De Vuyst (Tijmen Govaerts, De Kraak) is the best friend of Franky Verhellen (Aimé Claeys, Onder Vuur) and has a soft spot for his sister Vicky (Mona Mina Leon). The three come from Lovendegem, a small East Flemish municipality, but the series mainly takes place in Etterbeek in Brussels.
Marc and Franky join forces with the Rijkswacht, a national police force based on military principles. Their motives are not the same, but related. Marc is still dealing with the death of his father, a former gendarme who died under unclear circumstances. He hopes that during his service he will learn more about his father's assignment. Franky and Vicky's mother has passed away and their father is unable to cope with that loss. This manifests itself in a cynical indifference toward his two children. For Franky, his entry into the Rijkswacht is a flight from a devastated family and the hope of a better life. Vicky studies law at the University of Brussels, which is located directly opposite the training center of the Gendarmerie. Vicky also lives more in her student room than at home and has a rebellious character. In her spare time she is a DJ at an illegal radio station and she is active in the left-wing student protest. Politically, brother and sister are diametrically opposed.
In addition to the fictional story of the three main characters, the series is also a semi-documentary about the violent events that disrupted public life in Belgium in the early eighties. The makers emphasize at the beginning of each episode that the story is fictional, but most of the criminal facts they show have all really happened. Characters such as Major (later Colonel) Vernaillen, former gendarmes Bouhouche and Beyer, Maréchal Paul Latinus are (or were) real people. The facts are also about more than those of the 'Bende van Nijvel': the theft of the weapons of the Diane group, the murder of Juan Mendez, the robbery of the cash courier of Walibi,... are, officially at least, not acts assigned to the gang.
Forty years after the facts, not a single suspect has been arrested, let alone convicted, and a lot of theories are circulating about the how and why. They range from a group of criminal psychopaths who kill for lust rather than money, to conspiracies for a right-wing coup. Some of these theories are also discussed in the series. Major Vernaillen and Marc articulate some of the possible lines of thought in their conversations. The makers themselves hint at a far-reaching involvement of the management of the Rijkswacht. The facts shown in the series are therefore not always what really happened, but should rather be seen as how it could have happened.
I was born in the sixties myself and was the same age as the main characters in the eighties. From that point of view, I can only agree that the series very accurately reflects the atmosphere and image of society. It's not an optimistic story, because it was quite a dark period. Realism is enhanced by the use of authentic images and text frames with additional interpretation. But the strength is also the weakness of the series, because it obviously cannot offer the truth about who the perpetrators really were.
The main characters undergo a dramatic turn in their lives. Marc is bitten by the mystery and bites into the investigation, hoping to also find the truth about his father's death. Even if it is at the expense of his personal life. Franky absolutely wants to belong to the club of the big boys and has to give up his own principles to do so. It will take him on a path marked by loneliness and tragedy.
Aimé Claeys delivers a brilliant performance here with the transformation from the carefree youngster to the tormented policeman. Debutante Mona Mina Leon holds her own between experienced actors such as Peter Van den Begin (Fair Trade) and Tom Vermeir (Beau Séjour). A special compliment also to Roda Farwaz (Unit 42) who not only plays Madani Bouhouche, he just is. The physical resemblance is nothing short of striking.
If there is some criticism to be given, it is that the series is a bit too short. The CCC terror attacks, for example, are just a footnote in one episode. The personal stories could also have been fleshed out a bit more.
A captivating series that leaves you with a feeling of discomfort. And yet 1985 is an absolute must-watch.
Follow 1985In 1985 we follow the lives of three young adults who, at the end of their student days, make the transition to real life. Marc De Vuyst (Tijmen Govaerts, De Kraak) is the best friend of Franky Verhellen (Aimé Claeys, Onder Vuur) and has a soft spot for his sister Vicky (Mona Mina Leon). The three come from Lovendegem, a small East Flemish municipality, but the series mainly takes place in Etterbeek in Brussels.
Marc and Franky join forces with the Rijkswacht, a national police force based on military principles. Their motives are not the same, but related. Marc is still dealing with the death of his father, a former gendarme who died under unclear circumstances. He hopes that during his service he will learn more about his father's assignment. Franky and Vicky's mother has passed away and their father is unable to cope with that loss. This manifests itself in a cynical indifference toward his two children. For Franky, his entry into the Rijkswacht is a flight from a devastated family and the hope of a better life. Vicky studies law at the University of Brussels, which is located directly opposite the training center of the Gendarmerie. Vicky also lives more in her student room than at home and has a rebellious character. In her spare time she is a DJ at an illegal radio station and she is active in the left-wing student protest. Politically, brother and sister are diametrically opposed.
In addition to the fictional story of the three main characters, the series is also a semi-documentary about the violent events that disrupted public life in Belgium in the early eighties. The makers emphasize at the beginning of each episode that the story is fictional, but most of the criminal facts they show have all really happened. Characters such as Major (later Colonel) Vernaillen, former gendarmes Bouhouche and Beyer, Maréchal Paul Latinus are (or were) real people. The facts are also about more than those of the 'Bende van Nijvel': the theft of the weapons of the Diane group, the murder of Juan Mendez, the robbery of the cash courier of Walibi,... are, officially at least, not acts assigned to the gang.
© Een
Forty years after the facts, not a single suspect has been arrested, let alone convicted, and a lot of theories are circulating about the how and why. They range from a group of criminal psychopaths who kill for lust rather than money, to conspiracies for a right-wing coup. Some of these theories are also discussed in the series. Major Vernaillen and Marc articulate some of the possible lines of thought in their conversations. The makers themselves hint at a far-reaching involvement of the management of the Rijkswacht. The facts shown in the series are therefore not always what really happened, but should rather be seen as how it could have happened.
I was born in the sixties myself and was the same age as the main characters in the eighties. From that point of view, I can only agree that the series very accurately reflects the atmosphere and image of society. It's not an optimistic story, because it was quite a dark period. Realism is enhanced by the use of authentic images and text frames with additional interpretation. But the strength is also the weakness of the series, because it obviously cannot offer the truth about who the perpetrators really were.
The main characters undergo a dramatic turn in their lives. Marc is bitten by the mystery and bites into the investigation, hoping to also find the truth about his father's death. Even if it is at the expense of his personal life. Franky absolutely wants to belong to the club of the big boys and has to give up his own principles to do so. It will take him on a path marked by loneliness and tragedy.
Aimé Claeys delivers a brilliant performance here with the transformation from the carefree youngster to the tormented policeman. Debutante Mona Mina Leon holds her own between experienced actors such as Peter Van den Begin (Fair Trade) and Tom Vermeir (Beau Séjour). A special compliment also to Roda Farwaz (Unit 42) who not only plays Madani Bouhouche, he just is. The physical resemblance is nothing short of striking.
If there is some criticism to be given, it is that the series is a bit too short. The CCC terror attacks, for example, are just a footnote in one episode. The personal stories could also have been fleshed out a bit more.
A captivating series that leaves you with a feeling of discomfort. And yet 1985 is an absolute must-watch.
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