Ep 1. The Damned

The second season of the French crime drama Braquo kicks off with an episode entitled "The Damned". The series follows a group of police officers in a gritty Parisian suburb as they navigate their own personal demons while trying to maintain order and stem the tide of crime in their city.

The episode begins with a bang, as we witness a well-orchestrated prison break that sets the tone for the intensity of the season to come. From there, we jump right back into the fray with our main characters, each of whom is dealing with their own particular set of problems.

First up is Eddy Caplan (played by Jean-Hugues Anglade), the rough-around-the-edges leader of the team. He's just returning to work after a stint in prison, and he's looking to make a big splash in order to reassert his authority. Eddy's got a lot on his plate, however. On top of his own personal troubles, his team is in shambles, with members scattered to the wind after the events of the previous season.

We also catch up with Walter Morlighem (played by Joseph Malerba), the team's sniper and resident ladies' man. Walter is still reeling from the death of his twin brother, who was brutally murdered in the previous season. He's torn between pursuing justice for his brother and exacting revenge on the perpetrators, and it's clear that his emotions are getting the better of him.

Meanwhile, Roxane Delgado (played by Karole Rocher), the team's only female member, is struggling to balance her work life with the demands of her young son at home. She's clearly a tough cookie, but it's clear that the stresses of the job are starting to wear on her.

Finally, there's Theo Wachevski (played by Nicolas Duvauchelle), the team's newest member. Theo is a straight-laced cop who's been brought in to help clean up the department's image. He's also struggling to come to terms with his burgeoning feelings for Roxane, which are complicated by the fact that he's engaged to be married.

As the episode unfolds, we see each of these characters struggling to deal with their own issues while also trying to track down a group of escaped convicts who are wreaking havoc across the city. The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable as the team races against the clock to catch the criminals before they can strike again.

Overall, "The Damned" is a tense and gripping introduction to the second season of Braquo. The characters are complex and well-drawn, and the action is both visceral and realistic. If you're a fan of gritty crime dramas, this is definitely one to check out.