List of The Bureau episodes
| List of The Bureau episodes | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Spy fiction, Drama |
| Created by | Éric Rochant |
| Written by | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau, Cécile Ducrocq, Emmanuel Bourdieu |
| Directed by | Éric Rochant, Mathieu Demy, Laïla Marrakchi, Hélier Cisterne, Jean-Marc Moutout, |
| Starring | |
| Production | |
| Production companies |
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The Bureau is a French drama series which first aired on Canal+ and in France was titled Le Bureau des Légendes.
Based on real accounts by former spies and inspired by contemporary events), The Bureau centres on the daily life and missions of spies within the DGSE (General Directorate for External Security - the French equivalent of the United States's CIA or the UK's MI6), and its department in charge of most undercover agents, known as the Bureau of Legends. Working in key locations around the world and living under false identities (or 'legends') for years, these agents' missions are to identify potential sources.
The series focuses on French intelligence officer Guillaume "Malotru" Debailly (Matthieu Kassovitz), who returns to the French capital after six years undercover in Syria. He has to face the challenge of reconnecting with his daughter, his ex-wife, colleagues and even his old self. But his return to 'normal life' proves difficult, especially when he is informed that Nadia, his lover in Damascus, is also in Paris. For love, he is willing to take risks…for himself and the Bureau.
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | Network | |||
| 1 | 10 | April 27, 2015 | May 25, 2015 | Canal+ | |
| 2 | 10 | May 9, 2016 | June 6, 2016 | ||
| 3 | 10 | TBA | TBA | ||
Episodes
Season 1 (2015)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | US air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Episode 1" | Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | April 27, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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Agent Malotru (Debailly) is recalled to Paris, after six years undercover in Damascus, and he ends his affair with Nadia El Mansour. Agent Cyclone is arrested, drunk, in Algiers, despite having previously claimed to be teetotal. Debailly struggles to return to a more normal working life, and cannot forget Nadia. He starts training Marina Loiseau, who will be the Bureau's undercover agent in Iran. Debailly resumes contact with Nadia, when he discovers that she too is in Paris. Meanwhile, the DGSE must find agent Cyclone, who has gone missing in Algeria. | |||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Episode 2" | Jean-Marc Moutout, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | April 27, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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Debailly remains under routine surveillance, whilst resuming his affair with Nadia under his cover identity Paul Lefevbre. He starts to question Nadia's reason for being in Paris. Meanwhile, the DGSE hires psychologist Dr Balmes, who is asked to review his state of mind. Agent Gherbi is exfiltrated from Algiers after hearing about Cyclone, and Marina continues to be trained for her mission. The episode closes with a brief scene with Debailly recounting his story while connected to a polygraph. | |||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Episode 3" | Jean-Marc Moutout, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau, Cécile Ducrocq | May 4, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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Marina starts work at the Institute of Earth Physics. A brief scene shows Debailly, connected to a polygraph, continuing to recount his story. The DGSE interrogates Gherbi to confirm he is not also working for Algerian intelligence. Duflot's brother-in-law works undercover in the Sahara Desert. Meanwhile, Nadia's visits to Lefevbre arouse the suspicion of Syrian agent Nadim. Debailly digs into Nadia's background, and confronts her as to why she is really in Paris. | |||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Episode 4" | Hélier Cisterne, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau, Emmanuel Bourdieu | May 4, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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The episode starts with a flashforward of Debailly continuing to explain his story. Nadim investigates Paul Lefevbre, and tells Nadia not to see him again. But he finds them having dinner, and interrogates Lefevbre. Nadia confesses her true reason for being in Paris, and Debailly realises that their relationship puts her in danger. Meanwhile, Reza starts to flirt with Marina, and she has to rebuff his advances. DGSE tries to find out if the Algerians are holding Cyclone, and must stop his mother travelling there to search for him. | |||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Episode 5" | Hélier Cisterne, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau | May 11, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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DGSE makes contact with Algerians holding Cyclone, and Sisteron goes to Algeria. The Syrians continue to investigate Paul Lefevbre, testing him by mugging him in the street. They also seek help from the Russians. Meanwhile, DGSE puts Marina through a surprise mock interrogation. DGSE is also concerned that Cyclone's capture could have compromised the Sahara Desert operation, in which the Americans are involved. In flashforward, Debailly continues to recount his story to the Americans. | |||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Episode 6" | Mathieu Demy, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau, Emmanuel Bourdieu | May 11, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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Debailly continues to investigate the leads on Cyclone. Nadim traces Debailly's daughter Prune and starts asking about him. Marina and another agent force a colleague at the Institute to refuse the secondment to Iran. Debailly realises that the Syrians and Russians are tailing him, and finally tells Duflot about Nadia and her involvement with the Syria talks. Meanwhile, the DGSE identifies who is holding Cyclone for ransom in Algeria. | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Episode 7" | Mathieu Demy, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau | May 18, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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Debailly continues to be tailed by the Russians. The DGSE meet an Algerian with information about Cyclone. They decide to recruit Nadia; Marie-Jeanne realises that Debailly has not told her the full truth, and confronts him. She also helps Marina compel a second colleague to refuse the Iran secondment, and teaches Marina a lesson about not getting close to her contacts. Debailly continues to be interrogated by the CIA in flashforward; it is revealed that Dr Balmes works for the Americans. | |||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Episode 8" | Laïla Marrakchi, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau | May 18, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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Nadia refuses to betray her country, and is angry at Lefevbre's revelations. Ill from the stress of her situation, she confesses to Nadim, and is flown back to Syria. The Russian FSB confronts DGSE and buys its silence. In Algeria, DGSE fails to plant a bug on the General holding Cyclone; Cyclone is handed over to ISIS. Marina is trained to deal with interrogation by Marie-Jeanne, tested by an Iranian agent pretending to be Reza's wife, and offered the Iran secondment. In flashforward, Debailly continues to talk to the CIA; the Americans do not fully believe his story. | |||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Episode 9" | Laïla Marrakchi, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau | May 25, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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ISIS threatens to execute Cyclone; Debailly is asked to work on his rescue. Nadim tries to blackmail him with Nadia's life, wanting him to betray Syrian sources; Debailly refuses to do so. The Americans pull out of the Sahara operation; DGSE suspects they may have a mole. Marina is further tested before leaving for Iran. Debailly shares details of the rescue plan for Cyclone with his colleagues. | |||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Episode 10" | Hélier Cisterne, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant, Camille de Castelnau | May 25, 2015 | December 14, 2016 | |
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Debailly asks DGSE to help Nadia, but is refused. He attracts the CIA by approaching the Syrians, purporting to represent the Americans, and takes time off to meet the CIA (revealed as the flashforwards shown from Episode Two). Dr Balmes suggests his motivation is not love for Nadia, but craving for the double life he experienced undercover. He agrees to return to the DGSE as a CIA double agent. Meanwhile, Marina disappears in Tbilisi en route to Iran, kidnapped by the Georgian secret service to see from where she seeks help. Cyclone is rescued in an ambush near the border with Mali. | |||||||
Season 2 (2016)
The series was the best performing new drama on the French premium pay net since Les Revenants in 2012.[1] It was therefore quickly renewed for a second season. Shooting started in September 2015 and ended in February 2016.[2] The series was broadcast on Canal+ in May 2016.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | US air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Episode 1" | Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | May 9, 2016 | TBA | |
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Marina begins to socialise with young Iranians, including Zamani, the son of a well-connected minister. She finds adapting to the internal politics a challenge. The Americans fail to rescue Nadia in an ambush in Lebanon. Debailly threatens to withdraw co-operation; the CIA retaliates by threatening to betray him, then asks him to make a better offer. Debailly offers to share a prospective DGSE source within Iran's nuclear industry. The DGSE discovers that one of ISIS's executioners, Boumaza, is a French national. | |||||||
| 12 | 2 | "Episode 2" | Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | May 9, 2016 | TBA | |
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Debailly recalls when he first met Nadia, and continues to agonise about her fate. The CIA confirms its interest in Zamani, but Debailly and Marie-Jeanne fall out over Marina's mission; Debailly persuades Deflot to replace her with him as Marina's handler. Debailly tells Marina to get close to Zamani. The Iranian secret police take an interest in Zamani and Marina. The French Government authorises action against Boumaza; Cyclone cultivates the jihadist's family, and Sisteron poses as a supportive lawyer. Duflot continues to hunt for the mole inside the Bureau. Nadia is held prisoner in Syria. | |||||||
| 13 | 3 | "Episode 3" | Samuel Collardey, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | May 16, 2016 | TBA | |
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The DGSE recruits the jihadist's sister, planning to trap and kill Boumaza. Meanwhile the Iranian secret police continues to investigate Marina, and DGSE discovers this from a source. Marina is recalled to Paris, but leaves on an expedition before receiving the message, and is arrested. In Syria, Judge Badran interrogates Nadia about her affair. Duflot suspects that Dr Balmes, who has resigned from the DGSE, may have been the CIA mole, but fails to find any evidence. | |||||||
| 14 | 4 | "Episode 4" | Samuel Collardey, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | May 16, 2016 | TBA | |
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DGSE receives a report that Nadia has been executed in Syria, but the CIA has warned Debailly to anticipate false reports, and agrees to work with him in return for his Iranian source. Marina is interrogated by the Pasdaran, then released, and she returns to Paris. Duflot tells Marina not to contact Zamani, who is coming to Paris, but Debailly then tells her to contact him again. Sisteron and the sister arrange to meet Boumaza on the Syrian border, where the Turkish military intend his capture. However, the sister is communicating secretly with her brother. Meanwhile, after a mock execution, Nadia is given her 'freedom', but forced to work undercover for the Syrian government representing its rebels abroad. | |||||||
| 15 | 5 | "Episode 5" | Elie Wajeman, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | May 23, 2016 | TBA | |
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Duflot discovers that Debailly disregarded his order to Marina not to contact Zamani, dismisses him for misconduct, and reinstates Marie-Jeanne as handler. But Duflot's boss decides Marina should continue cultivating Zamani. Debailly maintains contact with the CIA. Nadia, visiting France, refuses to see him. Meanwhile, Sisteron sets out with Boumaza's sister to meet the jihadist. Turkish special forces extract Sisteron, but they are ambushed by jihadists and Sisteron is captured. Too late, DGSE discovers the sister's communication with Boumaza. | |||||||
| 16 | 6 | "Episode 6" | Elie Wajeman, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | May 23, 2016 | TBA | |
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Boumaza takes Sisteron into Syria. DGSE decides not to attack, to protect its local agents. He hears that Turkish forces have his sister, and exchanges Sisteron for her, after cutting off his foot. DGSE ask Debailly back unofficially to lead a team to hunt Boumaza; he plans assassination using a suicide bomber. Duflot notices, from the GPS history of Debailly's phone, the weekend when it was untraceable (when he was with the CIA). He plants a bug in Dr Balmes's office. Nadia, in Paris, is reluctant to continue her role, but Nadim forces her; she contacts the DGSE for help. Celine arranges for Nadia to meet Debailly. Meanwhile, Marina returns to Iran, tasked with recruiting Zamani. Debailly passes her reports onto the CIA. | |||||||
| 17 | 7 | "Episode 7" | Laïla Marrakchi, Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | May 30, 2016 | TBA | |
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Continuing her meeting with Debailly, Nadia insists that DGSE help her escape from her forced role as figurehead for the Syrian rebels. Debailly decides to compromise Nadim by forging his application for asylum; he defects, and Nadia is taken away to a safe house. Debailly and Dr Balmes discover the bug in her office. The CIA stands Dr Balmes down from its service. Meanwhile, the French are close to securing Zamani as a source, only to find he has just been recruited by the CIA. Debailly continues to plan to execute the jihadist. | |||||||
| 18 | 8 | "Episode 8" | Laïla Marrakchi, Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | May 30, 2016 | TBA | |
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Dulfot goes to interview Marina personally about how the CIA managed to recruit Zamani. Marie-Jeanne wants to exfiltrate Marina, but she is overruled. Zamani gets caught texting his handler from an Iranian government meeting; his arrest leads to Marina's. Meanwhile, Duflot questions Nadim about Lefevbre, but he sticks to the answers Debailly had briefed him to give. Marie-Jeanne questions Nadia. Debailly writes a farewell letter to his daughter. The DGSE identifies a German journalist with ISIS connections, as a way to reach Boumaza in Syria. | |||||||
| 19 | 9 | "Episode 9" | Hélier Cisterne, Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | June 6, 2016 | TBA | |
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The suicide bomber pulls out of the mission against Boumaza, and Debailly steps into the operation, travelling to Syria but swearing his team to secrecy. He finishes his letter to Prune. DGSE hears that Marina is being interrogated by the Iranian secret police, who are torturing Zamani. The DGSE meets the CIA and insists that they identify the mole; after being threatened, the Americans name Debailly. Prune finds Debailly gone from his flat, reads his letter, and alerts the DGSE. | |||||||
| 20 | 10 | "Episode 10" | Hélier Cisterne, Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | June 6, 2016 | TBA | |
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Duflot lectures his team about loyalty, then offers to resign, but his boss refuses to accept. The DGSE investigates Debailly's disloyalty and interviews his colleagues. Debailly takes the suicide bomber's place as cameraman for the interview with Boumaza. In Iran, the CIA has agreed to trade one of its prisoners for Marina, but the Pasdaran try to kill her after encouraging her escape. However, she evades capture and is exfiltrated to France. In Raqqa, Debailly meets and kills the jihadist, but is himself captured and made hostage. Nadia opens the letter he left her, which expresses the same feelings about their love affair that she did, in the first episode of season one. | |||||||
Season 3 (2017)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Itunes release | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | "Episode 1" | Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | May 22, 2017 | TBA | |
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Malotru is still held captive by DAESH and the DGSE enlists Nadia and her Syrian connections to come up with a rescue plan. Tensions mount as the CIA is afraid that Malotru’s release could bring his scandalous treason to the public light. Meanwhile, Marina is still traumatized by her ordeal in Iran and is sinking deeper into paranoia. | |||||||
| 22 | 2 | "Episode 2" | Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | May 22, 2017 | TBA | |
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As Nadia finally initiates the negotiations between DAESH and the DGSE, Malotru finds a first glimmer of hope when one of his guards - a Russian mole working undercover for the FSB – offers to help him escape. Duflot must also take matters into hands to help Marina cope with an ever-aggravating case of PTSD. | |||||||
| 23 | 3 | "Episode 3" | Samuel Collardey, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | May 29, 2017 | TBA | |
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Malotru’s latest hopes are dashed when the FSB mole – the only man able to help him – is hurt in combat. Meanwhile, Marina is approached by Phillippe, who pretends to work for the DGSE but is actually a Mossad agent here to recruit her. | |||||||
| 24 | 4 | "Episode 4" | Samuel Collardey, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | May 29, 2017 | TBA | |
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A high-ranking DAESH commander named Cochise uses Malotru’s latest proof-of-life video to send an old coded message to the DGSE and let them know he is ready to defect. The Russian mole comes back with new orders from the FSB: let Malotru rot in his cell. In the meantime, Philippe begins to train Marina, still thinking she is just a rookie, and asks her to speak at a conference in Baku. | |||||||
| 25 | 5 | "Episode 5" | Elie Wajeman, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | June 5, 2017 | TBA | |
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Jihadist forces are closing down on Malotru and the Russian agent, who must fight for their survival while alone on enemy territory. Duflot is preparing to go out into the field in Syria to meet with Cochise, who may be his only chance to get Malotru out of DAESH hell alive. Back in Paris, Marie-Jeanne replaces Duflot at the head of the DGSE. | |||||||
| 26 | 6 | "Episode 6" | Elie Wajeman, Éric Rochant | Éric Rochant | June 5, 2017 | TBA | |
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Malotru must struggle on his own to survive and escape his pursuers in Syria. Duflot is on his way to meet Cochise on the banks of the Euphrates. Meanwhile in Baku, Marina is offered a position at the seismology Institute. | |||||||
| 27 | 7 | "Episode 7" | Laïla Marrakchi, Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | June 12, 2017 | TBA | |
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Marina’s paranoia takes over again in Baku, putting her mission in serious jeopardy. In a tense encounter, Duflot negotiates for Cochise’s defection, on the sole condition that Malotru be released. | |||||||
| 28 | 8 | "Episode 8" | Laïla Marrakchi, Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | June 12, 2017 | TBA | |
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The DGSE is going through its darkest hour and Marie-Jeanne is on the frontline to keep everything on track. MAG greenlights an operation to exfiltrate Cochise and rescue Malotru at the same time. Meanwhile in Baku, Marina carries on with her mission for the Mossad and infiltrates the seismology’s institute computer system. | |||||||
| 29 | 9 | "Episode 9" | Hélier Cisterne, Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | June 19, 2017 | TBA | |
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The Bureau is pulling out all the stops to try and locate Malotru. Nadia and Prune are both called upon to help, but Malotru – always careful and professional to the extreme – has covered his tracks. Meanwhile, the wind is turning for Marina in Baku when Philippe finally realizes that this mission may not be her first after all. | |||||||
| 10 | 30 | "Episode 10" | Hélier Cisterne, Éric Rochant, Antoine Chevrollier | Éric Rochant | June 19, 2017 | TBA | |
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Philippe is holding Marina captive, and the Mossad is more than ready to finish her. She has to get out while she still can. Back in Paris, Marie-Jeanne finds out that Nadia and Malotru are planning to meet in secret and she is more determined than ever to use this opportunity to arrest him. | |||||||