With Flashback, TF1 launches this Thursday, April 3, a detective drama that blends investigation, comedy, and time travel. Starring Michaël Youn and Constance Gay, the series revisits the myth of returning to the past through an unlikely father-daughter duo.
A dual-time thriller that mixes suspense and nostalgia
Created by Clélia Constantine and Louise Bezombes, Flashback follows Elsa Letellier, a forensic scientist in Lyon, who is propelled without explanation into 1994, shortly before the unexplained murder of her father, himself a police officer. She sees this as a unique opportunity to prevent the tragedy by infiltrating his team, without revealing their family relationship. The plot then rests on a constant tension: will Elsa succeed in changing the course of events without disrupting the future?
This immersion in a bygone era creates a true generational clash between Elsa's rigor and the old-school style of her father, played by Michaël Youn. The tone oscillates between classic thriller and comedy, with lively dialogue, strong references to the 1990s, and touches of humor reminiscent of the heyday of the buddy movie.
Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the La Rochelle TV Fiction Festival, Flashback is also a visual success: sets, costumes and music immerse the viewer in a careful reconstruction of the era, between Walkmans, leather jackets and cars from another era.
A nod to “Back to the Future” and a fantasized era
The shadow of Back to the Future hangs over this series. The idea of finding a young parent who died too soon, and interacting with them while concealing their identity, is embraced by producers Pierre Laugier and Anthony Lancret, behind the hit series HPI. "What if I could find my father, whom I lost too soon?" Lancret explained to Radio France, summarizing the powerful emotional underpinnings of the story.
Michaël Youn, in an unexpected role as a loudmouth cop with questionable methods, embodies a familiar archetype: a Belmondo-esque hero, a bit of a cowboy, charismatic and unpredictable. The actor said he was inspired by these popular figures seen in bistros or cult films of the 1980s and 90s.
Across its six episodes, Flashback unfolds a serialized investigation, with generational references, and a reflection on family ties and memory. While not claiming to revolutionize the genre, the series aims to offer a more sensitive and entertaining version, driven by the promise of reconciling eras on screen and at home.
