Tour de France Unchained (Netflix)

mewso

Anyone checked it out yet? I've watched the first few episodes. Not bad so far. Room still gets dusty for "I'm just a farmer's son from Belgium" and there is quite a bit of emotion in it. Not having access to UAE means Pogacar appears as a kind of mythical creature looming over the race. I'll say more when I finish. So far so decent but ultimately I'm more curious how a non-cycling fan might find it. Will the tactics make sense? Will it get people watching the sport?

Squidgy Black

Watched the first couple episodes, it’s very well done. And kept very ‘simple’ like the Formula 1 series, in that they don’t go too in-depth into tactics and the different types of stages etc at the start.

I don’t think it’ll have the same effect as the F1 series in terms of numbers watching it and getting interested in the sport, primarily because it’s a French series with some English sprinkled in, and apparently the dubbing is quite poor (have been watching with subtitles myself). Lot of people won’t bother watching stuff with subtitles

retalivity

Only just watched the first episode, the managed to make the god-awful bridge stage in Denmark seem exciting, so good start! Stage 3 seems to have got no coverage at all, maybe because I have no memory of it either

Orla from Eurosport seems to have a prominent role as one of the talking heads.

phelixoflaherty

Fwiw this is on Tg4 player. The book was a fantastic read.

https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/play/?pid=6328596745112&title=Slaying%20The%20Badger&series=Slaying%20The%20Badger&genre=Faisneis&pcode=619900

mewso

Does drive to survive insert that fake audio for various things? The crashes seem to have been enhanced audio wise, close ups of riders struggling with heavy breathing audio inserted and when a rider grabs a musette you hear a thunk etc. Not that bad but noticeable. I suppose it's modern documentary 101.

dastardly00

Just watched Episode 1. Very slick and well made. Looking forward to the rest of the episodes.

Birka

I've just watched episode one. It's enjoyable but I found the combination of subtitles and fast moving content hard going. The introduction has a lot of fast changing content and its hard to take in everything and read the subtitles at the same time.

The Least Expected Day is much better paced in that regard but I'll stick with this and see how it goes.

Mefistofelino

Just regard it as a the same type of advertorial as Drive to Survive and you won't go far wrong. No dirty laundry,, fake race commentary and sound effects, team bosses all determined to be the star.

I think The Least Expected Day is better as Movistar don't appear to have any reservations about depicting the entir team, top to bottom, as an utter shambles.

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120692783#Comment_120692783

Fake commentary is true. Combined with poor subtitles it does fail badly on occasion. There is an episode about the fight for the podium (3rd) between Gaudu and Thomas and many of the team guys are obviously saying we want to get on the podium but the subtitles keep saying 'Podium Win' then the french commentary over the start of whatever stage says "now we see who can get the podium win". As if commentators would be doing anything other than discussing the fight between Pog and Ving at this point (Gaudu involved or not).

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120692783#Comment_120692783

I still hadn't seen S3 of the The Least Expected Day, forgot about it altogether when it intially came out on Spanish Netflix, but noticed that it was available on our Netflix yesterday after watching a few eps of the TDF unchained last night.

Watched the first episode of S3, it is comical, forgot how ridiculous a team they are. Token piece on AVV and her success? Endless fawning over Bala? Valiant effort in the break but ultimately finishing 2nd? Endless 'Vamos, Venga, Vamos' from the team car? Riders doing their own thing and everything going to crap immediately?

Check, check, check, check and check!

happytramp

Orla is definitely there to explain the basics to non fans... She pops up to explain certain elements, like why it wasn't cool for van aert to drop vinnegard when they'd opened up a gap on POG on stage 4.... She's the perfect choice for that role I think. Knowledgeable but casual vibe.

The bridge segment was excellent.. I remember the bridge being built up and hyped during the actual stage but then turning out to be a bit of a non event. They actually made it seem pretty exciting.

mewso

Since this is about something specific I'll spoiler it.

Spoiler Warning

They left out Pog's fall and Jonas waiting for him. Bizarre moment to skip.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120692783#Comment_120692783

The funny thing is, I suspect most of Movistar believe they came out looking good 🤣

dahat

EP3 with FDJ & AG2R was an excellent watch for me.

Roberto_gas

Binge watched yesterday..excellent!

lissard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120699386#Comment_120699386

Absolutely class episode. Really, really enjoying it.

gn3dr

Just started this last night and watched the first 2 episodes. I think it's brilliant.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120692027#Comment_120692027

Weird how they don't even mention what happened on the skipped stages and made a terrible choice to only have Orla as a talking head and cut out those legs 🤣

Just about to watch episode 3 now which is about Tibo so gonna try my best not to cry.

Also for anyone who likes this there is a series of Ronde documentaries on YouTube shot from inside the team cars. Covers Ronde 100 to 104 I think.

07Lapierre

Those Tattoos!!! Anyone that obsessed has a problem IMO!

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120704561#Comment_120704561

The AG2R guy? Cringy as hell.

breezy1985

He is lucky he only the AG2R boss. If he worked for Quickstep he would have victories tattooed all the way down to his toes.

DaveyDave

Started watching this tonight, just finished episode 3 and it's already intense, those lads couldn't catch a break. Torn muscle, other lad getting hit in the face. Multiple crashes each then having to ride at an elite level for 5 hours!

breezy1985

Just watched the Alpecin episode. Jeysus their backroom lads look like an awful bore.

mr spuckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120704569#Comment_120704569

My wife who isn't into cycling at all has been watching the series with me and is really enjoying it. Both of us were convinced that there's something a bit off with that lad though.

Really good episode and time flying is by when watching the series so far.

NIMAN

Any mention of doping in it?

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120712913#Comment_120712913

Vaughters briefly mentions his colourful history but there is no discussion of the colourful history of the sport as a whole.

breezy1985

It's a review of the 2022 Tour which didn't have any doping controversy so no.

wpd

watched all the episodes - enjoyed it. the producers had to bring out stories to hook the audience, such as the jumbo one of van aert not wanting to wait for Vingegaaard. In reality I wonder was this such a big deal in the team.

7 out of 10 for me although i could do with seeing a lot less of Marc Madiot, I actually started to feel sorry for his riders

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120713724#Comment_120713724

Other than Quintana being scrubbed from the race results due to his "banned, but not really" use of tramadol, and Bahrain having their hotel raided at the Grand Depart.

But even if there were some "full-fat" doping issues at the race, I don't think the Netflix series is where I'd be looking for critical commentary on the matter.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120714162#Comment_120714162

I forgot that raid was at this TdF feels like it was 2 years ago.

Ya much better stuff than Netflix for the big issues. I spotted a new book about Valverde and Spanish cycling which seems to be a critical analysis. Couldn't give a flick through as the bookshop was closed.

mewso

Context is a good thing and historical doping and where things are at now would give a sense of where the sport is now as we begin the TDF 2022. I would have liked a bit more history, never mind doping, so the newbie can appreciate the significance of winning a Stage, GC, winning on an iconic climb like Alpe d'Huez etc. The history of the Sport, it's Monuments and Grand Tours is genuinely fascinating imo. I probably said it when this was first announced but I would prefer a series that looks at a whole season. It would have to be more than 8 episodes but so be it. 2 episodes on winter prep. and planning along with the spring classics, 3 episodes on the Giro, 3 on the TDF and 2 on the Vuelta and Lombardia.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120714548#Comment_120714548

That just wouldn't work for cycling. The 3 GTs each have their own protagonists and plots and the monuments are split in 2 in that way and then you have the WC. It would have no narrative.

As well as that there is no single rights holder to all the races.

These embedded documentaries are always agreed to on the basis that they promote the sport/team so will always be a bit bias. Correct me if I am wrong but was Pep asked about his doping in the City doc or Juventus' finances dug into ?

gucci

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120693392#Comment_120693392

Crap, never realised there was a S3 of the least expected day. That was great lockdown TV for me when there was little or no sport on TV and i had an infant who didnt like to sleep!

07Lapierre

Another documentary worth watching: (and its free)

https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/play/?pid=6328596745112&title=Slaying%20The%20Badger&series=Slaying%20The%20Badger&genre=Faisneis&pcode=619900

dastardly00

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120714199#Comment_120714199

What's the book breezy?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120715395#Comment_120715395

It's called "The Green Bullet"

Had never heard of it but saw it in the shop window of O'Mahony's books last night. About Valverde and also Spanish cycling corruption it seems.

JMcL

I finished it last night, and thought it gripping.

I'll stick the rest in a spoiler in case anybody hasn't seen it, or last years Tour for that matter

Spoiler Warning

In my opinion, the 2022 tour was one of the best for decades (I discount anything from the early 90s through to the retirement of the Armstrong era brigade as I can't honestly believe any of them, and the stranglehold of Sky through the last decade was just.... meh). But last year almost every day you'd be wondering what was Wout going to do? How were Jumbo going to get the Jersey form Pog (WvA played a crucial role in stage 11 in bringing Rog back as a super domestique that wasn't mentioned)? and Pidcock's masterclass in descending like a maniac on the Galibier going on to win on the Alpe.

Getting to see a bit of other riders who rarely get the limelight was great, and I'm not sure if some of the stuff on the tour buses was actual fly on the wall or staged post (would they really discuss the days tactics in from of a camera crew?), but they paced it very well overall.

It wouldn't be without criticism however:

If I knew nothing about the race, I'd think it was only about the yellow jersey, why were Wout and Pog wearing randomly different coloured jerseys to their respective teammates? I'm not 100% sure they actually explained what the yellow jersey actually was - though I may have missed this

The main French talking head (Steve Chainel?) I found irritating by and large

Others have commented on the poor dubbing/subtitling. I can't comment on the dubbing, but I didn't really notice the subtitling, though I'm fairly proficient in French anyway so maybe didn't pay too much attention to it

I just don't buy the image of Lefevere as a nice guy as depicted, which would lead you to wonder about some of the rest

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120718547#Comment_120718547

I disagree about that Tour. I found it have very few narratives and 2 nice but fairly bland protagonists personality wise.

The other classifications were poor last year too.

billyhead

There's not many characters in pro cycling these days. You miss the likes of Sagan who would have been great on a show like this.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719101#Comment_120719101

Sagan and Oss are a good laugh in interviews.

But they don't have to be outrageous personalities to make it work. Pinot/Ala/Bernal had plenty of drama or some of the Froome vs Movistar Tours.

Pog and Vingo just don't really seem to have much of a rivalry. The big stories in cycling currently seem to be in the classics.

My only complaint about the actual documentary is the team car cams are not used more. Those guys are more exciting than the talking heads.

kenmc

Watched first 4 episodes on a flight earlier in week will watch rest on way home tmw. Really enjoying it, particularly like the tactics discussions on the bus. Also like the occasional onboard cameras - I miss that view of bike racing since I quit racing

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719351#Comment_120719351

I find that most are too polished media wise, and they’re also just all too sound to each other.

You need that rivalry and a few heads who are willing to take a dig at others to spice it up in the media.

Remco’s a bit more that style but just unfortunately doesn’t really have the results to back it up yet; whereas Vingegaard and Pog are just happy go lucky and everything’s rainbows and peace

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120720518#Comment_120720518

Remco can be accused of many things, but I didn't think "doesn't really have the results yet" was one of them.

mewso

2 Monuments, a Grand Tour and World Championships just doesn't cut it.

Squidgy Black

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120721570#Comment_120721570

Not for the level of arrogance especially when you take into account the depleted field at the Vuelta and the World Champs, I’m just saying I don’t think he has the credentials yet up against the likes of Pog to have the ego as big as he does but it’s off topic anyways

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120722081#Comment_120722081

Ah yeah I agree. Just couldn't resist. He was arrogant before he won anything really but it is more fun when they are gobsh1tes. Pog has his moments (Flanders last year) but Vingegaard is too nice.

breezy1985

Remco might be the gobshte the sport needs. I cheer against as much as for in GC battles and I feel with Ineos not what they were the current GC battle could do with a villain.

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120722143#Comment_120722143

Maybe they can get Christopher Nolan to direct the next TdF Unchained series -

Commissaire Gordon: "Because Remco is the gobshite cycling deserves, but not the one it needs right now"

Patches oHoulihan

Great viewing

G1032

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120721509#Comment_120721509

😂😂😂

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120722965#Comment_120722965

But that would probably mean the race itself would extend from 3 weeks to about 2.7 years, developing a weird time fold last time around the Place de la Concorde leading to Bernard Hinault and Jaques Anqueil battling it out for GC victory, and the entirety of France going on the lash for the rest of the summer