Netflix Presents A Broad Look At The Drama of 'Le Tour'
Tour de France: Unchained (2023)
A Quick TV Review
The Tour de France begins its 2023 event on July 1, so Netflix's Tour de France: Unchained is certainly a timely release for cycling fans this month. And now at 110-years-old, the classic Grand Tour, 21-stage / 23-day event is ripe for the Netflix showcase treatment.
A Quick TV Review
The Tour de France begins its 2023 event on July 1, so Netflix's Tour de France: Unchained is certainly a timely release for cycling fans this month. And now at 110-years-old, the classic Grand Tour, 21-stage / 23-day event is ripe for the Netflix showcase treatment.
That 'showcase treatment' is both good and not-as-good. But it's a great start. And an enjoyable one focused on 2022's racing to get one casual fan's interest piqued for 2023.
The good? It's beautifully shot, and extremely vivid in its color and cinematography. France and its countryside look great, and, in general, the production does a good job outlining the basic setup of the Tour and the potential for drama throughout the stages.
Plus, there's a variety of personalities - riders featured include Olympic medalists Tadej Pogacar, Tom Pidcock, Rigoberto Uran, Wout van Aert, along with stars Thibaut Pinot, Geraint Thomas, David Gaudu, and, of course, eventual overall winner Jonas Vingegaard. A variety of team leaders and staff help to offer perspective on the team dynamics of the Tour.
It's that teamwork that Unchained looks to underscore, and does fairly well. Unlike the Olympic road race - a mass start, single day event where riders are largely on their own - the Tour's format of mountain vs flat stages and multiple team members spreads the focus across a wealth of stage win opportunities and individual goals that teammates are charged with supporting.
So, what's not to like? Like other Netflix sports series, particularly tennis' Break Point, there is so much wealth of activity and depth of storylines that a limited series can't and won't cover it all. Cycling fans who follow the Tour closely will be annoyed that the majority of teams - glaringly Pogacar's UAE Emirates - weren't referenced. And, with over 170 riders participating in 2022, the vast majority of riders' storylines go unseen. As it is, there is a sense of unanswered questions around many of the storylines that are presented. Did EF Education-EasyPost end financially sound? how did all the riders behind Vingegaard fare?
But I sense that the real target audience isn't that core fan of cycling. It's the casual fan and the general sports fan that will most draw drama and excitement out of Unchained, despite its minimal flaws. This colorful look at a marquee event does its job continuing a strong run in sports for Netflix...and consider the appetite whet for a 2023 version.
The good? It's beautifully shot, and extremely vivid in its color and cinematography. France and its countryside look great, and, in general, the production does a good job outlining the basic setup of the Tour and the potential for drama throughout the stages.
Plus, there's a variety of personalities - riders featured include Olympic medalists Tadej Pogacar, Tom Pidcock, Rigoberto Uran, Wout van Aert, along with stars Thibaut Pinot, Geraint Thomas, David Gaudu, and, of course, eventual overall winner Jonas Vingegaard. A variety of team leaders and staff help to offer perspective on the team dynamics of the Tour.
It's that teamwork that Unchained looks to underscore, and does fairly well. Unlike the Olympic road race - a mass start, single day event where riders are largely on their own - the Tour's format of mountain vs flat stages and multiple team members spreads the focus across a wealth of stage win opportunities and individual goals that teammates are charged with supporting.
So, what's not to like? Like other Netflix sports series, particularly tennis' Break Point, there is so much wealth of activity and depth of storylines that a limited series can't and won't cover it all. Cycling fans who follow the Tour closely will be annoyed that the majority of teams - glaringly Pogacar's UAE Emirates - weren't referenced. And, with over 170 riders participating in 2022, the vast majority of riders' storylines go unseen. As it is, there is a sense of unanswered questions around many of the storylines that are presented. Did EF Education-EasyPost end financially sound? how did all the riders behind Vingegaard fare?
But I sense that the real target audience isn't that core fan of cycling. It's the casual fan and the general sports fan that will most draw drama and excitement out of Unchained, despite its minimal flaws. This colorful look at a marquee event does its job continuing a strong run in sports for Netflix...and consider the appetite whet for a 2023 version.
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