Adapted from the 80s manga, the series Cat’s Eyes has won over French audiences. Broadcast every Monday since 11 November on TF1, the eight episodes of the first season could give rise to a second instalment.
For 40 years, Tsukasa Hôjô’s manga and cartoon Cat’s Eyes have galvanised the whole world. Building on this history, Big Band Story has co-produced the series for TF1, in association with Prime Video and ZDF, and with the participation of Newen Connect, Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS) and RTL tvi. Directed by Alexandre Laurent (Les Combattantes, Le Bazar de la Charité), this new version of Cat’s Eyes has become the most expensive series in TF1’s history, with a budget of 25 million euros. And the investment seems to have paid off.
Adventure in Paris
The series traces the origins of Cat’s Eyes. The three Chamade sisters, Alexia (played by Claire Romain), Tamara (Camille Lou) and Sylia (Constance Labbé), reunite after years apart. In 2023, in Paris, a work that belonged to their father, who died ten years earlier in a mysterious fire at his art gallery, resurfaces at an exhibition at the Eiffel Tower. To find out what really happened to him, the siblings improvise as burglars to steal the work that could answer their questions. BRB captain Quentin Chapuis (played by MB14) sets out to arrest them, unaware that one of the sisters is his long-time love, Tamara.
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A mix of action, romance and comedy, the series uses a variety of genres to appeal to the widest possible audience. Cat’s Eyes takes viewers on a journey through Paris, from the Louvre to the Château de Versailles, via the Monnaie de Paris, the Musée Guimet, the banks of the Seine, Montmartre and the restaurant Le Petit Mazarin. Far from the glamorous and luxurious world of the Emily in Paris series, which offered a watered-down image of the capital, the City of Light here stands as a playground for adventure. In the wake of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, this showcase for France’s heritage and art de vivre continues to raise the city’s profile, both in France and abroad (the series is broadcast in Switzerland and Belgium).
To further enhance its image, Cat’s Eyes has been able to count on the support of L’Oréal Paris, the series’ official make-up artist. With both brands promoting values of power and femininity, the beauty house was involved in the overall thinking behind the characters’ hairstyles and make-up, as well as providing artistic advice throughout the production. The brand took the title of the series and unveiled cat-eye beauty looks, with a feline and enigmatic gaze, the symbol of an assumed femininity. L’Oréal Paris reinforced its contribution with a campaign featuring Camille Lou and Cindy Bruna, and highlighted the products used in the series on its website.
An average audience of 4.02 million viewers
As the series came to an end on Monday 9 December, it was time to take stock. According to the figures reported by PureMédias, the series got off to a great start, attracting 5.12 million viewers (23.6% of the public and 38.6% of FRDA-50 (women responsible for purchases aged under 50)) for the first episode, then just over 4 million for the second episode. The final episode drew 3.92 million viewers, or 18.9% of viewers aged four and over and 32.8% of FRDA-50 viewers.
On average, the episodes were watched by 4.02 million viewers, 21.3% of the general public and 34.1% of FRDA-50. A lower score than the Brocéliande series (4.40 million viewers on average over six episodes), but still very respectable. Especially as Cat’s Eyes was broadcast at the same time as the ultra-popular programme L’Amour est dans le Pré on M6.
The appeal of the series and its solid ratings should encourage TF1 to continue with the opus. Although the channel has not yet officially ordered a season 2, the producers seem keen to extend the experience.
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Featured photo: © Cat’s Eyes – Big Band Story – TF1
