tim-vanlaere
This series centers around Dirk Porrez who manages a "small self employed" security firm. You could describe him as the picked on kid that grew up and does everything in his effort to do good from a certain naive view on the world. While "kicking back" and following through to realize this fantasy like ideal image of success. It allows very clever writing about interactions, feeling, causality, social status, setting priorities and situational humor.His employees are a loyal following that look up to him which gives value to Dirk and a sense of responsibility to take care of his "crew". While they, often incompetently, try to reach out to Dirk for his leadership and the anchor-role he embodies.While they are all a bit clumsy in different regards, they also have strengths they excel in just the right moments. The humor of the show lies in the way each individual aces or fails a new setting and a new situation (which their "security consultancy job" brings them). The way they are non- pretentious (in success and failure) and the variety of incidents makes it easy to identify at least a few times... As the characters, even a bit stereotypical, respond situational and can "win big" or "fail very badly" makes them very humane and recognizable.As the group revolves a lot around the subject of friendship, family and sticking together and up for each other, it gives a very down to earth chuckle with very solid values. It is one of the better lighthearted Flemish productions where you kind of feel "part of the losers" and feeling good and cool about it.The movie that has followed tried to push too much on stereotypes and a moralizing story by "sending a message", making it almost backfire - but people seemed very attached to the characters by the time they went to see the movie it passed. While it came across as a bit forced, it has irreversibly opened a new dimension for Dirk Porrez. By making the story about his "gay outing" it rendered him from a neutral, pseudo-workaholic wannabe authoritative figure with a soft heart into a personality that opens narrative for a gay love story (or channel to address gay issues) while it might steer the series more into a couples and relationships based story/moral compass for season 3 compared to a work related friendship based narrative for season 1 and 2.
