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HBO Max’s French Series ‘Merteuil’ Premieres Friday With Weekly Rollout as Critics Weigh Bold Reframing

Early coverage centers on a standout lead performance alongside disputes over adaptation choices.

Overview

  • The series launches on HBO Max on November 14 with new episodes released each Friday.
  • Positioned as a loose prequel to Les Liaisons dangereuses, the show recenters the story on Isabelle’s evolution into the marquise de Merteuil.
  • Anamaria Vartolomei draws broad praise in the title role, while reactions to Vincent Lacoste’s Valmont and some explicit scenes are more critical.
  • Reviews note strong costumes and production values even as they fault dialogue and tonal choices.
  • Outlets report conflicting metadata, including six versus eight episodes and differing creative credit attributions, underscoring uncertainty around official details.