Privileges: Should you watch or skip the latest HBO Max French thriller? A viewer’s guide

Something about psychological thrillers just pulls you in instantly, doesn’t it?! The quiet tension, the eerie silences and that unsettling feeling that something is always off… Privileges set the stage for a story shaped by power, control and access!

Set within a very elite hotel in Paris, Privileges makes for a universe where every encounter has significance and where opportunity has palpable and invisible borders. It’s the kind of system where you feel like there are definitely greater forces at play when nothing seems to be occurring:

Yet, in a culture of perpetual content we live in, in a world of international thrillers just a few clicks away on HBO Max, is there even any reason to tune in or not tune into Privileges? We present you with a look at the Privileges viewer's guide, which dissects the drama on a fact and interpretation-based account.

What is Privileges about?

Privileges is a drama-thriller produced in France that is set at an exclusive high-end Paris hotel, where the young woman named Adle is given the option of serving her prison sentence via a work release program. Privileges uses this situation to bring into play character dynamics by placing her directly opposite to the kind of life she was accustomed to in the prison system, while putting it into an entirely contained world.

Adle is taken to work in the Paris hotel, the expensive, high-end environment where everyone, the customers, the staff and management get to play designated roles. From here, the story moves forward based on what Adèle can get away with in her new life.

She starts receiving certain privileges that she wants to gain, but also fears losing. These privileges shape her choices as she tries to navigate her way around her coworkers at the hotel and a society where people are treated differently based on their class and opportunities.

In this way, the Privileges series tells its story, which it uses more as an interaction among people, characters and settings rather than relying on lots of plot changes like most thrillers.

Narrative style and pacing

Privileges rely mostly on character and plot development and not much on action. Only a few developments occur in the show at a fast pace; the main ones are through character conversation and interaction. From what critics have said, the show relies on a slow, character-developing style, which allows for time to build between characters and also between situations.

While this could be frustrating if you're looking for an adventure story, this kind of development would appeal to anyone who wants to spend time really exploring a character instead of being faced with non-stop excitement. There are parts of the series that do build tension and arise from realistic and dangerous predicaments Adle is often involved in.

Your enjoyment of the series is simply contingent on how much you're able to accept the slower plot development.

Characters and performances

It is quite evident that Adle is the center of this story; having moved from a State prison to a sophisticated professional workplace, this is inherently where the tension comes from. The very concept of Adle's having privileges to be earned and lost sets the stage for the show.

Other people who are part of the show that work at the hotel are noted to hold different forms of authority that would exist within a job setting, as well as have a power structure that is arranged from the customers of the hotel to the people working there.

The programme uses the position of Adle to investigate class divisions even in similar environments. All the characters are portrayed in a raw and basic fashion without over-the-top and dramatic behavior. The way they act and speak is not at all unbelievable and the way they both speak and act allows us to know their characters and how they act towards each other during the show.

Themes explored in Privileges

As the title suggests, Privileges looks at several themes. It mainly focuses on power and class differences between people in society. A luxury hotel in Paris is a fitting place to show these ideas.

Key themes present in this series that you may or may not notice right away when watching: disparities between the rich and the poor, upward social mobility and the hierarchy within the hotel staff. None of these themes is explicitly shown or talked about; rather, the audience is invited to draw their own conclusions.

Setting and atmosphere

In Privileges, the setting is quite essential to a good understanding of the show as far as all the social implications go, which has been reiterated multiple times in this review. This idea of watching the hierarchy and social division play out among people in the hotel will really inform its dynamics.

We get a look at a sense of order and structure within the show that is really a mirror image of how it's set up in the hotel; however, within that order, there is an invisible tension that emanates and sets a certain atmosphere. By containing the story to one setting, the characters become better connected with and have all of Adle's interactions in the show to build upon.

Strengths of Privileges

One of the strongest elements of Privileges is its premise of taking a character who is convicted of a crime from a prison into the rich and sophisticated hotel environment in Paris. In addition, Privileges is also notable for making effective use of all the characters' relationships and social divisions among people working in the hotel in order to further the series plot.

Critics generally mention that it manages to hold a consistency in tone throughout its viewing experience.

Limitations to consider

On the other hand, the story in Privileges might prove somewhat disappointing to certain viewers. If you are looking for a highly action-packed thriller, this is not likely to be the show for you because it focuses so heavily on its characters.

Furthermore, the previously discussed leisurely pace of the series might prove frustrating and slow for those who are impatient and like lots of twists and turns.

Who should watch Privileges?

For those looking for a character-driven show with the focus on its characters, as well as those who enjoy taking an in-depth look at a character over time within a single confined setting, will enjoy this show. It may not be enjoyed by those who prefer rapid developments in the plot and high-intensity thrillers.

The Privileges series offers a structured drama about the progression of a character throughout their ordeal in the workplace. Rather than bombarding viewers with high amounts of suspense and plot-driven action, it allows the viewer to focus on the characters themselves in the unique environment of a high-end Paris hotel.

Ultimately, the mood and kind of the series called Privileges distinguish it from many similar thriller-style programs on air, favoring a steady emphasis on the characters and the atmosphere that the program is trying to portray.

Also read: Privileges: Release date news, cast details, streaming details and more about the upcoming HBO series