Dangerous Liaisons is considered one of the best period romantic dramas that deals in seduction and sexual situations as means for attaining power and revenge. Both the original 1782 French novel and the 1988 American romantic drama film showcase the twisted workings of French nobility before the French Revolution. Going into The SeductionI had high hopes that the latest adaptation would deliver on the same promising elements of its predecessors.
The six-episode miniseries takes some liberties with the story, twisting elements to create a fresh yet familiar narrative. In this rendition of the story, Isabelle de Merteuil (Anamaria Vartolomei) is betrayed by her lover, Vicomte de Valmont (Vincent Lacoste), whom she believed truly loved and wanted to marry her. Under the guidance of one Madame de Volanges (Sandrine Blancke), she begins seducing her way up the ladder on a quest to become Paris’s highest-ranking courtesan.
The Seduction takes a page out of erotic romance dramas in its steamy depictions, unafraid to lay bare its characters in the throes of lustful passion for power. Yet as the series goes on, the eroticism and power plays start to drag. While this is elevated by some captivating performances and cinematography, it’s marred by a rather circular narrative that doesn’t live up to the themes it’s trying to explore.
The Seduction Subverts Expectations Of What Empowerment Can Be
A key component the show keeps circling back to the idea of women becoming empowered by how they use their sexuality to climb the social ladder. The series makes it a point to emphasize how, at this time in France, women were seen as beneath men. This is exhibited through how women in the show are sexualized, but also how they use it to their advantage to attain more power.
It makes the romantic drama series feel unique because, overall, the object is not seduction for the sake of love. It’s a tool for survival, something the series illustrates time and again. Watching the events unfold, we’re supposed to gain a message of empowerment from the show, even though there was a deeper meaning to Isabelle’s suffering that would come from watching her schemes unfold.
However, the presentation did not feel empowering for its female characters. Much of the scheming that Isabelle and others participate in often feels centered around the notion of sex being the only commodity of power that matters. While it makes sense within the story’s confines, it also makes some of its female characters feel like they don’t truly have any agency. It’s a fight for survival, and one that felt more difficult than it did triumphant.
This was unfortunately exacerbated by several storylines and characters whose additions weren’t as compelling as they could have been. One such example is Madame de Tourvel, who, despite being expertly brought to life by Noée Abita, lacks a unique presence that contrasts her with Isabelle or any other woman. The same can be said about most characters in the show.
For instance, I didn’t feel much for the ever-boiling conflict between Valmont and Comte de Gercourt (Lucas Bravo) because their identities weren’t unique. It’s an identity issue that permeates the whole show, and one that makes it hard to feel anything for the majority of characters. It doesn’t help that some, like Isabelle, have heel-turns instead of experience arcs, lessening the effect of major events in later episodes.
Despite Its Flaws, The Seduction Is Well-Crafted On A Technical Level
Although I wasn’t thrilled with how the show’s story and characters were put together, there’s no denying The Seduction works from a filmmaking standpoint. The show never lets up on the pacing, and despite some parts of the series being empty, none of the episodes felt pointless. It helps that everything is framed and shot in a cinematic way, offering the illusion of a six-hour movie instead of a miniseries.
The steamier scenes are well-crafted, too. While occasionally lingering for longer than necessary, the sex scenes in The Seduction sensibly portray how lust emphasizes an exchange of power. But there’s also some complexity to it as well, with the pleasure of the act given time to ruminate. It’s not always balanced, but the portrayal of these sequences is serviceable when it’s most important.
The only unfortunate aspect of these positives is that, without a strong story and characters to back them up, they’re more like visual fluff than meaningful symbolism. While the performances and filmmaking alone make for some powerful moments filled with lust and revenge, the overarching narrative just doesn’t have the bite something based on Dangerous Liaisons should carry.
The Seduction may be of interest to those familiar with the original story or its 1980s film adaptation who wish to see it reimagined for the small screen. But, given the visual flair and strong performances from all its stars, the show still had several redeemable qualities. However, they couldn’t overshadow what felt like a lack of meat on the bone for its story, which could have been so much more powerful than it was.
The Seduction begins Friday, November 14 on HBO Max, and will release episodes weekly on the platform.
- Release Date
- November 14, 2025
- NETWORKS
- HBO Max
- Directors
- Jessica Palud
- Writers
- Jean-Baptiste Delafon, Choderlos de Laclos, Gaëlle Bellan, Jessica Palud
-
Anamaria Bartolomei
Merteuil
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- The Seduction is good at making its steamier scenes feel cinematic.
- Everyone’s performance brings something powerful to the table.
- Visual flair feels meaningless due to a story lacking in substance.
- Characters are interchangeable in personality, making events sluggish and unremarkable.
- Analysis of female empowerment isn’t as potent as it could be.
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