Neubauer Artists’s Series “Paul, The Series”

The French comedian encounters numerous mishaps in this autobiographical creation constructed as a mise en abyme.

After six long years touring the stages, from comedy clubs to prestigious venues, Paul Mirabel felt the need for a break. An excellent idea, since this brief respite gave birth to a series, released on Prime and simply titled Paul, the Series . It’s a six-episode autofiction/self-reflexive piece in which the comedian plays himself and, under the guise of fiction, reveals a great deal about himself. All with laughs, of course.

The premise is simple: Paul, who’s supposed to be working on a new show, agrees to sell it to Amazon, which will film it and stream it immediately. Except the tall blond guy hasn’t a clue what he wants, having spent months lounging on his couch (to put it politely). To give him some (good) material for jokes, his best friend, Dan (the fantastic Abraham Wapler), forces him to go out and socialize, all while following him around with his camera.

Each episode is a plunge into the comedian’s life (which, incidentally, was inspired by some real-life experiences), a series of truly hilarious predicaments that leave us wondering how he’ll ever get out of them. From a bachelorette party in Ibiza to an Eid celebration, a gypsy wedding, and a meal in a restaurant frequented by far-right activists, Paul Mirabel pokes fun at the world around him, whose codes he doesn’t always understand, but above all, he gleefully pokes fun at himself.

Laurence Bibot, mother hen

Paul, the series also gives the actor the opportunity to tenderly address his younger brother’s autism, the changing relationships that come with fame, and the family he now only sees occasionally (Laurence Bibot, in the role of his mother, is incredibly touching). And, of course, the anxiety of writer’s block, which, in this case, isn’t really his own: “I’m too anxious not to be ready when I’m asked to be ,” he recently told George V Magazine.

Finally, to make the experience – his and ours – complete, the artist invited a few friends to come and have some fun with him. Playing themselves, we therefore encounter Jeremy Ferrari, Eric Judor, Alexandre Kominek, and even Yann Barthes.

Series created by Paul Mirabel, Mourad Winter, Yoann Gromb and Nathanael Munnich,
Directed by Antoine de Barry and Nathanael Munnich.
Starring Paul Mirabel, Abraham Wapler, Marine Leonardi, Eva Huault, Laurence Bibot.