Watch The Forest

TV-MA
2017
1 Season
7.2 (13,547)

The Forest is a French crime drama series that premiered on Netflix in June 2017. It is a psychological thriller that takes place in a picturesque forest in the Ardennes region of France. The series follows the story of Captain Gaspard Decker, played by Samuel Labarthe, a well-respected police officer who returns to his hometown after a long absence. He is tasked with investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl who vanished without a trace in the forest.

As Decker digs deeper into the case, he finds that the forest holds many secrets, and the locals are not fond of outsiders. Further complicating his investigation is the fact that he has a complicated history with many of the people living in the area, including his estranged family.

Suzanne Clement portrays Celine, a crucial character who helps Decker in his investigation. She is a forensic profiler and has a deeper understanding of the human psyche, which helps her identify and understand the nature of the killer. However, her fragile mental state becomes a hindrance to her work, and Gaspard must balance between protecting her and solving the case.

With each episode, the audience is pushed further into a twisted world of murder and mystery, as Decker uncovers a web of secrets that eventually lead to the perpetrators. The series is intense and not for the faint-hearted, with dark themes and a compelling narrative that captivates viewers.

Throughout the series, tension builds as Decker and his team hunt for the killer. However, with each step forward, they find that they are constantly being pulled back into a dark abyss. The forest is more than just a physical location, but a metaphorical representation of the characters' internal struggles and desires.

The acting is superb, with excellent performances from the whole cast. Samuel Labarthe delivers a nuanced performance as the protagonist, whose driven investigation blurs the lines between his professional and personal life. Suzanne Clement's take on the role of a vulnerable and disturbed forensic profiler is both subtle and impactful. The chemistry between the two actors is palpable and elevates the series to new heights.

The show's cinematography is also noteworthy, with the picturesque forest setting providing a visually captivating backdrop that adds to the mystery and intrigue. The filmmakers have made excellent use of light and shadow to create a dark, eerie atmosphere that keeps the tension high.

In conclusion, The Forest is an excellent addition to the Netflix original content library, and a must-watch for fans of crime dramas and psychological thrillers. The series presents an intense, gripping storyline, with excellent acting, visually stunning cinematography, and a fitting soundtrack that keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats. Despite being entirely in French, the subtitles are not a hindrance, and the show proves accessible enough for audiences worldwide.

The Forest is a series that ran for 1 seasons (6 episodes) between May 30, 2017 and on Netflix

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Seasons

6. Episode 6

June 13, 2017

Mark Bonnar narrates the first in a new series revealing the hidden world of Galloway Forest, the country's largest afforested area. Join the amazing men and women who live and work in the place known as Scotland's 'Highlands in the Lowlands', where 600,000 tonnes of timber are produced every year. The Galloway Hills Rally draws crowds of visitors to the Forest Park. To make sure spectators have the best and safest view, John 'Cool' Coughtrie and his Recreation Team boss Archie McNeillie spend the days leading up to the race preparing safe places for them to stand along the route. Reigning champion and local legend Jock Armstrong hopes to defend his title. On the day of the rally, a troop of the event's safety marshalls are on duty and Archie too keeps a watchful eye over proceedings. Jock, meanwhile, thinks of nothing but the finish line. At Penninghame, tree planter Alastair Livingstone restocks a recently felled site with sycamore and oak. The Forestry Commission plant 4.5 million trees a year and Alastair has single-handedly planted over a million, proudly offsetting his carbon footprint many times over. Wildlife ranger Grant Carson is on a stalk. Trees are the Forestry Commission's valuable asset, and his task is to manage the numbers of thousands of deer that roam the Forest Park in an effort to stop them from damaging the recently planted trees. Having worked for 43 years as a forester, Jim Burns has sophisticated tree-felling machines operating in the forest.

5. Episode 5

June 13, 2017

When two fishing huts are discovered on remote Forestry Commission harvesting sites, Community Liaison Forester Lyndy Renwick must investigate. With worrying signs of fire damage around the first hut she visits plus concern that the huts are in the line of danger from harvesting machines, she puts up notices for the owners to get in touch before the huts are demolished. But the second hut she visits is very well made with a jetty. Can it get a stay of execution? Chainsaw operators need to be expertly trained and highly skilled. Specialist contractor Dewi Williams regularly comes to Galloway to fell trees in the forest's most inaccessible areas. It's all good training for the UK Logging Competition, where the best precision chainsaw operator in the country is crowned. Former champion Dewi is taking part this year, but so is his employee Gethin. Can the underdog beat the top dog? Because so few people live in Galloway Forest, the area has some of the darkest skies in Europe. And it has become the continent's first gold tier Dark Sky Park. The Observatory near Dalmellington houses two huge telescopes to give the public an open-air, hands-on observing experience. At a Wednesday evening stargazing event, all they need is clear skies for a perfect view of Saturn. At Balloch O'Dee campsite, owner James organises an impromptu pony show for the younger campers.

4. Episode 4

June 6, 2017

Navigating 1,200km of forest roads are a fleet of highly skilled truckers whose job it is to track down the timber stacks, load them using cranes and ferry the valuable cargo to mills north and south of the border. Inside the cabs of Jimmy, Norman and Eric we see what life is like for the kings of the forest roads. With new harvesting sites a constant in Galloway Forest, the Forestry Commission must find 500,000 tonnes of stone to build and maintain roads every year. An explosion is planned at a forest quarry to produce rock for a new road masterminded by forestry engineer Elaine McClymont. But before it can be given the go-ahead environment officer Gareth Ventress needs to check for any pine marten activity in the area. Thankfully for Elaine, specially set-up cameras reveal no activity and the quarry explosion can go ahead. Gareth also goes to a secret location deep within the forest to check a golden eagle feeding station. At the Balloch O'Dee campsite, owner James has double-booked an old byre that he's frantically converting in time for the start of the summer season.

3. Episode 3

June 6, 2017

In this episode, Planning and Environment forester Bill Fisher surveys the vast forest and checks the health of the cash crop in a helicopter, where the bird's-eye view allows him to better spot any pockets of larch disease. Forestry Commission recreation boss Archie McNeillie attempts to balance the needs of the public with the needs of the timber industry by spray-painting some trees as a marker to the harvesters to save them so the public can still enjoy the scenic views. And Environment forester Gareth Ventress hires some traditional horse loggers to carry out a method called horse rolling in an area of dense bracken. Crushing the bracken using a horse is less damaging to the soil and allows light and space for oak saplings and native herbs and flowers to flourish.

2. Episode 2

May 30, 2017

In this episode, James Jones sawmill in Lockerbie powers through 20,000 logs a day. But when a six-tonne machine called a crosscut stacker breaks down, a dedicated engineering team must save the day. A decline in salmon numbers in the River Cree near Newton Stewart has led to a tireless effort to restock the river by the Cree Hatchery and Habitat Trust. Archie McNeillie and John Coughtrie from the Forestry Commission's Recreation Department deal with a rat infestation in a public area caused by an overzealous bird feeder. And at Balloch O'Dee campsite, owner James gets ready to stage a comedy night.

1. Episode 1

May 30, 2017

Mark Bonnar narrates the first in a new series revealing the hidden world of Galloway Forest, the country's largest afforested area. Join the amazing men and women who live and work in the place known as Scotland's 'Highlands in the Lowlands', where 600,000 tonnes of timber is produced every year. The Forestry Commission's recreation team, lead by Archie McNeillie, is tasked with rebuilding steps on a well-worn pathway at Fairy Knowe. The trouble is, the steps are up a 330-foot hill. Getting hunks of granite rock to the remote hill is one problem and digging them in by hand is another - for labourer John 'Cool' Coughtrie at least. A team of specialist contractors from Wales arrive in Galloway Forest to harvest timber from the most inaccessible areas using a massive system of cables and winches called the skyline. Conservationists Bill and Christine have a very unusual occupation deep in the forest. They breed and hand rear hyacinth macaws, the world's largest flying parrot. And on a remote peatbog the size of 32 football pitches, Graeme Little operates his own customised mulching machine in a conservation project to restore the natural habitat.

Description

Where to Watch The Forest

The Forest is available for streaming on the Netflix website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Forest on demand at Netflix.