Diksha Sundriyal
Apple TV+’s ‘Liaison’ is a political thriller that follows the story of two secret agents who find themselves in the middle of a national crisis, the impact of which will send ripples through the entire world. It stars Eva Green and Vincent Cassel in the lead roles and explores their complicated past while they try to figure out who is behind the attacks and what they really want. In between this, we also follow the story of two Syrians who flee their country after they get their hands on something that reveals the plot for an international conspiracy. With a couple of different countries involved in it, you might want some clarity on where exactly the show takes place and what its timeline is. In that case, we’ve got you covered. SPOILERS AHEAD
Liaison Takes Place in Contemporary Times
‘Liaison’ takes place in contemporary times and focuses on the issues that are pertinent to today’s world. Being a political thriller, the series bases itself on the current political state of the world, focusing on the tension between several nations as well as the ongoing conflict inside the countries. The main plot revolves around a cyber attack and the characters find themselves pitted against an unseen enemy who holds great power over them.
The series was intended to reflect this danger to cyber security, especially considering our increasing dependence on such systems as well as the frequency with which the attacks have increased over the years. The show also employs a few cliches that have defined the espionage genre, but for the most part, the story remains true to modern times and reflects it in the way the secret agents and mercenaries operate now.
The setting of the show in the year same as its audience is living in underlines the importance of braving against such attacks and making sure that even the small things are not left ignored. It makes the audience vigilant about their own cyber security and how it can play out on a grander scale, making it a much more realistic experience for the viewers.
Liaison Journeys From Damascus to Paris and London
The international nature of events in ‘Liaison’ means that there is a lot of back and forth between several countries. The story begins in Damascus, Syria where we are introduced to Samir and Walid who flee after they get their hands on a flash drive that reveals some shocking things. This is also where we first meet Gabriel who is a freelance mercenary and is luckily, close enough to get Samir and Walid out of Syria. They wanted to go to France and the French government decides to help them in exchange for the information that they have, but things go awry.
The French connection means that some part of the story takes place in Paris. We get a look inside the Elysee Palace and witness the tense environment there as they try to get the Syrians back. Most of the action, however, takes place in London, which finds itself under direct attack from cyber criminals. The National Cyber Security Centre finds its systems hacked by someone they know only as Puss in Boots (because of the animation that the hacker chose).
London is also where Alison lives with her husband, Albert, who is a human rights lawyer. She works for the minister, Richard Banks, who is concerned that the seemingly minor attack on the NCSC is just the beginning of a greater threat. He is proven correct when the same night, someone hacks the system of the Thames’ barriers. Following this, the entire show focuses on how the city has been crippled, and all that Alison and Gabriel have to do to keep it from falling apart entirely.
Read More: Where is AppleTV+’s Liaison Filmed?
