S1: 1: Bienvenue! (Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2)

Sarah has watched the whole show. Ben has just started, so no spoilers! The hosts discuss what makes “A French Village” resonate so well with modern politics. Yes, it’s about Nazis. But it’s not about camps or the front lines. Instead, it’s about relatively normal, relatable people trying to come to grips with events they don’t entirely understand. It involves both cowardice and heroism, but maybe more importantly, a lot in between. There’s moral ambiguity — something that happens a lot in politics (especially lately) but that we don’t talk about enough. Sarah and Ben review the setting, the characters, and the events of the first two episodes. Sarah gives her literary analysis and criticism of the show, Ben provides some historical explanation and color. They agree that, at this pace, it’ll take about a year for Ben to make it through the entire series. À bientôt!

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