Samantha oups!
Encyclopedia
Samantha oups! is a French
sketch comedy
series that was broadcast on France 2
from 2004 to 2007.
The series deals with the life of a blonde young woman, Samantha Lo, and her brunette friend, Chantal Matieu. As part of the comedic nature of the series, the roles are played by men, with David Strajmayster (credited as "Doudi") playing Samantha, and Guillaume Carcaud ("Pepess") starring as Chantal; Carcaud also plays various minor male and female roles in the show.
Early episodes in the series featured Samantha and Chantal attempting various activities or careers, with varying, comedic results; these most-often feature Samantha in many aspects of a given subject or career -- for example, in an episode focused on a supermarket, Samantha is portrayed as a shopper, a stockperson and a cashier; another example, which featured Samantha in court, portrayed her as a judge, a stenographer, an attorney, a plaintiff, a defendant and a spectator. Many of these episodes were taped in and around Paris
, with some episodes shot on location in other parts of France. The series also featured a 12-part episode, which featured Samantha and Chantal on vacation in Marrakech
, Morocco
over Christmas
and Réveillon
. Samantha also has a crush
on notable television host Jean-Luc Delarue; in one episode, Samantha and Chantal break into a TV studio in an attempt to meet Delarue face-to-face.
The show's final season (2006-2007) take place in Samantha's cottage ("gîte"), which her aunt, "Grande Tata Lo", has owned. Following the introduction of the gîte format, recurring characters were added, which bend towards the absurd -- featured characters, all played by other actors, include Simon, the troubled writer; Annabelle, the awkward businesswoman; Baul, the postman who reads other people's mail; hunters Gontrand and Ademar; and Daniel, a professor. The gîte episodes also included special guests, either playing themselves or other characters -- notable guests included Stéphane Bern, Olivier Minne
and Jean-Marc Morandini
.
The series was produced with funding from the CNC.
, Game One
and Canal J
, often seen in three-episode blocks.
The series also was seen in Belgium
on Club RTL
, and in Canada
on Vrak.TV
(where it is broadcast as Samantha).
Franco-Belgian broadcaster RTBF
holds Region 2
DVD distribution rights in Belgium. In Canada (Region 1), DVD releases are distributed through DEP Distribution.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
series that was broadcast on France 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
from 2004 to 2007.
The series deals with the life of a blonde young woman, Samantha Lo, and her brunette friend, Chantal Matieu. As part of the comedic nature of the series, the roles are played by men, with David Strajmayster (credited as "Doudi") playing Samantha, and Guillaume Carcaud ("Pepess") starring as Chantal; Carcaud also plays various minor male and female roles in the show.
Format
The series is presented in a "shortcom" (short sitcom) format, with each episode generally running for approximately 5 minutes each.Early episodes in the series featured Samantha and Chantal attempting various activities or careers, with varying, comedic results; these most-often feature Samantha in many aspects of a given subject or career -- for example, in an episode focused on a supermarket, Samantha is portrayed as a shopper, a stockperson and a cashier; another example, which featured Samantha in court, portrayed her as a judge, a stenographer, an attorney, a plaintiff, a defendant and a spectator. Many of these episodes were taped in and around Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, with some episodes shot on location in other parts of France. The series also featured a 12-part episode, which featured Samantha and Chantal on vacation in Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
over Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Réveillon
Réveillon
In France and some other French-speaking places, a réveillon is a long dinner, and possibly a party, held on the evenings preceding Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The name of this dinner is based on the word réveil , because participation involves staying awake until midnight and beyond...
. Samantha also has a crush
Puppy love
Puppy love is an informal term for feelings of love or infatuation felt by young people during childhood and adolescence, so-called for its resemblance to the adoring, worshipful affection that may be felt by a puppy. 'Simple infatuation is often called a "crush" or "puppy love"...
on notable television host Jean-Luc Delarue; in one episode, Samantha and Chantal break into a TV studio in an attempt to meet Delarue face-to-face.
The show's final season (2006-2007) take place in Samantha's cottage ("gîte"), which her aunt, "Grande Tata Lo", has owned. Following the introduction of the gîte format, recurring characters were added, which bend towards the absurd -- featured characters, all played by other actors, include Simon, the troubled writer; Annabelle, the awkward businesswoman; Baul, the postman who reads other people's mail; hunters Gontrand and Ademar; and Daniel, a professor. The gîte episodes also included special guests, either playing themselves or other characters -- notable guests included Stéphane Bern, Olivier Minne
Olivier Minne
Olivier Minne is a French television presenter, actor and producer.Minne was born on 18 March 1967 in the Belgian capital, Brussels. The son of a Belgian father and a French mother, Minne studied in Brussels for his baccalauréat before moving to Paris in 1989.In Paris, Minne studied the dramatic...
and Jean-Marc Morandini
Jean-Marc Morandini
Jean-Marc Morandini is a French journalist.In 1985, aged 20, Morandini became the youngest TV speaker of France. He worked for channel La Cinq, before creating and animating the programme Tout est possible on TF1 for 4 years...
.
Production
The series was in production from 2004 to 2007; production ended when Strajmayster announced that a film based on the series is being produced. However, since the close of production of the series, no film was made, and Strajmayster and Carcaud have since moved on to other series.The series was produced with funding from the CNC.
Broadcast
The series was first broadcast on France 2 from 2004 to 2007 in two-episode blocks weekdays at 7:50PM, before France 2's evening 8PM newscast, Journal de 20 heures; the series is still broadcast in repeats on France 4France 4
France 4 is a french public channel owned by France Télévisions, dedicated to the entertainment. At first named Festival, the channel took its current name in 2005, to mark better its membership to the group France Télévisions...
, Game One
Game One
Game One is a French television channel owned by MTV Networks Europe.The channel has shown several Japanese anime on a regular basis, such as Fairy Tail, Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Z Kai and Eyeshield 21.-External links:*...
and Canal J
Canal J
Canal J is a French television network dedicated to children's programming. It is available through digital terrestrial television service 'TNT' and is aimed at children aged between 4 and 16 years old.-History:...
, often seen in three-episode blocks.
The series also was seen in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
on Club RTL
Club RTL
-Programs:* Hannah Montana* The Simpsons* Handy Manny* Heroes* Phineas and Ferb...
, and in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on Vrak.TV
VRAK.TV
VRAK.TV is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel aimed at youth audiences. VRAK.TV is currently owned by Astral Media.-History:...
(where it is broadcast as Samantha).
Franco-Belgian broadcaster RTBF
RTBF
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone is the public broadcasting organization of the French Community of Belgium, the southern, French-speaking part of Belgium...
holds Region 2
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
DVD distribution rights in Belgium. In Canada (Region 1), DVD releases are distributed through DEP Distribution.
Cast
- David Strajmayster ("Doudi"): Samantha Lo
- Guillaume Carcaud ("Pepess"): Chantal Matieu; miscellaneous characters
Supporting cast
Added after the introduction of the "gîte" format- Vincent Jaspard: Le Maire (The Mayor)
- Julien Cafaro: Baul
- Marie-Laure Descoureaux: Annabelle Delarinatonière
- Philippe Spiteri: Simon Quewa
- Philippe Vieux: Gontrand
- Eric Bougnon: Adémar
- Pierre-Yves le Louarn: Daniel
- Solange Milhaud: Consuella
- Lee Delong: Aniesca