By Sarah Osman

The Seduction is visually stunning but, even though it is the magnificently clothed French aristocracy, it all comes down to unremarkable people behaving badly.

Diane Kruger and Anamaria Vartolomei in a scene from The Seduction. Photo: Caroline Dubois/HBO Max

I have never read the novel Dangerous Liaisons, nor have I seen the film. I have watched the 1999 take on the material, Cruel Intentions, which I’ve always thought was delightfully trashy. The Seduction is HBO’s French prequel to Dangerous Liaisons, following the trials and tribulations of Isabelle de Merteuil (Anamaria Vartolomei).

Adapted for television by Jean Baptiste-Delafon, The Seduction begins with a pre-powerful Isabelle. She’s an innocent girl living in a convent who runs away to marry Valmont (Vincent Lacoste), whose true identity she doesn’t know. After their wedding night, Valmont quickly disposes of the young woman. Enraged, Isabelle storms into the home of his aunt, Madame de Rosemonde (Diane Kruger), who’s impressed by her fiery nature. Madame de Rosemonde tells Isabelle that her beauty and youth are valuable weapons. She takes Isabelle under her wing, and together the two begin to manipulate the 18th-century French aristocracy to their whims.

For a series about seduction, The Seduction is surprisingly tame. Yes, the first episode is full of sexual romp-ishness, complete with a full-on orgy. But the later episodes shift away from frolicking naked ladies to focus more on the devious plans our two heroines hatch and the men who try to thwart these plots. This isn’t a criticism; the truth is, the later episodes are stronger than the early ones. This is a series about lust and lovers, but it is more about the machinations of process than libidinous payoffs.

The visual world of The Seduction is beautiful, epitomized by the elaborate balls Isabelle throws for her guests. Ladies stroll around in lush silk gowns. Each room reflects careful attention to detail, the gorgeous decor evoking the absurd wealth of the French aristos, many of whom would later be beheaded. Even the sound is gorgeous: one character sings in operettas, and it appears that many in the upper crust customarily speak in sultry tones. Lighting is skillfully used to illuminate the treacherous beauty that infests what is a chillingly decadent society. The acting is strong as well; each actor knows how to toss off a subtly longing glance or a scheming glare. Kruger’s performance is the standout, but the other players hold their own against her tour de force of scheming witchery.

All of this said, parts of The Seduction are not seductive, particularly its haphazard narrative. The only character with a reasonably discernible motivation is Isabelle. Everyone else acts mysteriously. Valmont claims he’s in love with Isabelle, yet, if he is in love with her, why did he leave her in the first place? These libertines are tied in an emotional knot, but it is never untangled. I am not familiar with Dangerous Liaisons, so this lacuna was a problem for me. On top of that, watching our protagonists discuss how they will destroy their enemies isn’t as much fun as actually watching them do their foes in. The scenes where they do pull off a nasty coup feel rushed.

As for its politics, The Seduction is designed to be a feminist take on Dangerous Liaisons. And that makes some sense, given that the series shows how women during this time utilized their beauty and sexual prowess to accumulate power in a heavy-handed patriarchy. At the same time, Isabelle is far from a feminist icon. She uses the innocent Cecile (Fantine Harduin) as a pawn to draw in the devious Comte de Gercourt (Lucas Bravo), even though Cecile is in love with a sweet-natured musician. Watching Isabelle treat Cecile the same way she was treated by Valmont feels icky because it is women avenging themselves with the same sadism as men would.

Fans of Dangerous Liaisons and historical novel intrigue will no doubt enjoy The Seduction. It is right up their alley. However, for followers of more romantic, soap opera-ish fare, like Bridgerton, The Seduction may not be sufficiently enticing. The series seems content to be moderately arousing: it isn’t as trashy as Cruel Intentions, but it’s not all that much more sophisticated. The Seduction is visually stunning but, even though it is the magnificently clothed French aristocracy, it all comes down to unremarkable people behaving badly. And HBO has taken us there before, all too often.

Sarah Mina Osman is based in Los Angeles. In addition to The Arts Fuse, her writing can be found in The Huffington Post, Success Magazine, Matador Network, HelloGiggles, Business Insider, and WatchMojo. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and is working on her first novel. She has a deep appreciation for sloths and tacos. You can keep up with her on Instagram @SarahMinaOsman and at Bluesky @sarahminaosman.bsky.social.