Television series
Lupin
Lupin follows Assane Diop, a master of disguise pulling off elaborate cons across Paris while working his way toward vengeance for his father's disgrace. It's Netflix at its most stylish: gorgeous locations, twisty capers, and Omar Sy's effortless charisma carrying scenes that plot logic sometimes can't. Watch it for swagger and momentum, not for airtight mystery construction — this is mood and charm dressed up as a heist show.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you love caper stories where a clever disguise and an elaborate sting carry more weight than gunfire, and you don't mind a revenge plot running underneath.
Skip it if the schemes can be fiddly and the pacing sags whenever the plot stops to tie threads together, so if you want lean, fast thrills, look elsewhere.
What it asks of you: Eighteen episodes of roughly 46 minutes each across four seasons, so it is a long haul, and it wants you to keep track of several interlocking threads at once.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
La Casa de Papel2017
If you love watching a master planner stay three steps ahead while wearing style like armor, this Spanish heist saga delivers the same swagger and crew loyalty, with even higher stakes.
But It sprawls across many seasons and leans into soap-opera melodrama; patience is required through the slower stretches.
Sherlock2010
The same pleasure of watching a brilliant mind out-think everyone in the room, delivered with cinematic flair and quotable dialogue — ideal if Lupin's cleverness is what hooked you.
But There are frustratingly few episodes, and later seasons chase spectacle over the puzzle-solving that made it great.
White Collar2009
A charming con artist forced to use his skills for good — breezy, twisty, and built on the same effortless charisma that makes Assane so watchable.
But It's more procedural comfort food than serialized mystery, without Lupin's emotional weight or slow-burn family mythology.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Lupin
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Arsène Lupin2004
Lupin's hero literally idolizes and models himself on Arsène Lupin; this film gives you the character's actual origin, a century removed.
This French period adventure is the direct ancestor of everything Assane does — Romain Duris plays the original gentleman thief from Maurice Leblanc's novels in lavish Belle Époque style.
But It's a swashbuckling costume drama rather than a modern thriller, and the pacing feels theatrical rather than binge-friendly.
More like this (8)
The Thomas Crown Affair1999
A style-icon thief, an elaborate art heist, and cat-and-mouse tension with real heat — this is the glossy Hollywood cousin to Assane's Parisian cool.
But It's one self-contained film, so the serialized unraveling and long-game plotting you loved in Lupin isn't here.
Ocean's Eleven2001
Pure heist-movie pleasure: a crew of specialists, impossible odds, and swagger to spare. If Assane's confidence delights you, this ensemble version multiplies it.
But It's about a team, not a lone genius, so the intimate father-son grief driving Lupin is entirely absent.
Catch Me If You Can2002
A true-crime con artist story with real heart underneath the charm, and a father-son thread that echoes Assane's own family wound.
But Spielberg's version is warmer and less flashy — expect character drama over elaborate heist choreography.
Now You See Me2013
Magicians pulling off impossible robberies with theatrical flair — pure spectacle if what you want from Lupin is the 'how did he do that' thrill.
But The plotting is pure Hollywood nonsense with little emotional grounding, so don't expect Lupin's grief or slow-burn revenge.
Leverage2008
A crew of grifters and thieves righting wrongs against the rich and powerful — the same moral appetite for justice against the untouchable elite.
But It's episodic and less stylish than Lupin, with a much thinner emotional throughline than a decades-long vendetta.
The Night Manager2016
Elegant, slow-burn revenge against a wealthy predator, told with real visual polish and a lead performance carrying genuine menace and control.
But It's espionage rather than heist, with a darker, more brutal tone than Lupin's playful capers.
Lupin III1971
Named directly after the same literary thief, this is the genre's most beloved detour — same engine, wildly different costume and tone.
The same gentleman-thief DNA reborn as anime — flashier disguises, sillier capers, and a jazzy cool that turns the heist fantasy into pure cartoon mischief.
But It's broad, episodic, and unapologetically goofy; anyone wanting Lupin's grounded emotional stakes will find this weightless by comparison.
The Tinder Swindler2022
Where Lupin lets you root for a thief without consequence, this documentary insists on the real human cost of charm used as a weapon.
A real con artist, real victims, and none of the romantic gloss — this documentary strips away the fantasy of the charming grifter and shows what the wreckage actually looks like.
But It's sobering rather than fun, offering none of the visual style or vicarious thrill that makes fictional heists so pleasurable.
People
Cast
Writing
- François UzanCreator
- George KayCreator
Recommended by
White Collar, Leverage, The Castle of Cagliostro, Remington Steele, The Fixers, La Casa de Papel, Hustle, The Saint, Arsène Lupin, Out of Sight, Carmen Sandiego, Going in Style, Demain nous appartient, A Cat in Paris, Berlín