Slightly Silly, but Completely Adorable: “The Hook Up Plan”

where to watch: Season 1 is on Netflix. 

when to watch: When you want a cute little rom-com series with lots of fun characters. And you’re not too tired to read subtitles if you don’t speak French.

you should note: Co-created by a woman, Noemie Saglio. She also directed four episodes. The protagonist is mixed race, which I haven’t seen often in French TV/movies. Easily binged. Renewed for Season 2!

tl;dr: A super sweet, slightly silly romantic-comedy French series with lots of easily loveable characters.

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UPDATE OCT 2019: Season 2— trailer is out and the season drops on Netflix OCTOBER 11!!

I’m a little late this week—I’m going on a trip to Paris in 4 days, so things are crazy!

In honor of my little French adventure, this week I encourage you to check out the adorable French-language Netflix original, The Hook Up Plan (or, Plan Coeur in French).

I first watched this series back in the winter, soon after it came out. I was incredibly skeptical because the plot is a little ridiculous. I was pleasantly surprised to find the show is actually quite charming and manages to handle its silly premise with considerable grace, aided by consistent humor and witty performances all around.

the premise

Elsa is a young woman with a broken heart. She broke up with her boyfriend two years ago and is still not over him. She’s living out of boxes at her father’s apartment, and her life is somewhat in disarray.

Her lovely friends hate to see her suffer. They’re also sick of her moping. 

So, they decide it is time to take some action: they hire someone to woo her, take her out on a couple dates, and yes, sleep with her. I think you can already see where this is going…

The male escort, Jules—who Elsa thinks is a preschool teacher—falls in love and chaos ensues. 

satisfying side-plots

The premise sounds cliched and unrealistic, but the show handles it well and makes each character just three-dimensional enough. But, what really allows me to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the show, is that all of the characters in addition to our two romantic leads are super compelling. Each of the side-plots is as engaging as the main one (and sometimes even more so). 

Elsa’s two best friends, Charlotte and Milou, are polar opposites. Charlotte is endearing, a little crazy, and the mastermind behind the crazy “hook-up plan.” Milou, 8 months pregnant, is a focused, organized workaholic. The two of them consistently clash, but both care deeply about their friend. Each of them also has their own messy personal lives to deal with, whether its Charlotte’s secret dalliance with her brother’s best friend or the ongoing conflicts between Milou and her partner, Antoine. 

 Elsa, Charlotte, and Milou together form the core of this show, and I found it easy to become invested in each one of them. 

There are other memorable side characters too—Chantal, Elsa’s coworker, and Phillippe, Jules’ roommate/friend stand out. 

The show rises above its predictable premise because of the time and care it takes in creating Elsa’s world and all of her friends. Overall, I found the show light, entertaining, and genuinely charming. It was perfect for me to brush up on my French ahead of my trip, and I found that it held up even on a second viewing. It’s cute, funny, and altogether delightful. If you’re looking for a new rom-com, and especially if you like foreign TV, check it out!