Series synopsis
Totems is a French drama war & politics television series that premiered on Prime Video on February 18, 2022. It ended on March 11, 2022. It was created by Olivier Dujols, Juliette Soubrier. It stars Niels Schneider, Vera Kolesnikova, José Garcia and Lambert Wilson.
Set in 1965 in the midst of the Cold War, Totems follows a French scientist, Francis Mareuil, as he begins working as a spy. While working for the French Secret Service and the CIA, Mareuil meets Lyudmila Goloubeva, a pianist forced to work for the KGB. A romance blossoms between them but neither can be sure what is an expression of their true feelings, and what is the fruit of political shenanigans.
Premise
Set in 1965 in the midst of the Cold War, Totems follows a French scientist, Francis Mareuil, as he begins working as a spy. While working for the French Secret Service and the CIA, Mareuil meets Lyudmila Goloubeva, a pianist forced to work for the KGB. A romance blossoms between them but neither can be sure what is an expression of their true feelings, and what is the fruit of political shenanigans.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Niels Schneider as Francis Mareuil
- Vera Kolesnikova as Lyudmila Goloubeva
- José Garcia as Virgile Hiriart
- Lambert Wilson as Charles Contignet
- Ana Girardot as Anne Mareuil
- Aleksey Guskov as Boris Goloubev
- Mikhail Gorevoy as Dimitri Yemeline
- Tim Ahern as Larry Goldstein
Supporting cast
- Daniela Hirsh as Hortense
- Jules Dhios Francisco as Paul Mareuil
- Surho Sugaipov as Yuri Melia
- Eden Ducourant as Martine
- Carolina Jurczak as Marie Contignet
- François Girard as Pierre
- Petr Hanak as Ivo
- Antonin Maurel as Col. Loridon
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 8 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 8 | February 18, 2022 | March 11, 2022 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 February 1965. A Soviet orbital bomb project threatens the global geopolitical balance. Francis Mareuil, an aerospace engineer, is contacted by the French secret services to recruit Boris Goloubev, the scientist who allowed this bomb to exist. In Moscow, the KGB organizes surveillance of Boris by forcing his daughter, Lyudmila, to spy on him. |
February 18, 2022 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 In East Berlin, Francis discovers that Boris is under the permanent surveillance of the Stasi, the East German secret service. He approaches Lyudmila, convinced that she will be able to give him access to his father, but unaware of his links with the KGB. |
February 18, 2022 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Boris Goloubev directs the launch of a space probe that turns into a fiasco and crashes in the Algerian desert. Opposed to the Soviet army on the management of this crisis, he finds himself under house arrest. For his part, Francis is looking for a way to save Lyudmila by moving her to the West, even if it means taking big risks. |
February 18, 2022 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Prime Video |
|---|---|
| First aired | February 18, 2022 |
| Last aired | March 11, 2022 |
| Runtime | 52 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Friday |