DangerousLiaisons is full of moments in which characters, exhibiting the subtext-free directness of approach of 21st century television, seem to forget they’re in a creative universe where veiling and subterfuge is actually the object of the game.
in the role Glenn Close made famous. In this prequel, Englert is not yet holding the powerful title of Marquise de Merteuil; the show depicts her Camille’s rise from poverty, and her toxic engagement with the rakish Valmont . Their pas de deux has a sexual frankness and a directness of approach that would surprise the characters from the film; it’s also parceled out episodically, with each episode seeming to represent a new move forward on the gameboard.
The show is fun to look at and, in a welcome update, features an inclusive cast of game and capable performers, with Englert proving to be a resourceful lead. But the tone grows a bit exhausting; the show lacks the control or unified sense of its world of, say, the new “Gossip Girl,” a contemporary series clearly in thrall to the “Liaisons” legacy.