Summary
An unusual premise leads to some adept storytelling and heaps of intense drama in this fascinating Apple original series. Drops of God is cinematically shot and surprisingly educational, with a breakout performance from Fleur Geffrier.
We review the Apple TV+ series Drops of God Season 1, which does not contain spoilers.
Apple original Drops of God will very likely go unnoticed this year due to its unique, if alienating, subject matter. This would be a real shame, though, because the creative team behind this best-selling Manga adaptation has somehow managed to make the elitist world of fine wine into a thrilling and fascinating competitive sport, which is no mean feat in itself.
Yes, you heard that right. This hidden gem of a series focuses on a truly captivating wine battle.
Drops of God Season 1 Review and Plot Summary
The series centers on Camille Leger (Fleur Geffrier), a French writer who hasn’t spoken to her father in over eleven years. Unfortunately, Camille’s father, Alexandre Leger (Stanley Weber), a prominent figure in the wine world, passes away before he can reconnect with his estranged daughter.
Camille is forced to travel from Paris to Tokyo to attend her father’s funeral. Once there, she is ushered over to her father’s will reading.
Alexandre’s will consist of two main parts, his 7-million-dollar home and his 148-million-dollar wine collection, which happens to be the biggest private collection in the whole world.
In possibly the strangest will reading of all time, Alexandre’s lawyer informs Camille that she will have to compete with another man to win the inheritance of her father’s entire estate. Camille’s competitor is Issei Tomine (Tomohisa Yamashita), Alexandre’s protege, an impressive wine expert who Alexandre saw as his spiritual son.
The two must battle one another over three grueling tests to win Alexandre’s fortune and legacy. These challenges will test the competitors’ abilities to their limits, revealing more about Alexandre in the process. Camille, who is decades out of practice, trains with oenology teacher Thomas Chassangre (Tom Wozniczka). While Issei, who is unmatched in this field, goes it alone. It’s a real, nail-biting underdog story.
Is Drops of God Season 1 good or bad?
Drops of God is a surprisingly refreshing series that takes an entirely ridiculous but fascinating premise and crafts a taut, tense drama out of it. That initial setup is truly unique, turning the narrative into a kind of sports epic, something that hasn’t been done before in this arena.
The show is beautifully shot, addressing two cinematic cultures (Tokyo and the vineyards of France) and the extravagant world of fine wine. While you are sure to learn something about this unique topic along the way. This is all combined with excellent storytelling and some inventive visual techniques.
Fleur Geffrier (Elle) makes for a relatable and engaging lead, steering the drama toward this competitive showdown. But there’s also room to explore Camille’s youth and her odd relationship with her father. Again, Camille’s history and her unique flaws feel like we’re entering untested waters once more.
Is Drops of God season 1 worth watching?
Drops of God may be a hard one to recommend. After all, this is a multilingual drama series about wine, it doesn’t scream hit series of the year, but it is shockingly mesmerizing nonetheless. If you are a fan of intense drama and have an eye for international cinema, then this may be the hidden gem you have been looking for.
What did you think of the Apple TV+ series Drops of God Season 1? Comment below.
