Samuel

Samuel is 10 years old. He's keeping a diary, and he has a problem. His problem is that Basile told the tall Julie that Samuel loved her. Which isn't true, he doesn't care about Julie. It's only that she laughed at one of his jokes once and he thought she was nice to do so.

Samuel (2024) is a French animated slice of life comedy series created by Émilie Tronche for arte.tv. Voiced by Tronche herself, the ten-year-old title character keeps a diary in which every small social disaster feels enormous. His central problem is a rumor spread by Basile that Samuel loves the tall Julie, a girl who once laughed at one of his jokes, and Samuel insists the rumor is false while quietly hoping it is not. The engine of each episode is that gap between a child's grand emotional stakes and the modest scale of school life: playground jokes, friendships, embarrassment, and the awkward first stirrings of attraction. The series is a single completed season of twenty-one episodes, each a short, self-contained vignette that builds a warm picture of one boy's world. Its tone is cheerful, sentimental, and tender, with musical touches and a playful sense of humor that treats childhood seriously without condescension. Viewers who enjoy the gentle childhood comedy of Le Petit Nicolas, the whimsical sensitivity of Hilda, or the melancholy-tinged animated intimacy of Mary and Max will find a similar warmth here. It suits families and anyone nostalgic for the intensity of early adolescence.

• Le Petit Nicolaschild narrator, coming of age tone, gentle comedy of school life
• Mary and Maxanimated slice of life, childhood perspective, sentimental and whimsical tone
• Hildachildhood friendship and crushes, warm episodic animated coming of age

Created by

Émilie Tronche

Release Date

2024-03-11

Episode runtime

93 min

Rating

8.7 / 10 (43)

What is Samuel about?

A ten-year-old diarist agonizes over a rumor that he likes the tall girl in his class, in a cheerful animated slice of childhood.

What is Samuel like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Samuel as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Samuel violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Samuel.

Which shows are like Samuel?

Shows with a similar feel include Le Petit Nicolas, Mary and Max, and Hilda.

How long is Samuel?

Samuel: 1 season, 21 episodes.

Is Samuel still running?

No, Samuel has ended.

Where can I watch Samuel?

In United States, Samuel streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.