France’s Series Mania, recognized as the largest television festival in Europe, is set to open with the highly anticipated Disney+ title “The Testaments.” This series serves as a sequel to the acclaimed “The Handmaid’s Tale” and is helmed by Bruce Miller, the showrunner for both productions. Notable stars, including Ann Dowd, who portrays Aunt Lydia in “The Handmaid’s Tale” and narrates “The Testaments,” along with Chase Infiniti and Lucy Halliday, are expected to grace the festival.

The festival’s diverse lineup also includes AMC Network’s “The Audacity,” created by Jonathan Glatzer of “Succession” and “Better Call Saul” fame. This series features a compelling cast including Billy Magnussen, “The Big Bang Theory” star Simon Helberg, and Zach Galifianakis. “The Audacity” delves into the world of an aspiring tech CEO (Magnussen) and a "successful but deeply alienated" founder and inventor (Helberg). Magnussen highlighted Silicon Valley as a modern-era Renaissance, while Helberg described his character as a "maladjusted genius," noting the core theme of loneliness and the pursuit of connection through technology, despite its inherent pitfalls. The festival also announced Netflix’s "Peaky Blinders" movie, "The Immortal Man," which will be screened out of competition.

Managing Director Laurence Herszberg and Artistic Director Frédéric Lavigne revealed key trends for this year, observing an "undeniable contraction" in the sector, marked by fewer submitted series, shorter formats, and seasons with fewer episodes. However, an unexpected benefit has emerged: a shift from scale to accuracy. Contemporary series creation features "fewer epic narratives and more concentrated, sometimes harsh offerings, often directly connected to a world under tension." They emphasized Europe's growing role as a "nerve center of creativity."

A significant theme resonating throughout the selection is the creators' response to the rise of authoritarian and fascist systems. Series like Belgium’s “Breendonk,” Spain’s “The Anatomy of a Moment,” and “The Best Immigrant” (depicting a government organizing the deportation of foreigners) question humanity’s ability to resist, collaborate, or flee. These works implicitly extend the prophetic intuitions of Russell T Davies’ “Years and Years,” compelling viewers to confront difficult choices. Laurence Herszberg later affirmed this depiction of rising fascism, whether set in the past or a near future, as "the most impressive trend" of this edition.

Themes of violence and masculinity in crisis are also explored. “The Audacity” touches on these issues, while “Dear Killer Nannies” follows Pablo Escobar’s son, delving into “brutality as a legacy,” with John Leguizamo cast as Escobar. In contrast, the struggles of heroines form a powerful counter-theme. Australian “Dustfall” addresses sexual violence against women, “Babies” explores the joys, sorrows, and social pressures faced by infertile women, and French series “All Shapes of Us” tackles eating disorders.

The festival highlights a strong European presence, with notable contributions from Belgium (e.g., “Breendonk,” “The Best Immigrant,” “Eternal”), Sweden (“My Brother,” “Burden of Justice”), and, for the first time, Poland with two official selections (“Love Is Enough,” “Variola Vera”). Herszberg noted that while Spain was prominent last year, this year sees the UK, Belgium, and Nordic countries asserting their creative strength, with the Polish selections being "good news for the Eastern European industry."

Among the special screenings, CJ ENM’s upcoming military drama “The Legend of Kitchen Soldier” is set for its world premiere at Series Mania 2026, marking it as the only Korean content premiering at the event. Produced by Studio Dragon and set to launch as a TVING Original, this high-concept drama follows a "plastic-spoon man"—a term for those born into economic disadvantage—who enlists in the military. His journey to become a legendary army cook takes an unconventional turn when he encounters a mysterious virtual “Quest” system, guiding him to uncover hidden problems within his unit. Carlo Fasino praised it as a "surrealist joyride" with "profound vitality" and "original wit," anchored by Park Ji-hoon's performance. Sebastian Kim of CJ ENM highlighted its webtoon origins and the potential for global distribution. Korea is also notably the inaugural Country of Honor at the Series Mania Forum, further solidifying its growing influence in the international content market.

Beyond these, a diverse range of genre offerings includes a “burlesque Western” (“Lucky Luke”), Japanese science fiction (“Queen of Mars”), and Korean and German comedies (“The Legend of Kitchen Soldier,” “The Flaws”). The festival's closing event will feature Canada’s “The Glass House.”

Ultimately, this year’s Series Mania underscores the enduring importance of storytelling as a means of questioning the world and, at times, as an invitation not to succumb to resignation. The event continues to be a crucial platform for showcasing innovative television from around the globe.