Paolo may be the name of HBO Max Europe’s newest international series, but judging by its premise, he is also the name you might want to remember before things get very, very dark.
The seven-episode psychological thriller follows Paolo, played by Jérôme Niel, an ordinary working-class man whose life takes a sharp turn after an unexpected reunion with an old schoolmate. That schoolmate, Téophane, played by Sébastien Marnier, is now an ambitious, charismatic local politician campaigning to become mayor.
And Paolo is fascinated.
At first, it sounds almost sweet. An old classmate has returned, he is successful, magnetic, and Paolo wants to help him achieve his political ambitions. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, this is HBO. You already know the answer.
From Admiration to Obsession
The setup for Paolo starts with something many of us can recognize: becoming fascinated by someone who seems to have everything we want.
But Paolo’s interest in Téophane doesn’t exactly remain in the healthy admiration department.
His desire to help the politician’s campaign gradually becomes an all-consuming fixation, taking him deeper into Téophane’s world and pushing the story toward increasingly dangerous territory.
What makes the premise particularly delicious is that the series isn’t simply presenting a straightforward tale of an obsessive admirer. It is interested in the messy space between admiration, aspiration, envy, desire, and obsession.
That makes Paolo’s attraction to Téophane feel like more than a crush.
It becomes a question of identity.
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Think Ripley, But Make It Political
The series is being described as an intense psychological thriller with Ripley-style energy, which should immediately tell you that nobody involved is likely to have completely clean hands.
Sortira Paris has also compared the series to Saltburn, suggesting viewers should expect the kind of morally murky storytelling that can leave you simultaneously fascinated, uncomfortable, and desperate to see what happens next.
In other words, this is probably not going to be a cozy seven-episode journey about a man supporting his friend’s mayoral campaign.
The deeper Paolo gets into Téophane’s orbit, the more the boundaries between admiration and destructive fixation begin to disappear.
And that is where things get dangerous.
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A Thriller About Wanting More
Created, written, and directed by Sébastien Marnier, Paolo is adapted from Marnier’s first novel, Mimi, originally published in 2011. Juliette Soubrier serves as co-writer, with the television adaptation expanding the original story’s themes for a contemporary audience.
At its heart, the series examines obsession, social mobility, and the complicated desire to become closer to someone whose life looks better than your own.
That combination makes Paolo particularly intriguing for a gay audience. The series appears interested in the kind of fascination that can blur admiration with attraction, ambition with envy, and intimacy with possession.
Sometimes you don’t just want the person.
You want their life.
And when you want both badly enough, things can get very ugly.
Get Ready for Paolo
The first two episodes screened at the Séries Mania 2026 schedule paolo International Competition in March, giving audiences an early taste of what is coming.
The full seven-episode psychological thriller premieres on HBO Max Europe on September 25.
So, if you are looking for your next television obsession, Paolo may be exactly what you need.
Just remember: obsession is rarely as harmless as it looks at first.