Lupin is super-cool, like Ocean’s Eleven, but with added je ne sais quoi. ‘Ocean’s Un’. And what an ‘un’ Omar Sy is, playing central character Assane Diop with a quiet mastery – less ocean, more still waters. And less, in this case, is definitely more. I really like actors who are comfortable enough to do very little, and he’s particularly good at simply letting his physical presence own the screen, while everyone else races round trying to keep up.

The story follows con artist Diop, devotee of the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, a literary character created by Maurice Leblanc in 1905. Like the Julia Quinn novels that inspired Bridgerton, I imagine sales of Leblanc’s stories will go through the roof. Diop is a kind of Robin Hood figure, in that although he’s a crook, his aims are pure – to seek revenge on behalf of his father, framed 25 years before by the wealthy and corrupt Pellegrini family he worked for; specifically, Hubert Pellegrini, who is a right connard. Diop’s father supposedly stole the Pellegrini heirloom, a diamond necklace worth millions. When it re-surfaces and is put on display in the Louvre in preparation for auction, Diop decides to steal it to avenge Diop Senior, giving Hubert a metaphorical bloody nose and literal empty pocket.

What makes this series profoundly satisfying is its Jack Reacher-esque lack of jeopardy. Diop is a genius, always one step ahead, running rings round the police force, without running at all. He just strolls around in different hats, and that’s enough to befuddle them, like Superman donning a pair of glasses. The plots are neat, with the devilish inner workings revealed after the event, so you can just sit back, safe in the knowledge that Diop will prevail, and then you’ll get to see how clever he was. It reminds me of Hustle, a hugely enjoyable BBC series, except of course it’s way cooler, being français and all.

The story of the original framing, 25 years ago, is told in flashback, and the casting is uncanny. Jeune Assane is extraordinarily like his counterpart, as is young Claire, the future mother of his child. It prevents the jarring that you sometimes get when the junior versions don’t quite match, so you can really get stuck into exactly how Diop ended up like this, and why he’s so driven, without constantly wondering who everyone is. I have one issue with this backstory though, and this next vent will include some spoilers, so look away if you’re yet to see it.

After his father hangs himself in shame, Diop is sent to some sort of care home, and then a mystery benefactor sends him to an expensive school, where presumably he grooms himself into a gentleman thief in the mould of his hero Lupin. But 25 years later, when Hubert’s wife Anne reveals herself to be the (guilty) patron, Diop expresses surprise. So, we’re to assume that in all that time, with infinite resources at his disposal, and a raging urge to vindicate his dad, Diop never took the time to find out for himself who stumped up his school fees? I found that lack of curiosity out of character, and it annoyed me.

But apart from that, it’s great - a stylish show with a terrific cast, set against a fit AF Parisian backdrop, with some trop cool cons. If that’s not guaranteed entertainment, I don’t know what is. Regardez, tout de suite, but watch with subtitles if you can – the dubbed version is a travesty.

• Lupin Part 1, 5 episodes - Netflix