Lupin season 3 addresses a long-standing issue – and it pays off

Omar Sy's charming performance as modern day gentleman thief Assane Diop is one of the jewels in its crown, as are the myriad miraculous ways the protagonist channels Arsène Lupin to trick his opponents and manoeuvre his way out of the tightest of spots.

But there are numerous other details to appreciate and enjoy, from its Parisian setting to its deft exploration of race, the chemistry between Assane and Claire to Assane's relationship with his closest confidante, Benjamin, to his trusty canine complication J'accuse, the real MVP of Lupin.

We could go on.

But in parts 1 and 2, the depiction of Claire needed work.

Assane's ex-girlfriend, with who he shares a son, was – well, that's all she really was. Claire didn't really have any narrative input, with frightening things happening to her, such as the kidnapping of Raoul at the end of Part 1, and Assane would then clean up the mess.

And she didn't really exist outside of Assane's orbit, the result of which meant Claire didn't always feel like a person in her own right.

But while Assane continues to be the focus of Lupin, and we wouldn't have it any other way, we do see more of Claire this time around, which is a small but important change.

We get a glimpse into who she is professionally, albeit fleetingly – the plot moves swiftly in Lupin, and audiences have no desire to spend a day in the life with Dr Claire – but even that brief insight highlights that she has a life outside of Assane and the chaos that follows him.

And that's not all.

We also see Claire flex her intelligence and quick wit on a number of occasions. When she's hiding with Raoul in her apartment after Keller breaks in, Claire rings the landline from her mobile and leaves a message which convinces the intruder that no one is home, and that Raoul's Uncle Martin, a police officer, is on his way over, which prompts Keller to flee.

On a different occasion, she pays Benjamin a visit in prison following his arrest for the gala theft, which was planned by Assane in another shocking twist, and Claire tricks him into confirming that Raoul's father is still alive.

And then there's the stunt she pulls in the library café in order to swipe the Lupin book from another woman.

It's a side to Claire that we weren't really privy to previously, which not only adds to our enjoyment, but also gives us further insight into who she is, and why Assane was drawn to her.

Through spending more time with Claire, we also understand the emotional cost of being part of Assane's core circle.

Following his disappearance at the end of Part 2, Claire and Raoul are harassed by the press at every opportunity, the paparazzi thrusting cameras in their faces whenever they step outside their front door.

That intrusion intensifies once again after he fakes his own death, with journalist Fleur Belanger tailing Claire in a bid to secure an exclusive interview.

Raoul also becomes the subject of cruel taunts and roughhousing at basketball practice, which force him to leave and find a new team to train with.

Those moments highlight the colossal impact of Assane's crime capers and multiple disappearing acts on Claire and his son, both practically and emotionally. We champion Assane at every turn and enjoy his exploits immensely, but he's certainly not without reproach.

And while there's much in Lupin that is absurd and downright impossible – in the best possible way, we should add – those moments with Claire help co-creators and writers George Kay and François Uzan ground the story further, in turn giving it real depth.

If Lupin returns for Part 4, long may that continue.

Lupin parts 1-3 are streaming now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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