Maigret

There have been some outstanding portrayals of Maigret, the most recent Rowan Atkinson versions being quite good, but Bruno Cremer best invokes the spirit of books. Maigret is NOT a procedural, although they are certainly mysteries. They are about people and the human condition, best demonstrated by Maigret's compassion. Sometimes for victims, and yes, sometimes even for the criminals. If there is any failing at all in this fine series, it is the relative absence of his wife, who features more strongly in the books and some other versions. One of the most re-watchable series, I had depended on MHZ to view it and finally obtained a DVD set of the entire series. If you love mysteries, you simply can NOT skip over Maigret.

The Bruno Cremer "Maigret" series is exceptional and reminds me of those great British books-to-television mystery series from the 80s/90s such as Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes, David Suchet's Hercule Poirot, and (my favorite) John Thaw's Inspector Morse. What I enjoy most about the Cremer series is how well it captures the atmosphere-bars, bistros, apartments, mansions, the wet pavement of the streets, peripheral noises, the varied dialogue, and the quiet moments--that the author George Simenon brings to his books (both his "Maigret" titles and his other novels--I've read all the Maigret stories and several of his other titles). One doesn't read Simenon's Maigret mysteries simply for setup, epiphanous moment, and denouement. I would say the same is true of watching this series. Getting to and finding out "Who did it?" matters, yes, but only a bit. The best parts are the lingering moments in between.

One wise decision made in developing this Maigret series is that all episodes are set in the late 40s through the 50s. Simenon's Maigret novels span across several decades (30s - early 70s) and the change in ages, fashions, cars, and architecture would have been a challenge. And of course, there would have been the war years and the German occupation of Paris. While not actually shot in Paris, who cares? This is the Paris of the late 40s and early 50s, maybe not in reality but the Paris of our-at least, my-imagination, the Paris that Simenon paints in his stories. Capturing that look and feel is crucial if one is to film Simenon. I applaud the filmmakers.

Generally, these episodes adhere to their corresponding novel. Not always and seldom perfectly. I don't mind an addition or embellishment here or there. It's the nature of book-to-film, but if one does it then one better do it well. In this series, it's usually, but not always, done quite well. Bruno Cremer embodies Maigret and delivers, for me, the character I imagined when reading the novels. I'm grateful for the 54 episodes in this series. I wish there were more. (There are over 100 Maigret stories counting both novels and short stories.)

BY THE WAY, In Simenon's Maigret stories, Maigret's assistants change with some being given more prominence than others in different books. Those assistants include Lucas, LaPointe, Torrence, Dufour, and Janvier, among others. The filmmakers sometimes condense these characters into maybe one or two where in the book there are two or three or more. It seldom, if ever, affects the story or plot. While true that Lucas appears more in the novels than in this series he is NOT in every novel as Maigret's right hand man (as one reviewer persists in claiming).

My review here and of individual episodes are based on the DVD set.

An excellent detective series for any nation, and yet I've seen a lot of them, ancient or modern.

Quickly, what differentiates this Maigret 1991 from other detective series is the atmosphere, the weightlessness and above all the reality that sticks to the skin of this universe.

Maigret is a gruff bear, certainly, but he has the gift of empathy: he loves people (even delinquents) and that can be seen on the screen.

Everyone has a chance with him: he takes his time to live with them, to live in the dirt, to live in the filth of this world in which he appears like a breath of air.

I like Bruno Cremer in this series because he is both human and the God of this world.

I'm more than tired of the series that we see too often in videos on demand, in which the houses don't have an ounce of dust, in which everything is smooth, all the actors are beautiful and all the investigations are solved with DNA.

No, that's not the truth.

The truth, the reality, is rather in the darkness and filth depicted by this series.

For me, it is masterful.

Well......having recently obtained MhZ Choice thru Roku, will be able to do a sloooow binge-watch this whole Winter of my now recent favorite French detective, Maigret! I had seen bits and pieces on PBS, but MhZ has them all: all 9 years! Dragging out my special snacks, along with tooth-picks to prop up my eyelids and eye-drops to reduce the tell-tale redness, its going to be an occupied Winter fer shur! Deepest thanks to French television! Viva le France! I wonder if I'll be able to speak French when finished? EMBRACE the sub-Titles!

I am a huge fan of the MhZ International Mystery series where you can catch this show every few weeks. They alternate with Italian, German, Swedish, and in the past Norwegian mysteries. Jules Maigret is the kind of dad you would like to have had growing up. He is intelligent, sophisticated, speaks French, and quite handsome for a big guy. What makes the show hilarious is that he is the only one in each series who has any wisdom whatsoever. The other characters dance around him like complete imbeciles trying to trick him while he smokes his pipe and think that he isn't paying attention. He is a French Sherlock Holmes, without a side kick, though now his nephew has joined in on the action lately and it seems he will stay. The nephew is interested in girls more than crime though and pulls out the machismo whenever he appears to be slacking off, to impress his uncle. His uncle is not impressed though but as a devoted family member tries to teach him the trade. If you love classic film, Masterpiece theater, and generally watch British humor or mysteries on PBS, you have to look for MhZ International programs and find this. They are on Facebook as well.