Flikken Maastricht

Small introduction: 'Flikken' is Dutch slang for 'police officers', while 'Maastricht' is a beautiful town in the very South of the Netherlands.

So these series are about a police unit in a provincial town. Set in the current crime, atmosphere, morality & mentality of the Netherlands. Extra flavor is added by Maastricht's internationalism: the town lies close to Belgium and Germany, and has its Dutch character lovely mixed with these foreign influences.

Another key-point: 'Flikken Maastricht' has its plots strongly interwoven with the personal lives of its police officers. Too much to be true, I should say, but these recognizable day-to-day problems have contributed to the series' popularity.

'Flikken Maastricht' was and is a TV-hit, (so far) spread over four seasons. Its evolution follows a usual pattern: developing itself in seasons 1 and 2, peaking in 3, and getting a little overdone in series 4.

The level of acting in the series is below average and things never get realistic. Characters are shallow and badly cast. I watch Scandinavian, French, Israelian and even Polish series, but this just has no nothing..

I'm watching Flikken Maastricht via BVN, which is a free to air satellite broadcast. Maastricht is to The Netherlands what New Orleans is to the US, but without the music. The food, mardi gras, French influences, those are all similar. In the series there's nothing that refers to the couleur locale, save for the back ground. The indigenous Maastricht people speak a beautiful language, just like New Orleans cajun, but I haven't find one character who sounds like a local.

But, what bothers me most is how the writers are unable to build a story. They have no clue how to set up the key scenes of the program. It's structured like an Emeril show, first you take this, than you do that and voilá, there's your gumbo.

How many foreign companies have picked up the show?

Just watch from season #1. See how it developes! . . . . . . .

As an American with barely any knowledge of the Dutch language, I can still say that Flikken Maastricht is a top-notch detective series that anyone would find enjoyable. Its not just about the crimes and cops and criminals, its about people that anyone can identify with. Its much more realistic in that it deals with crimes both large and small that detectives in mid-size police forces would likely encounter. For the male viewers there is plenty of hot totties to turn your head and for the ladies there is Victor Reinier. Plus, the Maastricht setting is simply gorgeous. Now, if only the producers would put out a box set with English subtitles perhaps I could stop bothering my Dutch friend for translations of things I don't quite understand.