El arte del crimen

We stream MHz and found this wonderful French series that is a mystery based on art crime. The very best part of this series, for both of us, is the information the show provides on various artists and paintings. We wish we had some of this information when searching out famous paintings on our visits to the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay. If you enjoy mysteries,and art combined with a learning experience this is géniale (brilliant). We hope MHz will offer all seasons available.

I love this kind of show, and it's better than it should be.

The acting is superb all around, and the art & history lessons are fascinating whether you are familiar with the art history or not. And you don't need to be an expert because it's really about solving a mystery, contending with new clues, and watching further growth and developments between Captain Verlay and Florence. I have seen both actors in other shows and they are consistently real in every role, excellent actors. The sets are lovely, and every character is just right (tho I could live without Juliette). We just finished binging Season 4, I think it was the best ever, and will wait breathlessly for Season 5.

I have two degrees in History of Art and have visited many world class fine arts museums, plus I've studied the beautiful French language off and on for years so I especially appreciate "L'Art du Crime" which is so well done and often hilarious - one particularly amusing episode involves Fragonard's The Bolt/The Lock - 1777 (which we saw on display at a special exhibit at the Luxembourg Gardens) depicting a man and a woman behind closed doors in a disheveled bedroom. The two main TV characters give the painting a whole new lease on life - the bald cop Captain in a boyish Dutch-looking wig and art expert Florence especially hilarious lusting away after him in period dress and a long gray fright wig. Elsewhere, her face and expressive tender brown eyes often remind me of the Mona Lisa. So well done. I also love scenes that take us viewers down into the depths of the ancient Louvre - been there and done that. Watching this series is a great reminder of my wonderful visits to Paris with my husband who also gets a big kick out of this series. Perfect entertainment combining art, crime and romance. We view these shows on MHZ. I've noted some criticisms of the show due to the romantic angle but the brainy funny Florence has had her share of failed romances and just can't help falling for her co-worker, the serious but often lumbering cop on a mission.

As a family of artists and art historians, and lovers of mysteries and of Paris (!) this series ticks all the boxes! Nicholas Gob and Éléonore Gosset have such chemistry! Nice well-rounded characters. I first saw Gob in A French Village; he played a very complex character whom you hated, pitied, felt great compassion for...and hated again by turns...so I was excited to see that he would be in this series. So far, all the characters ring true for me. We're bingeing this on MHz, and hoping for season 3!