The Madame Blanc Mysteries

Silly fun in a light entertainment format. Of course it's not meant to be taken seriously. Of course the actors are hamming it up. It's still an entertaining little package best enjoyed with a nice glass of red French wine.

While the film location, protagonist, and Dom are watch worthy, the two J characters are garish caricatures who detract from the series. Surely Ms Lindsey has given them enough screen time in the first two seasons.

Their drivel makes no sense failing to fit into the plots and ensemble, and their physicality resembles in a tortured way, the 70's, which that era doesn't deserve. I have to fast forward through their scenes. Supplant their characters with more Cooper-like ones to keep the fence sitters for a third season.

P S The opening music is far too dated-sappy-which doesn't go with the mystery theme.

If you can get through the first episode and like it, you're probably good for the season. As characters are introduced, we are taken into a world where there's not much room for believability or a truly plausible mystery.

Instead, this show is more of the Matlock/Murder She Wrote/Charlie's Angels school, which is simple, easy, stagy, and at times making attempts to be mildly humorous. I appreciate the advanced age of the cast, because old people have adventures too, although one might speculate perhaps the star/creator/writer chose her cast in part because so many are obviously older than her.

One might wonder, though, why the characters of Judith and Jeremy, both played by actors in their seventies, are so broadly and loudly portrayed. Evidently the two actors are TV veterans, not the stage, and yet they play their parts like community theater actors trying to get noticed by someone in the back row. They need to rein it in a little, imo.

My wife and I are both fans of British crime dramas such as Line of Duty, Dalgliesh and Manhunt, maybe some Grantchester thrown in as well, but we found this more frivolous variety of "mystery" unwatchable. It is to mysteries what Doc Martin is to medical shows, except that Doc Martin is quite entertaining, well written and very well acted.

Where to begin?!? It's as if Sally Lindsay has taken Midsomer Murders, Rosemary and Thyme, 'Allo 'Allo, Lovejoy and A Year in Provence, thrown them into a blender, given them a damn good 'zizzz', and then poured out the script for Madame Blanc!!! The resolution of the first episode was 'swift' to say the least and wouldn't have strained the talents of Insp Clouseau, never mind Sherlock Holmes!! Oh yes, Clouseau...there's another who was popped in the blender!!! Line of Duty it ain't, but it's enjoyable enough for a Saturday night with a glass (or two) of Sauvignon Blanc!!! 'Chewing gum for the eyes' as my old Boss would put it!!!

Might not be everyone's cup of tea but my wife and I both loved it! Beautiful setting filmed in Malta although it supposedly takes place in western France but easily overlooked. Some of the characters are definitely quirky to the point of being corny although lovable nonetheless. This is not serious drama certainly and the story is very predictable with occasional one liners that are classic British humor. It's lighthearted, enjoyable entertainment that doesn't require apt attention or puzzling over whodunnit. Good change of pace.