Capitaine Marleau

We await each years new season of La Capitaine , huddled round our tv in snowy Canada ,wearing our trapper hats just like her .

Whatever the superlative to iconoclastic is ...that's Captain Marleau. Her shambolic appearance and obvious lack of concern about it lulls her suspects into underestimating her , a la Peter Faulk in Colombo .. alas his trench coat did not convert to a sleeping bag!

As all tv detectives have a right to a distinctive vehicle , hers is a sometimes reluctant Land ranger. Marleau is a Land ranger herself , a roving one woman show picking up new sidekicks in each episode, with a few " experts/buddies" that she calls on. The shows must have a tourism board sponsorship , stunning scenery and locations across France.

I buy each years DVD and we watch them over Christmas ..sadly covid seems to have slowed production and we may be watching re runs .

It's clever & funny, with in-depth storylines, good characters, great acting (some famous actors), each episode is different and always has a psychological twist. The main character is brilliant, if you like Columbo, you'll love this show. I watch a lot of international series and this one I go back to all the time, I keep the MHZ channel because of it! It's not so dark & gory that you're questioning what you're letting in your life, yet edgey enough to be interesting and leaves you with good thoughts as there's always some compassionate quality. I can't wait for season 4!! And many more!

I am not familiar with Corinne Masiero but she has created a character for the ages. I cannot think of Hercule Poirot without David Suchet and now Corinne Masiero has brought another character to life: Captain Marleau.

Marleau is a brilliant captain in the French Police but is as idiosyncratic as can be. She looks like a homeless person and the beat up winter hunting cap she is never without adds to the characterization. We frequently find her lopping alone in a sort of duck run as she jogs before receiving a call that a body has been discovered and it appears to be murder.

She is frequently added by one of her two assistants who she keeps confused by her quirky but honest demeanor. When dealing with suspects she is completely non PC. They tend to underestimate her which keeps them feeling cocky. We know that she will solve the mystery and bring the perpetrator to justice.

Marleau has odd connection with a few other colleagues, usually pathologists who are as individual as she is. The series is fun to watch and Marleau has enough allusions to American TV to make you chuckle as she will tell a suspect she is no Columbo. There are allusions to matters French but these wont distract an American viewer. You may have to read the subtitles but they are clear and easy to read.

Currently this is running on Mhz, so you will a subscription.

Such a wonderful mystery series with great comedy interwoven. Capitaine Marleau is portrayed as a combo between Columbo and a French truck driver. A natural talent. The series moves among many charming villages in France from Alsace to the Perigord region -- never Paris or big cities. Subtitles are generally accurate.

A simply delightful show. Capitaine Marleau posseses the assured exuberance of a grown-up Pippi Longstocking, deliberately and frivolously rubbing people up the wrong way at first, only to win them over later and catch the criminal.

The show is up there with the Poirot's, Ms. Marple, Fr. Brown, Rosemary & Thyme, Shakespeare & Hathaway. An excellent evening's entertainment.

The subtitles are excellent and the spoken French is easy to follow. Great for learning the language and learning new phrases.

We watch on Samsung TV Plus - MHz Now channel.