Monsignor Renard

This is a very well written drama, beautifully acted with a fantastic cast set in authentic settings and must have been very expensive to produce. Why then did it fail to attract viewers and only run to four episodes. To my mind, the main failure was in allowing the English actors, playing French men and women, to speak with (presumably their own) English regional accents. While this was common in earlier films and series, here it jars with the otherwise laudable visual and plot-driven attempts at authenticity. Quite why this is so much of an issue is difficult to pinpoint, but it is very much akin to colour-blind casting and strains the credibility for viewers, particularly with only the Germans characters using their native language. It's other failing is it's music, which makes scenes of high drama overly mawkish. It is well worth watching, but deserved a far longer run.

While the plot and the meanings of the movie were well done, and heartfelt, character development was not the greatest. It was hard to know who was who, until part three. Personally, as a Dominic Monaghan Fan, I was disappointed in his quite small roll, but still, seeing Dom Monaghan's early work was good.

The movie made you feel like you were actually in that time, and made you question yourself a lot. It was touching, but gruesome in some parts. The emotions and the way the characters act really put you in their shoes. The movie lets you in onto the World of Monsignor Renard. I personally thought this movie was well done, and good.

This film shows most of the horrors of war without being too graphic. The actors portray their characters wonderfully, whether you hate the character or love them. Every character has a depth that seems to be hard to find. You can't help but become emotionally involved.

Of all the TV series dealing with WW2 this one stands out as being very different. For a change Monsignor Renard deals with the everyday lives of a small Northern French village seen through the eyes of it's priest. The Germans are not all seen as the Nazi brutes of common perception, neither are the all the French brave resistance fighters. These are human stories showing how the conquering Germans learned to live with the conquered French and visa verse.

The acting is spot on, I've read that John Thaw was considered wrong for the part, no way, he shines throughout. Spot a young Dominic Monahagn who has gone on to Hollywood stardom in the Lord of the Rings saga amongst others.

It's a shame a second series was not commissioned, IMDb says it was because of low ratings for the first but I think it was more due to John Thaw's declining health, he died in 2002 less than two years after the series was screened.

The premise is still a good one and could be revived for a remake with more than one series. Come on, there must be a production company out there willing to take it on.

After a twenty year absence, Monsignor Renard returns to his home village to take up the position vacated by his predecessor, no sooner has he arrived, The Germans occupy the village.

What an absolute gem of a series this is, first rate in every single aspect. A fascinating watch, think of what a series Allo Allo would have been, if it was made as a straight up drama.

The first and final episodes are both hugely gritty and dramatic, the middle two focus more on day to day life, as The French try to love alongside their Nazi invaders.

So much happens, you're made to consider the second world war from an entirely different perspective, easy to forget that this situation actually happened. We have love, hatred, we see collaborators and resistance.

Visually stunning, awesome sets, tremendous costumes, it looks so wonderfully authentic.

The acting is first rate, John Thaw is awesome as the main character, so different to Morse, Cheryl Campbell and Dominic Monaghan both impress equally as much.

How sad it ended after just four episodes, there were definitely more stories to be told here.

Terrific series, a wonderful watch, 10/10.