Paris Police 1900

A stunning historical crime drama - set in early 1900s Paris which mixes the meta-narratives of political turmoil, populist anti-semitism, police corruption, misogyny and murder against an ensemble of engaging, nuanced characters and some stunning set design and cinematography. A drama that doesn't shy away from the very seedy-side of turn of the century life, but which also captures the incredible technological and social change that was occurring at this time. The two lead police characters are of course the ultimate oil and water mix (hence the LA Confidential vibes) and the show also features strong female leads as well. A thoroughly binge-worthy drama that gets better with each episode. Tuning into season 2 now!

At the dawn of the twentieth century there is political turmoil in Paris. The president has died in scandalous circumstances and various unpleasant groups, including anti-Semites and anarchists, are vying for power. Police chief Louis Lépine is brought out of retirement in order to help the authorities maintain control. Against this background the body of a young woman is found in a trunk floating in the River Seine. Ambitious young officer Antoine Jouin takes a lead in the investigation and frequently finds himself in danger. Meanwhile Meg Steinheil, the woman involved with the late president, is enlisted to spy on one of the main anti-Semitic groups.

I really enjoyed this French series; it nicely intertwines factual and fiction. Not being familiar with French history I couldn't always tell which was which; I knew of the infamous 'Dreyfus affair' but was surprised to read that the death of the president is also likely to be true! The combination of a murder mystery and political scheming leads to plenty of excitement; protagonists are frequently in extreme danger; sometimes from people they think they can trust. There is a great atmosphere created by the way the series is filmed; the cast does a solid job. As is often the case these days the series was preceded by a warning about offensive discriminatory language usually this means there will be the occasional racist term but here there are long anti-Semitic diatribes; these are necessary to show just how vile certain characters are but certainly shocked. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of dramas in a historical setting.

These comments are based on watching the series in French with English subtitles.

Super impressive dark grimy crime police thriller, definitely big budget with a lot of details paid to decor, streets, costumes, etc... It REALLY feels like you are in Paris in 1900.

The type of serie you know you have to go to sleep because it's late but you still watch one more episode because you can't resist, keeps you interested and excited all along.

10/10

This is not on some trendy pay tv site,nor is it American so lots of people won't see it,won't feel need to watch it.

It started on BBC tv yesterday and I love it already.

I know a bit French history but the details of the story still require close attention.

No plot spoilers but it is a combination of police story and political/social history.

What with brexit and covid this series might be the closest I get to Paris for a while.

I watched the first two episodes and found it enjoyable. Some reviewers comments reflect the cinematic effects and they are good. Several times there are scenes that reflect famous French paintings.

The story is decent and fits the Belle Epoch at the end of the third Republic. The characters are also good with actors finding their feet

Worth watching.