Spiral (and other French police series)

[DracoM]

Chacun a son gout! Of course!

[Anastasius]

It will be hugely missed - well, in this household.
Partic when you see what BBC4 has in store for us next few Sats - weary, turgidly acted, unfunny, un-noir Italian claptrap.

Oh no ! Not more Montelbano.....sheesh..I'd rather watch paint dry. The missus loves it.

A quick question if I may...she recalls a French detective series titled along the lines of the road or where their HQ was located but she can't recall it. Can anyone help, please ?

[DracoM]

<< Oh no ! Not more Montelbano.....sheesh..I'd rather watch paint dry. >>

You and me both! Crikey.
After 'The Bridge' / 'Spiral' / 'Valhalla Murders' etc etc, they give us arrant tosh like Montalbano

[Nick Armstrong]

I found that I had 'come in' originally on S3 - but sufficiently long ago that it all felt new until S5 or so; but I'm still getting surprises.

Well having started S3, I have no recollection of it except (bizarrely) Gilou’s failure to act on the Missing Person report... So it needs watching!

[kernelbogey]

I really enjoyed S8, which I have just seen to the end: the spirals of subplots as elegantly and skilfully handled as heretofore. Clara Bonnet as the young Juge d'Instruction was as an elegant addition to the cast - though I really missed Roban!

No spoliers here, but the ending was satisfying to me....

[DracoM]

[Stunsworth]

I’ve continued my exploration of French TV by watching Call My Agent on Netflix. It’s a comedy about an actors’ agency in Paris and I’m halfway through the second series. I only realised a few days ago that their fictional office is less than 50 metres from where I used to live in Paris. Happy days.

[Nick Armstrong]

I have watched from S1 to (now) halfway through S6. I fouind that I had 'come in' originally on S3 - but sufficiently long ago that it all felt new until S5 or so; but I'm still getting surprises. Wondering now whether to jump straight from the end of S6 to S8....

It is an incomparable combination of noir with superb characterisation, acting and filming; the sub-plots are magnificently handled.

Well I’ve just watched the finale of S3 (none of which I’d seen before, I discovered)... what a masterly dénouement. Laure/Brémont, Pierre/Joséphine, Roban’s doomed entanglements, the butcher butchered.

But... potential jeopardy for Laure (of course)....

“Vous avez intérêt à accorder vos violons...”

I’ve decided to press on through 4, 5, 6 & 7 before tackling the final season. Even if seen before, it’s too good to miss

[DracoM]

Now you might appreciate why a number of Sat night noirs etc BBC4 viewers have such contempt for Montalbano?

[Cockney Sparrow]

The gore quotient in the early episodes of Spiral series 1 was too much for Mrs CS. Either it was more graphic than series 4-6 or she had had enough of a run of such dramas. (Mind you, we have recently watched The Serpent, which was very tense.... and a little graphic).

We're currently watching Call My Agent and very welcome light relief it is. We also enjoyed "The Dig" - the "Film Programme" on radio 4 had a piece on Fiennes having a Suffolk coach for the Suffolk accent.

I must check the dates when Spiral, episode 7 at the very least, expires as I'll have to watch that alone if necessary.

(I once worked with an agency lawyer who dealt with prosecuting murder cases in his native South Africa. When he came to the UK and was interviewed for jobs he said they refused to believe it was pretty much his entire case load. The local practice here saw just a few cases in a year........).

[vinteuil]

The gore quotient in the early episodes of Spiral series 1 was too much for Mrs CS. Either it was more graphic than series 4-6 or she had had enough of a run of such dramas...

... yes, we're nearing the end of series two here : dark, very dark - almost too unpleasant. I'm sure the later series lightened up quite a bit.

Not having seen these early series before - my, but Laure didn't half put it about a bit with any half decent bloke! Quite a surprize...
In series one in particular the emphasis was much more on the courts than the rozzers - Clement, Karlsson, Roban more stars than Laure's ramshackle team.
And much more central Paris - later it's always out in the banlieues.

Still think it's way superior to almost everything on at the moment

.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Been watching Torn on All4 . Ok but not as good as the French ALL 4 last murder (? not yet clear in Torn ) mystery set in the lush Provence countryside which had a Michelin starred restaurant and chef as its focus - the name of which escapes me . HMM am I spotting a formula ( or formule €75 service compris) here ?

[Nick Armstrong]

Now you might appreciate why a number of Sat night noirs etc BBC4 viewers have such contempt for Montalbano?

Well it’s a bit of light relief.

Some Finnish grit starting this Saturday, Dracs, to give you a bit of roughage

[Nick Armstrong]

... yes, we're nearing the end of series two here : dark, very dark - almost too unpleasant. I'm sure the later series lightened up quite a bit.

Not having seen these early series before - my, but Laure didn't half put it about a bit with any half decent bloke! Quite a surprize...
In series one in particular the emphasis was much more on the courts than the rozzers - Clement, Karlsson, Roban more stars than Laure's ramshackle team.
And much more central Paris - later it's always out in the banlieues.

Still think it's way superior to almost everything on at the moment

.

Agreed on all counts.... tho S3 remains dark (glauque is the right French word I think).

And as well as Laure’s penchants, Joséphine surpriz’d with her tendency towards out-and-out criminality....

[subcontrabass]

Some Finnish grit starting this Saturday, Dracs, to give you a bit of roughage

Finnish grit from a British author.