Maigret: The Complete Series

The problem with the many reviews is that they are not sorted as to the major DVD TV Series year and Star. I have watched most, and my favorite portrayal of Maigret is that given by Rowan Atkinson.Maigret TV Series 2016–2017 & 2019: starring Rowan Atkinson as Maigret in 4 episodes over three years.Maigret TV Series 1992–1993: starring Michael Gambon as Maigret in 12 episodes over two years.Maigret TV Series 1991–2005: starring Bruno Cremer, as the most widely known Maigret, in 54 episodes over 14 years.Maigret TV Series 1960–1963: starring Rupert Davies, as the most lauded definitive Maigret, in 52 episodes; Davies's celebrated BAFTA-winning portrayal won the approval of the author; Simenon himself said of Davies, "At last, I have found the perfect Maigret!" "The moment Simenon saw Davies he shouted: "C'est Maigret, c'est Maigret. You are the flesh and bones of Maigret!"Maigret, is a fictional French police detective, Commissaire Jules Maigret, commissioner of the Paris Brigade Criminelle, Direction Régionale de la Police Judiciaire de Paris:36, Quai des Orfèvres, who solves brutal murder cases in 1950s Paris, created by writer Georges Simenon.In his investigations, from Montmartre to the remote French countryside, Maigret encounters the dark side of life; yet, he calmly maintains an empathetic demeanor as he explores the complex motives that lie behind every crime. Maigret's method is to put himself in another person's place to search for the reason to understand why the crime was committed; with an extraordinary humanity and insight in the realities of human behavior, he watches and listens in order to solve crimes.We think of Rowan Atkinson as being a gifted comedian and know him best as Mr. Bean. Who would ever think of him as a masterful drama actor. Rowan Atkinson credibly transforms himself into the seriously calm and curious police commissioner Maigret who risks his life to find the culprits. Atkinson's performance is awesome. Simenon's brilliant stories come to life through remarkable scripts, actors and locals; truly mysterious and convincing; holding your interest without pause. How to trap a serial killer stalking women; who stabbed a gambler to death; why release the obvious suspect for the murder of a diamond dealer; who strangled a stripper one day and a duchess the next? Reviews of Atkinson as Maigret have not been remarkable. However, as an avid follower of detective sleuths, I was impressed. A worthy watch, I wish Atkinson could be cast as Maigret in more episodes. The DVD set includes two discs with two episodes and bonus material on each; the episodes are: Maigret Sets a Trap Disc 1-1; Maigret’s Dead Man Disc 1-2; Night at the Crossroads Disc 2-1; and, Maigret in Montmartre Disc 2-2. This order is different from the order the episodes were broadcast.

I don't have any books or earlier series to compare to this one, starring Rowan Atkinson, but I can say I loved it from the very start. It's all story without blood and guts or foul language, yet intelligently done and always interesting from the start to the finish of each episode. It's interesting to follow Maigret's sleuth skills even in the absence of apparent evidence---at first. Each episode is quite unlike the one before so the stories are always fresh.I have never been a fan of the Mr. Bean movies or of Atkinson's other comedies, so it was with curiosity that I bought this complete series. What a delightful surprise. I really like him in drama and wish he was used more often in that role. What a missed opportunity to showcase his other acting skills. I only wish there were far more episodes----as long as they keep the tone true to what they started with in this series. So many times the writers/directors get it right and then feel the need to "improve" or "change" what was working and so the decline starts. No political hot-button issues are forced upon the viewer, which is a much appreciated plus. Just pure entertainment. I also enjoy all the supporting actors.It took a full episode to get used to the woman cast as Maigret's wife; they didn't really seem to fit at first; but I have grown to really like her character and her quiet, steady support to him.Maigret himself is cool and completely unrushed or unruffled at all times. It's played to a tee by Atkinson. There are characters I have grown to either love in other series, or "love to hate" that are a joy for me to see in these scripts with different characters than I'm used to. Books or not; earlier films or not; this series stands on its own for me.

We've watched the Maigret series staring Michael Gambon, and the series starring Rowen Atkinson, but the French series staring Bruno Cremer is the best. No English actors' accents jarring with the French extras'...it's all in French and the subtitles are accurate and easy to read. The sets and costumes seem very authentic and not too over the top. And there are SO many more episodes in this series than in the English sets.I've never read one of the books/stories the episodes are based on, so I can say anything about how well they do or don't follow the author's versions. I will say that a lot of the episodes don't get tied up at the with a nice bow. You end up knowing who "done it"...and why. There's no explanation of whether the murderer went to jail or the often referenced guillotine. I didn't get that feeling from the English series, where they usually show at least Maigret riding off into the sunset. Is it a French style?The price for this set purchased from Amazon was very reasonable for the hours of entertainment (it was $82.08 when I bought it, and there are 82 hours of viewing). It arrived quickly and was well packaged. We have only gotten through a few DVDs, but they have all played without problem, the volume is good, etc. I would recommend this set to anyone who likes period setting detective mysteries like Midsomer Murders, A Touch of Frost, Foyles War, etc.

Good