SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for Maigret Season 1, Episode 1.

PBS Masterpiece’s Maigret is the latest British TV series to reimagine a classic detective. It’s in vogue now to take iconic sleuths and put a modern spin on them, but the question is always why? What do these shows have other than name recognition? In Maigret‘s case, it’s a knowing wink to the audience.

It’s been just shy of a decade since Jules Maigret was last on television, played by Blackadder star Rowan Atkinson from 2016-2017. (Nathalie Armin, who co-stars in this Maigret as prosecutor Mathilde Kernaval, guest-starred in the 2016 episode “Maigret’s Dead Man.”) That’s not a massive amount of time by revival standards. In contrast, it was roughly 17 years between The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and Lynley—which shares a production company with Maigret. So instead of taking the “everything old is new again” approach, this series finds its hook in being pleasantly subversive.

Of course, the cases are still very serious and there are still moments where Maigret broods over one thing or another. But “The Lazy Burglar, Part One” finds ways to go right when it should have turned left. This version of Maigret, played by Belgravia: The Next Chapter star Benjamin Wainwright, is serious but also boasts a deadpan sense of humor. That humor is laced throughout the show thanks to showrunner and writer Patrick Harbinson (The Tower, Red Cap). He knows audiences are expecting a very stern whodunit and chooses his spots to break up the monotony. For example, Harbinson takes a cheeky shot at modern culture when one of Maigret’s team members tells him they’re just now getting video footage of a bank robbery because the Instagram vlogger who shot the footage wanted to monetize it first.

For anyone who’s a fan of the crime drama genre, these quiet acknowledgements of genre tropes are a breath of fresh air. They’re saying what the audience is likely thinking—making the whole of Maigret feel more relatable, and more entertaining. It’s also a plus that Harbinson doesn’t require any knowledge of previous TV adaptations or of author Georges Simenon’s Maigret novels to enjoy this show. He assumes that the audience doesn’t know anything, and so everything a viewer could need is built into the story. It’s not without its flaws; there are occasional moments that take just a beat too long, and the dramatic underscore can be obtrusive at times. But in general, Harbinson’s wealth of experience shows in how efficient the scripts are and how much he knows to avoid.

Aside from Wainwright, the Maigret cast is an intriguing group that just needs time to find their stride. They don’t have the immediate magic of Lynley, but the potential is there. Stefanie Martini is smartly cast as Maigret’s wife Louise, because she brings more emotion to the role than just “the spouse,” and her Prime Suspect 1973 co-star Neil Sutherland plays another of Maigret’s colleagues. The secret weapon of the show is Rob Kazinsky, as anyone who knows him from the Pacific Rim movies will be surprised to see him in a role that’s very different from those films. “The Lazy Burglar, Part One” only has so much space for anyone outside of Maigret, but it’s worth watching to see how the ensemble continues to grow.

Maigret presents a version of modern Paris full of cynicism, dark corners and long pauses. In fact, one of the first things audiences learn about Maigret is that his recent promotion is controversial. Kernavel can barely seem to hide her annoyance when she’s around him (which might be mutual). It’s interesting to follow a protagonist who starts from a position of dislike, instead of the standout detective who arrives on the scene. That tone and the straightforward nature of the crime-solving are in direct contrast to the sly bursts of levity that Harbinson interjects. Maigret‘s combination of serious and unserious may not appeal to everyone, but anyone who’s willing to be patient will see a show unfold that both fits perfectly into the crime genre and respectfully teases it.

Maigret airs Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on PBS. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Playground Entertainment and Masterpiece.

Article content is (c)2020-2025 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.