Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Georges Simenon's MAIGRET: PBS MASTERPIECE NEWS & MORE
MASTERPIECE PBS is co-producing a new detective series - Maigret.
MASTERPIECE Head of Scripted Content and Executive Producer Susanne Simpson said: “Maigret will be a perfect addition to MASTERPIECE’s line up of Mystery! shows. Our partners at Playground have assembled an incredible cast and creative team, and our audience is going to love Inspector Maigret and his unique style of crime solving.”
This is the first contemporary television adaptation of Georges Simenon’s novels about the streetwise Parisian Chief Inspector Jules Maigret. Production has started production in Budapest. Colin Callender and David Stern will executive produce for Playground, the Golden Globe and BAFTA award winning production company behind upcoming series Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light and All Creatures Great and Small, both for MASTERPIECE.
Jules Maigret will be played by Benjamin Wainwright (Belgravia: The Next Chapter, Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim), and Stefanie Martini (The Gold, Last Kingdom, Emerald City) stars as his wife Madame Louise Maigret. Patrick Harbinson (Homeland, 24, The Tower) serves as lead writer and executive producer and will direct the first two episodes of the series.
The Jules Maigret series is the second best-selling detective series ever, behind only Sherlock Holmes.
“To understand and not to judge”: Maigret strives above all to unravel our motivations. He is good at this not because he is a genius, or has special methods, but because he listens – he doesn’t solve crimes so much as he solves people.
I'm looking forward to the new Maigret series.
***
Maigret has appeared numerous times on the screen, with at least thirty-four actors assuming the role at different times. The long list of film adaptations began in 1932, two years after Maigret was created, with the release of two films.
Some of the actors who portrayed Maigret: Michael Gabon, Rowan Atkinson, Gérard Depardieu, Bruno Cremer, and Jean Richard.
Though Simenon's books have been adapted many times for film and television, Rupert Davies's celebrated, BAFTA-winning portrayal won the approval of Simenon himself, who stated: At last, I have found the perfect Maigret! Running to 52 episodes, this complete 1960s series has been remastered in High Definition from original film elements and is featured now on MHz in its original full screen TV format.
While you're waiting for what will be a great PBS Masterpiece series have a look at some of the other portrayals of Maigret, of which many are available to stream.
Or, start reading Simenon's mysteries. They are wonderful!
Monday, September 9, 2024
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, SEASON 4
In case you missed it, Season 4 of Only Murders in the Building dropped a few weeks ago. There are 10 episodes, one a week. Lots of new cameos and characters. Only Murders in the Building is on Hulu. Catch up on past seasons on Hulu.
And, good news: Season 5 has been confirmed by Disney Plus.
The new season of Only Murders in the Building takes this unlikely trio to a new setting — but only temporarily. Because of the success of their previous seasons of crime solving, the three podcasting partners are flown to Hollywood, where a movie executive hopes to buy their life rights and make a movie based on their adventures.
The movie exec is played by Molly Shannon, formerly of Saturday Night Live, who throws a glitzy party for the new arrivals. At the party, she tries to wow them by introducing them to the actors cast to play their big-screen counterparts.
Once the movie is greenlit, Charles, Oliver and Mabel head back to their familiar New York apartment complex, where a recent bullet hole found in the window of Charles’ apartment leads them to suspect he may have been targeted for murder. They also suspect the sniper may have aimed from one of the apartments across their courtyard.
Charles studies the behavior of the residents occupying the west tower, then convenes his podcast partners to discuss his suspicions. At this point, Only Murders becomes the comedy equivalent of Rear Window. Like James Stewart in that famous Hitchcock movie, our heroes expect that evil is afoot across the way. But with these three, the way they go about their voyeuristic inquiry highlights their very distinct, and very funny, personalities.
Sunday, September 8, 2024
DAVITT AWARDS: Sisters in Crime Australia
2024 DAVITT AWARD WINNERS
Adult Novels
Monica Vuu, When One of Us Hurts (Pan Macmillan Australia) Debut
Non-Fiction
Rebecca Hazel, The Schoolgirl, her Teacher and his Wife (Penguin Random House)
Young Adult Novels
Amy Doak, Eleanor Jones Is Not a Murderer (Penguin Random House) Debut
Children’s Novels
Lucinda Gifford, The Wolves of Greycoat Hall (Walker Books)
Christine Keighery’s The Half Brother was named the Best Debut Novel.
Sisters in Crime Australia members chose Alison Goodman’s The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies as this year’s Readers’ Choice award.
The Davitt Awards are named for Ellen Davitt (1812-1879), Australia’s first crime novelist.
The Davitt Awards are named for Ellen Davitt (1812-1879), Australia’s first crime novelist.
HT: The Rap Sheet
Saturday, September 7, 2024
MOONFLOWER MURDERS: MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!
Like the Magpie Murders prequel, Moonflower Murders was adapted by author Anthony Horowitz.
I've seen the four episodes, and this productions is terrific -- good story, wonderful actors, such a great mix of time periods and storyline. Exactly what we've come to expect of this great show, based on Anthony Horowitz's novel.
FYI: Magpie Murders is still available on PBS Passport. If you haven't seen Magpie Murders, I suggest you catch up on this show this week before watching Moonflower Murders. You don't have to, but it will enrich your viewing. You could always read the books by Anthony Horowitz, too. Such fun!
Sign up for the MASTERPIECE e-newsletter for all the breaking news on British dramas and mysteries coming to the small screen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)