There were differing reactions when Rowan Atkinson was cast to play Georges Simenon's iconic detective, Commissaire Jules Maigret. Those who knew him only from "Mr Bean" were shocked, many were derisive, some apparently had trouble taking him seriously and continually referred to him as Mr Bean in their reviews and forum posts. I for one was intrigued and delighted having seen how wonderful Atkinson can be in more dead-pan roles such as his brilliant comedic creation Blackadder or in the largely forgotten 1989 film "The Tall Guy" where he was disconcertingly convincing as a humourless, egomaniac comic. He had played dramatic parts on the stage before but never on screen so this would be an enticing opportunity for him to show us a different side to his vast talent. He doesn't disappoint giving his Maigret a thoughtful, intelligent and authoritative aura. Relying on decades of experience in physical comedy, his performance is precise and calculated in a manner approaching the brilliance of Peter Barkworth. He rarely moves, giving the impression of a steady, lucid observer and highlighting his biggest asset - his expressive eyes which act as a window into an intelligent, always working mind. With his careful, cerebral approach to investigating crime, this Maigret is terrifying to criminals not due to his imposing physicality but due to his unerring observations and understanding of human psychology. Atkinson is not quite the Maigret Simenon wrote in his novels. He is too small, he lacks some of the commissaire's commanding presence, and he is far too emotional. Unlike the unshakable experienced Parisian copper of the novels, this Maigret seems to go teary-eyed for the slightest of reasons, but in spirit, he is a perfect fit for the works of Simenon. Novels that are less mysteries and more intelligent explorations of human psychologies and complexities.
I greatly enjoyed the work of Rowan Atkinson in the four filmed episodes and it is a shame that the series was cancelled as he seemed to be slowly settling into the role and becoming even better. I would have loved to have seen him in Maigret stories that explored the commissaire's gentler side such as "Felicie" or "The Testimony of the Altar Boy". The stories that were picked for this series are flashier and better known but allow little opportunity for Atkinson to be anything other than an objective observer, a role he plays wonderfully but one does wish he'd get involved a little bit more. Instead, his team (reduced to two reliable policemen) are the ones to get their hands dirty. They are played by Shaun Dingwall and Leo Staar as Janiver and LaPointe, respectively. I greatly enjoyed Dingwall's work, especially in the episode "Maigret in Montmartre", but I found Staar to be little more than a pretty face. His LaPointe felt sidelined and forgettable even in the aforementioned episode based on a novel in which his character is essentially the second lead. There is a large regular supporting cast, all of whom do good work but few of whom stand out. I especially liked Aidan McArdle as a more humane Comeliau and Colin Mace as Lognon. Lucy Cohu does a terrific job of playing Mme Maigret but seems too young and glamourous for the part. She is also done a disservice by the writers who turn her character into a bit of a whiner, which she distinctly wasn't in the original novels.
Speaking of the adaptations, they are of variable quality, the first two, "Maigret Sets a Trap" and "Maigret's Dead Man" being the most faithful and best. The two don't necessarily go hand in hand but in this case, the changes made to the other two stories, "Night at the Crossroads" and "Maigret in Montmartre" seem detrimental. "Night at the Crossroads" is overcomplicated with a needless subplot about policemen's wives and an additional character, while "Maigret in Montmartre" falls victim to a series of seemingly arbitrary minor changes which lead to an overly-complicated and muddled, hard to follow story. For some reason, too much emphasis is placed on the character of the rent boy, Philippe, and not nearly enough on LaPointe who is the emotional anchor of the novel.
Most annoyingly, however, the series is made far darker, moodier, and well... angstier than the novels ever were. This is the same issue that ruined several episodes of the otherwise brilliant "Poirot" series ("Murder on the Orient Express" being the prime offender). For some reason, dark and torrid is the style of all ITV detective shows made these days and "Maigret" is by far the most depressing one. Sure, the novels dealt with the murky Parisian underworld and featured many psychotic characters, but they were never this unremittingly bleak. They always had a certain atmosphere of bonhomie and good humour even in the most disturbing of entries such as "Maigret is Afraid" and "Maigret on Holiday". This angstiness, which leads to Maigret getting teary-eyed at the very sight of a corpse, works wonderfully well in "Maigret Sets a Trap" where it gives the proceedings a much-needed sense of urgency and drama but tends to make the other three episodes heavy-handed and somewhat of a drag. The pace suffers too with "Night at the Crossroads" being especially interminable. They've also done themselves a disservice by picking four so well-known novels all of which already have first-rate adaptations. It is a hard job topping Jean Delannoy's masterpiece, "Maigret Sets a Trap" or the weird and atmospheric Jean Renoir version of "Night at the Crossroads".
Thankfully, the directing in the series is mostly superb. Ashley Pearce especially does a fine job on "Maigret Sets a Trap" which absolutely drips with atmosphere of fear and dread. Fog-bound, rain-soaked, and enveloped in darkness, the episode is a true modern film noir. Also first-rate is Jon East's "Maigret's Dead Man", especially the extended opening sequence which is one of the most exciting sequences on the more civilised side of "Line of Duty". The cinematography is by Dirk Nel who gives the series a cinematic quality far removed from the cheap look the Michael Gambon series had. Even if the stories are sometimes muddled, the atmosphere and period detail are wonderfully evoked. The final, and possibly most valuable, element in this aspect of the series is Samuel Sim's soundtrack which is, I dare say, the best TV soundtrack I've heard this decade. From the hauntingly beautiful theme song to the exciting and innovative incidental music, it is more enticing to listen to it than the dialogues.
There are also plenty of excellent performances throughout the episodes especially from Douglas Hodge, Lorraine Ashbourne, Mia Jexen, Kevin McNally, Adrian Scarbrough, Adrian Rawlins, Robin Weaver, and Tom Wlaschiha. The best-acted sequence in the series, however, must be the gripping and almost definitive version of the "Maigret Sets a Trap" finale. Sparks definitely fly between Fiona Shaw, Rebecca Night and David Dawson who make for one twisted trio. It is no surprise then that I consider "Maigret Sets a Trap" to be the high point of the series. It is a smart, atmospheric, well-paced, and superbly directed adaptation of a great novel.
In conclusion, I genuinely enjoyed this take on "Maigret" due to its excellent performances, atmospheric direction and some of the best music I've ever heard on TV (I don't know what it is about Maigret that so inspires composers), but it needed far better scripts. I am not really surprised it was cancelled though I am saddened. Maigret is not the household name in Britain the way Marple is and this series does not do a good enough job of enticing new viewers. For those of us who know the stories well enough to ignore the muddled scripts and enjoy the better sides of the production, this Maigret is a joy, but for those less familiar with the works of Georges Simenon or more purist in attitude, this will be a tough watch.
