The bottom line: Le crime leur va si bien.
Based on an idea by producer and writer Jean-Pierre Alessandri, Le crime lui va si bien was created by Olga Vincent (Envers et contre tous, Disparus) and Stéphane Kaminka (Au-delà des apparences, Malaterra). Initially, it starred Claudia Tagbo as Gaby Molina, an intuitive and tenacious police captain who does odd jobs and rents guest rooms to keep the farm inherited from her grandparents. Though Claudia Tagbo is best known for stand-up comedy and her participation to TF1's entertainment programme Vendredi tout est permis, this versatile Franco-Ivorian actress and humorist played Lieutenant Martine Forest in RIS police scientifique (2006-2014) (1). The excellent Hélène Seuzaret (Le pont des oubliés, Das Boot) co-starred as Lieutenant Céline Richer, the by-the-book partner and tenant of Captain Molina.
The TV film which gave birth to the series won the Grand Prix of the French-speaking TV movie 2019 at the Cognac Polar Festival. Between 2021 and 2023, six subsequent 90-minute episodes were aired by France 2. In June 2023, Claudia Tagbo unexpectedly announced her decision to leave the series. Last month she gave her reasons in an interview, to which Hélène Seuzaret felt she had to answer (2). And the actress explained that she left Le crime lui va si bien before Claudia Tagbo! Actually, the producers asked her back for L'affaire Molina (formerly Où est Gaby?) and made Céline the main character. Medi Sadoun (Enquête Parallèle, Qu'est-ce qu'on a tous fait au Bon Dieu?) plays Commandant Geoffroy Peyraque (3), Lieutenant Richer's new partner.
The rest of the regular cast is back: Bruno Lochet (Gaby's informer Anton Vargas), Laurent Manzoni (the overstressed Commissaire Félix Fontan) and Julien Ratel (police officer Darget). The talented Brigitte Aubry reprises the role of Céline's mother. Written by Véronique Lecharpy (L'Abime, Alex Hugo) and Olga Vincent with Nathan Bauer, L'affaire Molina astutely handles the departure of Claudia Tagbo while giving Le crime lui va si bien a successful fresh start. Céline Richer returns from holidays when a detective from the internal affairs, Commandant Peyraque, arrives to investigate some thefts within the police station and his chief suspect is none other than Captain Gaby Molina. Worse, Gaby is nowhere to be seen, Commissaire Fontan is overwhelmed by the situation and Darget is... well, Darget.
Peyraque believes that Céline could be Molina's accomplice. Both reluctantly team up and they don't like what they find. Without Claudia Tagbo (except in stock shots), L'affaire Molina gives the character of Gaby a proper exit. The plot and the comedic moments are well-balanced. The duo Hélène Seuzaret/Medi Sadoun is perfect. Gaëlle Lebert is very good as the Procureure. Cédric Chevalme (HPI) plays Mertil. Also with Julien Boissier-Descombes (Socrate), Cyril Debard (Aristote), Thomas Walch (Crimes parfaits) as Pascal, Amandine Chauveau (Vanessa), etc. Produced by Ramona Productions, Kam&Ka and France Télévisions. Co-produced by Be-Films and RTBF (Télévision belge) with the participation of RTS Radio Télévision suisse and TV5 Monde.
Produced by Olga Vincent & Jean-Pierre Alessandri, Samuel Kaminka & Stéphane Kaminka. Music by Xavier Berthelot (Joséphine, ange gardien). Cinematography by Sergio Dell'Amico. Editing by Baptiste Druot, Hélène Burel and Pierre-Loup Ray. Filmed with the support of Département de la Charente and Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Directed by Marie-Hélène Copti (Crimes parfaits). Le crime lui va si bien is available in the U.S. and Canada as Crime is Her Game, thanks to MHz Choice.
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