MADEMOISELLE HOLMES - SEASON 1, EPISODES 3 & 4: SORTIE DE ROUTE & BAKER STREET (TF1)

[Favourite of the Month][Spoiler-free review] After HPI and Panda, French private channel TF1 adds another gem to its thursday night crime/detective drama line-up with Mademoiselle Holmes. This 6 x 52-minute series was created by Victoria Spennato (Face à Face) and Laëtitia Kügler with Laure Mentzel and Mélusine Laura Raynaud.

 

Mademoiselle Holmes is loosely based on the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, from the stories written by author Arthur Conan Doyle (fully in the public domain since last year).

The bottom line: HPI meets Elementary.

Episodes 1 and 2: https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2024/04/mademoiselle-holmes-season-1-episodes-1.html

Mademoiselle Holmes stars Lola Dewaere (Astrid et Raphaëlle, Crimes à...) as Charlie Holmes, a discrete and unassuming young woman who's none other than the great granddaughter of the famous Sherlock Holmes. She lives in an old manor in Loire-Atlantique with her grandfather Georges, plays the violin, gets around by bike and works for the police in the  squad of Commissaire Florence Billon. When Charlie Holmes is hit by a car, her personality changes completely and her extraordinary intelligence is unleashed. Assisted by Dr. Samy Vatel,  a sympathetic trainee in forensic medicine and a fan of Sherlock Holmes, the unpredictable Mademoiselle Holmes investigates in Nantes and its region. Much to the annoyance of macho cop Commandant Chris Hervieu.

In the shadows loom Charlie's own weaknesses, family secrets and the descendants of Sherlock Holmes' nemesis Professor Moriarty. Comedian, actor and TV personality Tom Villa (Munch) co-stars as Samy. French national treasure Daniel Prévost is the quiet but mysterious Georges Holmes. Commandant Hervieu, the "Inspector Lestrade" of Charlie Holmes, is played by Thomas Jouannet (Sophie Cross). Alika Del Sol (Simon Coleman) plays Commissaire Billon. Also starring Armelle Abibou (Jess), Oscar Berthe (Loïc), Valentin du Peuty (Simon), Éric Naggar (Dr. Alfred Camus), etc. In Sortie de route, Charlie Holmes knows she's linked to the recently deceased Alexander Moriarty, owner of a tabloid empire, and his daughter April.

Nicolas Belliard, an estranged childhood friend of Charlie, calls her because he just had a car accident where his stepbrother died in the fire of the vehicle. The case is very complicated for Charlie Holmes and she's angry with her grandfather. This excellent episode was written by Victoria Spennato, Sophia Périé (La stagiaire, Munch) and Julia Gras-Payen (Tandem) with Laëtitia Kügler. Holy Fatma plays Muriel Billon, Florence's private eye sister. With Tristan Robin (Nicolas), Lucile Krier (Suzy Sinçon),  Audrey Le Bihan (Roxane), Mathis Dupuy (Roxane' son), Allister Bunga-Vila (Milan Errera), Hugo Brune (Anthony Sinçon), Soriba Dabo (Gym employee) and violinist Jessica Delot as the musician in the park.

In Baker Street, Charlie Holmes and Samy Vatel take some days off in London. They visit the "House of Sherlock" museum, where Charlie unexpectedly gets to know Tracy Sheraton. Tracy  is the daughter of actress Betty Sheraton and she believes that the ghost of her sister warned her that she's in danger. In the British capital, Charlie Holmes meets April Moriarty. This lavish, fun and surprising trip to London was penned by Laure Mentzel, Mélusine Laura Raynaud, Chloé Glachant and Sven Jacquet. Roxane Mesquida as April Moriarty is a worthy successor to Natalie Dormer's Jamie Moriarty in Elementary. This French-American actress and model was seen in series such as Now Apocalypse or Gossip Girl and movies from directors Greg Araki or Catherine Breillat. 

The resume of actor Paul Mark Elliott (the director of the museum) includes roles in The Bill, Dangerfield, Lovejoy, Absolutely Fabulous or The Comic Strip Presents. The other guest stars of this fourth episode are Blandine Lagorce (Tracy Sheraton), Nancy Tate (Betty Sheraton), Benjamin Boyer (Joseph Sheraton), Aurore Streich (Hazel Spencer), Kelly Rivière (Rose), Matthew Luret (James), Charles Clément (Demain nous appartient) as Pierre Menard, etc. Produced by Marysol (Newen Group) with TF1 and RTL tvi. Filmed between March and June 2023 with the support of Région des Pays de la Loire and the help of the Bureau d'accueil des tournages des Pays de la Loire. 

Cyrielle Mottin and Paloma Martin y Prada are the producers. Music  by François Liétout (Les Combattantes). Cinematography by Christophe Legal. Editing by Stéphanie Gaurier and Mathieu Molinaro (Episode 3), Gaétan Boussand (Episode 4). Main title sequence by François Basset and Jules Maillard. The manor of Georges and Charlie Holmes is in fact the Château du Docteur Daguin in Sion-les-Mines. Story arc by Victoria Spennato and Laëtitia Kügler. Episodes 3 and 4 directed by Frédéric Berthe (Les Randonneuses). Executive production in London (Episode 4) by Solène Marvian for Pavilion Works Ltd. Mademoiselle Holmes is distributed by Newen Connect.

https://tvmag.lefigaro.fr/programme-tv/series/d-astrid-et-raphaelle-a-mademoiselle-holmes-lola-dewaere-une-actrice-enquete-de-soi-20231117

See also:

https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/sion-les-mines-44590/le-docteur-daguin-et-mlle-holmes-marquent-lhistoire-du-chateau-neogothique-de-sion-les-mines-f330d51e-d302-11ed-9078-c96e51806d43 (Château du Docteur Daguin)