LAST MONTH ON THIS BLOG (OR NOT)

Yes, I know... Tell me about it.

 

- Munch (TF1):
 
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/11/munch-tf1.html 

- Blood on the Docks (France 2):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/11/watched-last-week.html
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/11/blood-on-docks-justices-france-2.html

- Magellan et Mongeville (France 3):
 
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/11/watched-last-week.html

WATCHED LAST WEEK

Le Havre, terre de contraste and a rare bird.

- Blood on the Docks: Amours mortes (France 2): 

Last of the sixth 2 x 90-minute series of Deux flics sur les docks, starring Jean-Marc Barr and Bruno Solo as Le Havre police detectives Capitaine Richard Faraday and Capitaine Paul Winckler.

Amours mortes is an original story written by Olivier Prieur, loosely based on Graham Hurley's Joe Faraday novels. This rather effective episode, directed by Edwin Baily, is regrettably ruined by a cliche-esque case resolution. And the new status of Bazza Swaty (Emmanuel Salinger) at the end raises some doubts. Produced by Gétévé Productions with France Télévisions and the support of Région Haute-Normandie.

You can find a review of the previous episode here:

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/11/blood-on-docks-justices-france-2.html

- Magellan et Mongeville (France 3):

The crossover is a "rare bird" in the History of French television fiction: the sitcoms produced for TF1 by AB Productions in the 1990s, an encounter between crime drama PJ (1997-2009) and legal drama Avocats et Associés (1998-2010) on France 2 in 2007, and then nothing until now. Created by Laurent Mondy, Commissaire Magellan started on France 3 in 2009. Produced by JLA Productions and set in the fictional town of Saignac (in the north of France), it stars Jacques Spiesser as Commissaire Simon Magellan.

Launched in 2013, Mongeville is a production from Son & Lumière created by Jacques Santamaria and starring Francis Perrin as Antoine Mongeville. Mongeville is a retired juge d'instruction who regularly assists police captain Valentine Duteil (played by Gaëlle Bona) in Bordeaux. Magellan and Mongeville are part of the popular French detective/crime drama line-up of France 3. They are very well done, like this most pleasant crossover where Magellan investigates a deadly hit-and-run whose suspect happens to be a former protégé of Mongeville.

Antoine Mongeville is a law school pal of Simon Magellan but they lost touch a long time ago. Mongeville and Valentine, on their way to London, are not far from Saignac and they team up with Simon. Never mind the far-fetched solution, this "reunion" is brought smartly, the characters have a good chemistry and great fun together. The actors look like they enjoyed the experience. Written by Céline Guyot & Martin Guyot. Directed by Étienne Dhaene.

http://www.ozap.com/actu/audiences-france-3-leader-danse-avec-les-stars-en-baisse-m6-tres-bas/512530 (Ratings)

BLOOD ON THE DOCKS: JUSTICES (FRANCE 2)

The excellent French crime drama Blood on the Docks (Deux flics sur les docks) returned on pubcaster France 2 last Friday for a new series of two feature-length episodes.

Adapted from the Portsmouth based Joe Faraday novels by English crime fiction writer Graham Hurley, Deux flics sur les docks stars Jean-Marc Barr and Bruno Solo as Le Havre police detectives Capitaine Richard Faraday and Capitaine Paul Winckler.

Justices is an original story by Laurent Martin, loosely based on Graham Hurley's work. It is written by Bernard Marié & Olivier Prieur and directed by Edwin Baily. The body of  Linda Bertin, a young woman who disappeared five years ago during a Bastille Day firemen's ball, resurfaces in a waterproof bag discovered in the port waters. Because of a beret found in that bag, Richard Faraday suddenly doubts that Rémy Thouret, the young man he put in jail for murder, is the real culprit. He must reopen the case while Jean-Noël Vargas, Thouret's lawyer, is furious. 

Things get worse when Lulu, Faraday's deaf-mute son, is wounded in a deliberate road accident and kidnapped by a man who asks Richard to steal the beret inside the police station. Faraday goes it alone and stops at nothing to find Lulu vs a ruthless adversary. The cohesion of commissaire divisionnaire Dardenne's unit is threaten by the disappearance of the beret. Paul Winckler is briefly suspected of the proof theft when a trail leads to his pal Bazza Swaty, Le Havre's biggest mobster. This doesn't prevent Paul to give his colleague and friend Richard a helping hand in the pure Winckler tradition.

Justices marks with brilliance the sixth anniversary of Deux flics sur les docks, launched on November 11, 2011. Jean-Marc Barr and Bruno Solo are great. Emmanuel Salinger (Bazza) is fabulous in his two scenes and Sava Lolov delivers a noticeable performance as Vargas. Also with Mata Gabin (Commissaire divisionnaire Lucie Dardenne), Liza Manili (Lieutenant Julie Fabian), Guillaume Viry (Bill Gates), Jean-Marie Hall (Lulu Faraday), Julien Boulenguiez as Bazza's henchman Jimmy, Michel Scotto Di Carlo (Michel), Damien Leconte (Damien), Guillaume Marquet (Walter Leroy), Alyzée Costes (Linda Bertin), etc.

Deux flics sur les docks is produced by Gétévé Productions with France Télévisions and the support of Région Haute-Normandie. It is distributed by Zodiak Rights. Jacques Salles and Christian Charret are the producers. Muriel Paradis exec produces. Music by Canadian composer Pierre-Philippe Côté. Alex Arcoleo composed Antimatter, the collection's theme music.

http://www.grahamhurley.co.uk/
http://www.paris-normandie.fr/loisirs/cinema/une-scene-de-crime-sur-les-pontons-du-port-du-havre-pour-deux-flics-sur-les-docks-MX5990842 

CAPITAINE MARLEAU: EN TROMPE L'OEIL (FRANCE 3)

[Spoiler-Free] Elsa Floriot, an au pair girl who takes care of the son of famous crime novelist Gilles Garin, is murdered during a big party at the author's manor.

Called on the scene, Capitaine Marleau of the Gendarmerie meets Garin, who offers to put his "science of crime" at her service.

As the capitaine explores the manor, the entourage of the novelist provides to her and Adjudant Tahar further suspects. Marc Durieux, an unsuccessful composer of "musique concrète", is Gilles Garin's brother-in-law. Cédric Aurier is the private tutor of Alex, Garin's 10-year old son, and he aspires to become a novelist. Judith Garin is Gilles's wife but also her publisher. Both live in the memory of a tragedy which happened four years ago and she's convinced that her husband had an affair with Elsa.

"The master of crime fiction" displays the same consummate art of smoke screens and red herrings he uses in his novels. Marleau isn't fooled, even when he brings her a suspect on a plate: Corinne Vidal, his ultimate fangirl, who thinks she's Gilles Garin's recurring heroine Blanche Saint-Léger! Helmed by series director and producer Josée Dayan, En trompe l'oeil is the brilliant fifth episode of France 3's definitely popular crime drama Capitaine Marleau (1). It's penned by Marc-Antoine Laurent and Jean-Marc Taba (both wrote Visa pour l'enfer, an episode of Blood on the Docks) with Série Noire author and scriptwriter Elsa Marpeau. Marpeau is the Capitaine Marleau series creator.

Corinne Masiero shines as Capitaine Marleau (no first-name), an offbeat cop between Columbo (2), Vera and French comedian Coluche, alongside movie and stage legend Pierre Arditi as Garin. Since 2011 he's Benjamin Lebel, the wine expert detective of Blood of the Vine (Le sang de la vigne), another of the numerous French hit crime dramas of France 3. Aure Atika (The Night Manager) plays Garin's wife Judith. The writers have fun with tropes of the mystery/crime genre in an atmosphere half-Agatha Christie, half-Chabrol. Of course, they deliver those great dialogues which contribute to the popularity of Marleau.

Josée Dayan always gets the best of her cast. Michel Fau (Marc) and Cyrille Eldin (Cédric) works again together after the play Fleur de cactus in 2015. Sophie Quinton is Corinne, the schizoid Nancy Drew. Adjudant Tahar is performed by Kader Boukhanef. In a nod to her role in Navarro (1989-2006), Catherine Allegret plays Fanny Brun, who owns a hotel restaurant (3). Produced by Josée Dayan and Gaspard de Chavagnac for Passionfilms and Bel Ombre Films, with R.T.B.F. (Télévision belge), RTS Radio Télévision Suisse (which aired the episode this tuesday) and France Télévisions. Music by Catherine Lara and Cyrille Lehn. Filmed in April 2016, mainly in Tournan-en-Brie (Région Île-de-France). 

(1) 4.608.000 viewers (20%) for the fourth episode.
(2) An acknowledged source of inspiration of the character. There are regular references and nods to Columbo in Capitaine Marleau.
(3) French viewers will also recognize actor Nicolas Carpentier, well-known here for the Renault adverts.

http://www.leparisien.fr/tournan-en-brie-77220/capitaine-marleau-en-tournage-a-tournan-en-brie-pour-france-3-06-04-2016-5691349.php

[Update - September 16, 2016] France 3 has just axed Blood of the Vine (http://www.leparisien.fr/culture-loisirs/le-sang-de-la-vigne-va-tirer-sa-reverence-16-09-2016-6123989.php).

LAST MONTH ON THIS BLOG

Reviews, "mini reviews" and news.

REVIEWS AND "MINI REVIEWS"

- Maigret (ITV):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/maigret-sets-trap-itv.html (Maigret Sets A Trap)

- El Ministerio del Tiempo (La 1, Series 2):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/el-ministerio-del-tiempo-series-2_28.html (Episode 6)

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/el-ministerio-del-tiempo-series-2_21.htmll (Episode 5)
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/el-ministerio-del-tiempo-series-2_11.html (Episode 4)
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/el-ministerio-del-tiempo-series-2.html (Episode 3)

- Blood on the Docks (Deux flics sur les docks, France 2, Series 5):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/blood-on-docks-visa-pour-lenfer-france-2.html (Visa pour l'enfer)
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/blood-on-docks-longue-distance-france-2.html (Longue distance)

- The A Word (BBC One):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/the-word-bbc-one.html (Episode 1)

- Capitaine Marleau (France 3):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/capitaine-marleau-le-domaine-des-soeurs.html (Le domaine des soeurs Meyer)

- Inspector Montalbano (RAI 1):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/inspector-montalbano-la-piramide-di.html (La piramide di fango) 
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/inspector-montalbano-una-faccenda.html (Una faccenda delicata)

- Nancherrow (French Region 2 DVD):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/nancherrow-french-region-2-dvd.html (Review announced in February)
 

NEWS

- Bajo Sospecha (Antena 3, Series 2):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/the-second-series-of-bajo-sospecha-ends.html

- Maigret (ITV):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/maigret-on-itv.htmll

- DVD reviews update:

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/dvd-reviews-update.html

- Witnesses (Les Témoins, Series 2):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/on-bus.html

- Capitaine Marleau (France 3):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/capitaine-marleau-returns.html

BLOOD ON THE DOCKS: VISA POUR L'ENFER (FRANCE 2)

Nicolas Vanot, an ER doctor from a well-off family, is found dead. He was tortured and shot in the neck. Later it's Victor Barnier, an ex-international reporter, who's discovered apparently drowned in the waters of the harbour.

Those two deaths lead to a case of human trafficking involving a Russian mobster.
 

Deux flics sur les docks (Blood on the Docks), the excellent French crime drama launched in 2011, is adapted from the Portsmouth based Joe Faraday novels by English crime fiction writer Graham Hurley. Le Havre police detectives Capitaine Richard Faraday (Jean-Marc Barr) and Capitaine Paul Winckler (Bruno Solo) returned last week on pubcaster France 2 for a fifth series of two feature-length episodes.

Directed by Edwin Baily, Visa pour l'enfer is an original story loosely based on Graham Hurley's work and written by Marc-Antoine Laurent with Jean-Marc Taba & Bernard Marié (Night Squad, Maigret). Winckler is worrying about Fabian (Liza Manili). She doesn't take Paul's concerns too well and asks Commissaire divisionnaire Dardenne (Mata Gabin) the permission to team up with Richard. Faraday finds out that his son Lulu (Jean-Marie Hall) knew Vanot, the first victim.

Bazza Swaty (Emmanuel Salinger) tries to play golf and he's basically Winckler's Huggy Bear in this episode. Visa pour l'enfer has a very good first hour with some quality material for the characters of Fabian, Lulu and Bill (Guillaume Viry). There's even a shootout scene. But the last half-hour loses momentum in spite of the great direction of Edwin Baily and a nice ending.

With Julien Boulenguiez as Bazza's henchman Jimmy, Michel Scotto Di Carlo (Michel), Xavier Schliwanski (Braquo) as Grigor Nevski, Aymeric Lecerf (Ange Tessardi), Laetitia Pembele Kandi (Leila Manouf), Corinne Belet (Pathologist), etc. This series was filmed from February to April 2015. Deux flics sur les docks is produced by Gétévé with France Télévisions and the support of Région Haute-Normandie. It is distributed by Zodiak Rights.

Jacques Salles and Christian Charret are the producers. Muriel Paradis exec produces. Music by Canadian composer Pierre-Philippe Côté. The song The Calling is from his Peter Henry Phillips project. Alex Arcoleo composed Antimatter, the collection's theme music. Title sequence designed by David Fernandes. Visa pour l'enfer caught 3.827.000 viewers (16.3 %) against a football match on TF1. The next series will be filmed between May and July 2016.

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/03/blood-on-docks-longue-distance-france-2.html (Longue distance)

BLOOD ON THE DOCKS: LONGUE DISTANCE (FRANCE 2)

Deux flics sur les docks (Blood on the Docks), the excellent French crime drama launched in 2011, is adapted from the Portsmouth based Joe Faraday novels by English crime fiction writer Graham Hurley. 

Le Havre police detectives Capitaine Richard Faraday (Jean-Marc Barr) and Capitaine Paul Winckler (Bruno Solo) returned last week on pubcaster France 2 for a fifth series of two feature-length episodes.

« C'est quoi ça?
- Un flingue. Avec un flic derrière. »
 
Xavier Gallat, a kitesurf instructor, drives his vehicle on the beach when he's shot in the head from a long distance. The only witness is his young son, strapped into the rear child seat. Paul Winckler interrogates Kevin Bontemps, Xavier's assistant and also a small drug dealer, while Richard Faraday talks to a neighbour of Gallat. Later, Tony Bataille, a particularly odious trafficker of almost everything, is shot in front of his home from the Tancarville Bridge. Faraday, who's an expert in long range shooting, concludes that Gallat and Bataille were both killed with an Ultima Ratio military rifle used by a sniper. 

Serge Cabanier, a person of interest, leads the police to a hostel for ex-military personnel run by Capitaine Myriam Meriles. Cabanier's lawyer normally works only for local entrepreneur and mob boss Bazza Swaty, Winckler's childhood pal. The case sparks painful memories for Richard, whose father was a soldier. A third victim, a tree surgeon, is found shot  in a park. An ex-army sniper is on the loose in Le Havre and Winckler puts his own life in danger when he sets a trap with Bazza's help.

« C'est pas très règlementaire ça, commissaire. On dirait que je commence à déteindre sur cette brigade.
- Je sais. Croyez bien que je le vis atrocement, Winckler.  »  

Directed by Edwin Baily, the absolutely superb Longue distance is adapted by Olivier Prieur from the novel Touching Distance (2013), which is actually a book from Graham Hurley's Jimmy Suttle series and not a Faraday. With Mata Gabin as Commissaire divisionnaire Lucie Dardenne, the French answer to Law & Order's Lieutenant Van Buren, Liza Manili (Lieutenant Julie Fabian), Emmanuel Salinger (Bazza Swaty), Guillaume Viry (Bill Gates), Jean-Marie Hall (Lulu Faraday) and Michel Scotto Di Carlo as Michel, a role formerly played by Daniel Carraz.

The guest cast includes Nicolas Woirion (Benoit Janin), Antoine Basler (Cassard), Ariane Séguillon (Myriam Meriles), Haris Resic (Pageski), Karine Belly (Erika Maïer), Valérie Keruzore (Lila Suard), Luc-Antoine Diquero (Kevin Bontemps), etc. Deux flics sur les docks is produced by Gétévé with France Télévisions and the support of Région Haute-Normandie. Jacques Salles and Christian Charret are the producers. Muriel Paradis exec produces. Music by Canadian composer Pierre-Philippe Côté. The songs Bloom and Henry are from his Peter Henry Phillips project. Alex Arcoleo composed Antimatter, the collection's theme music. Title sequence designed by David Fernandes.

« Je vais appeler mon avocat.
- Bon réflexe.  »  

This series was filmed from February to April 2015. Until now Deux flics sur les docks was aired in Autumn.  This Friday's episode is Visa pour l'enfer, an original story. The next series will be filmed between May and July 2016. Blood on the Docks is distributed by Zodiak Rights. Curiously, you can find it on DVD in the United States with English subs but not in France.

LAST MONTH ON THIS BLOG

Reviews, "mini reviews" and news.

REVIEWS AND "MINI REVIEWS"

- Death in Paradise (BBC One, Series 5):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/death-in-paradise-series-five-episode_25.html (Episode 8)

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/death-in-paradise-series-five-episode_18.html (Episode 7)

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/death-in-paradise-series-five-episode_12.html (Episode 6)

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/death-in-paradise-series-five-episode.html (Episode 5) 

- El Ministerio del Tiempo (La 1, Series 2):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/el-ministerio-del-tiempo-series-2_22.html (Episode 2)

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/el-ministerio-del-tiempo-series-2.html (Episode 1)

- The Night Manager (BBC One):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/the-night-manager-bbc-one.html (Episode 1)

- Midsomer Murders (ITV, Series 18):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/midsomer-murders-harvest-of-souls-itv.html (Episode 6) 

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/midsomer-murders-saints-and-sinners-itv.html (Episode 5)

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/midsomer-murders-dying-art-itv.html (Episode 4)

- Lucifer (Fox):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/lucifer-episodes-1-and-2-fox.html (Episodes 1 and 2)

NEWS

- Inspector Montalbano (RAI 1, Series 10):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/two-new-episodes-of-inspector.html

- Blood on the Docks/Deux flics sur les docks (France 2, Series 5):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/new-blood-on-docks-on-france-2-in-march.html

- Unforgotten:

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/unforgotten-on-france-3.html

- Doctor Who:

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2016/02/les-maris-de-river-song-on-france-4.html

NEW BLOOD ON THE DOCKS ON FRANCE 2 IN MARCH

At last! Deux flics sur les docks (Blood on the Docks), the excellent French crime drama launched in 2011, returns on pubcaster France2 for a fifth series of two feature-length episodes starting on March 18. 

Blood on the Docks is adapted from the Portsmouth based Joe Faraday novels by English crime fiction writer Graham Hurley. It stars Jean-Marc Barr as Capitaine Richard Faraday and Bruno Solo as Capitaine Paul Winckler, two police detectives working in Le Havre.

Until now the series was aired in Autumn. The first of this couple of brand new episodes is Longue distance and it is an adaptation of Touching Distance, which is in fact a book from Hurley's Jimmy Suttle series. The second is Visa pour l'enfer and it's an original story. They were filmed in Le Havre between February and April 2015.

http://www.grahamhurley.co.uk/
http://www.normandie-actu.fr/au-havre-nouveau-tournage-de-la-serie-deux-flics-sur-les-docks_114595/ 

Reviews of Blood on the Docks on this blog:

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2014/10/deux-flics-sur-les-docksblood-on-docks.html (Episode 7)
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2013/12/deux-flics-sur-les-docksblood-on-docks.html (Episode 5) 
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2012/11/more-blood-on-docks.html (Episode 3)
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2011/11/blood-on-docks-deux-flics-sur-les-docks.html (Episode 1)

DEUX FLICS SUR LES DOCKS/BLOOD ON THE DOCKS: UNE SI JOLIE MORT (FRANCE 2)

Deux flics sur les docks (Blood on the Docks), the excellent French crime drama launched in 2011, is adapted from the Portsmouth based Joe Faraday novels by English crime fiction writer Graham Hurley. 

Le Havre police detectives Capitaine Richard Faraday (Jean-Marc Barr) and Capitaine Paul Winckler (Bruno Solo) returned yesterday on pubcaster France 2 for a fourth series of two feature-length episodes.

  

« Vous avez un certain talent pour choisir vos amis, capitaine.
- J'en ai même parmi les flics. »   

Local Entrepreneur and mob boss Bazza Swaty (Emmanuel Salinger) finds the body of a young woman in his swimming pool. Commissaire divisionnaire Lucie Dardenne (Mata Gabin as the French answer to Law & Order's Lieutenant Van Buren) wants to bring him down once and for all. She forbids Winckler, Swaty's childhood pal, to take the case and gives it to Faraday. Assigned on a noise complaint, Winckler and Lieutenant Julie Fabian (Liza Manili) surprise a group of libertarian activists while they're trashing the house of a judge. 

« Toi tu fais encore un calembour, je te fume. »     

It turns out that the corpse at Bazza's place is Rachel Berger, an 18 year-old swimming champion. Both Paul's friendship with the mobster and his career in the police are at stake. Richard is at odds with Dardenne, who wants him to incriminate Bazza Swaty at any price. Lulu, Faraday's deaf-mute son (Jean-Marie Hall), happens to know one the activists.

«  Je vous assure Faraday que je ne suis pas prête d'oublier que vous avez soutenu Bazza par amitié pour Wincler.
- Vous vous trompez, madame. Winckler est capable d'agir d'abord par amitié. Moi non. »      

Directed by Edwin Baily, Une si jolie mort is adapted from the book No Lovelier Death (2009) by Série Noire author and scriptwriter Elsa Marpeau. This episode is simply the best of Blood on the Docks so far. With Guillaume Viry (police computer expert Bill Gates), Julien Boulenguiez (Bazza's henchman Jimmy), Daniel Carraz (Michel), etc. Amongst the guest cast, note the performance of Mathieu Lourdel as the libertarian clown.

Deux flics sur les docks is produced by Gétévé with France Télévisions and the support of Région Haute-Normandie. Jacques Salles and Christian Charret are the producers. Muriel Paradis exec produces. Canadian composer Pierre-Philippe Côté composed the music. The songs Bloom and Henry are from his Peter Henry Phillips project. Alex Arcoleo composed Antimatter, the collection's theme music. The superb new title sequence was designed by David Fernandes.

Blood on the Docks is distributed by Zodiak Rights. Next friday France 2 will air Chapelle ardente, written by Olivier Prieur.

http://www.grahamhurley.co.uk/

http://www.elsamarpeau.com/

DEUX FLICS SUR LES DOCKS/BLOOD ON THE DOCKS: LA NUIT DU NAUFRAGE (FRANCE 2)

Based on the Joe Faraday novels by English crime fiction writer Graham Hurley, the excellent French crime drama Deux flics sur les docks (Blood on the Docks) came back this week on pubcaster France 2 for a third series of two feature-length episodes. 

« Je te dépose où?
- Comme avant. À côté d'un cadavre. »

In La nuit du naufrage, an adaptation of the book Deadlight, Capitaine Paul Winckler (Bruno Solo) is discharged from the hospital after his surgery and should be on sick leave. « Allez, fais-moi rêver. Je veux du macchabée, je suis en manque. » Instead he follows Capitaine Richard Faraday (Jean-Marc Barr) on the case of a skeleton discovered in the shipwreck of L'Accolade, a trawler sunk in a storm four years ago. This skeleton belongs to one of its crew members presumed swept away by a wave. Later, the Ukrainian security guard of a fish factory is found murdered at home with a baseball bat.

« Alors, Lulu. Toujours au chômage?
- Oui, mais c'est provisoire.
- C'est la vie qui est provisoire.
- Alors à la vie. »

Once again, Deux flics sur les docks successfully takes the atmosphere of Graham Hurley's Portsmouth-based DI Faraday novels to the Haute-Normandie port town of Le Havre. La nuit du naufrage is adapted by Olivier Prieur & Bernard Marié and written by Olivier Prieur. Bruno Solo brings his customary brilliance to the ever fatalistic and desperately cynical Winckler. Jean-Marc Barr's subtle portrayal of the empathic Faraday is given occasions to shine under the cliffs of Aquacaux.  

« Je crois que Winckler est sur le coup.
- Jusqu'à nouvel ordre Winckler est sur le coup des indemnités journalières de la sécurité sociale, Fabian. »

Liza Manili is back as Lieutenant Julie Fabian. Mata Gabin plays Lucie Dardenne, Guillaume Viry is police computer expert "Bill Gates" and Jean-Marie Hallégot is Faraday's deaf-mute son Lulu (« Alors Bernardo. On veut rêgler le sort du tireur fou à la place de Zorro? »). Emmanuel Salinger returns as local entrepreneur and mobster Bazza Swaty in a short but nice scene about Bazza's friendship with Paul. The guest cast is perfect, as usual, with a special mention to Thierry Samitier (Nos chers voisins) as Jacques Kilian and Jean-Pierre Becker as Bernard Le Saoult.

Blood on the Docks is produced by Gétévé (Zodiak France) and France Télévisions in association with B Media 2012 - Backup Media, with the support of Région Haute-Normandie. It is distributed by Zodiak Rights (The Returned, Being Human). Jacques Salles and Christian Charret are the producers. Muriel Paradis exec produces. Philippe Miller is the composer. Directed by Edwin Baily, the superb Deadlight caught 3.777.000 viewers (15.4 %) and the third place against NCIS on M6 and the French version of MasterChef on TF1.

Deux flics sur les docks/Blood on the Docks is shown in the US on MHz Worldview. Next friday France 2 will air Coups sur coups, adapted from The Take.

http://www.grahamhurley.co.uk/
http://www.citeartistes.com/deux-flics-sur-les-docks.htm
http://www.paris-normandie.fr/article/le-havre/telefilm-%C2%AB-deux-flics-%C2%BB-au-havre-le-retour
http://www.aquacaux.fr//Association.html
http://www.ozap.com/actu/audiences-tf1-m6-et-france-2-dans-un-mouchoir-de-poche-w9-et-gulli-en-forme/450488 (Ratings)

See also:

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2012/11/more-blood-on-docks.html
http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2011/11/blood-on-docks-deux-flics-sur-les-docks.html

MORE BLOOD ON THE DOCKS

Based on the Joe Faraday novels by English crime fiction writer Graham Hurley, the excellent French crime drama Deux flics sur les docks (Blood on the Docks) came back yesterday for a second series on pubcaster France 2.

In Mauvaise pente, adapted by Bernard Marié from the book One Under, Capitaine Richard Faraday (Jean-Marc Barr) and Capitaine Paul Winckler (Bruno Solo) investigate the death of a professional activist chained on the tracks of the Havre funicular and ran over by one of its cars, but also the disappearance of a photographer. The seemingly unrelated cases lead them to an art gallery and to a "Little Princesses" child beauty pageant - which raises painful memories for Lieutenant Julie Fabian (Liza Manili). Paul's sense of loyalty is once again tested, not only as usual with local entrepreneur and mobster Bazza Swaty (Emmanuel Salinger), his childhood pal, but also with his friend the medical examiner Brice Thorrens (Antoine Oppenheim).

After Les Anges brisés and Lignes Blanches (respectively adapted from Angels Passing and Cut to Black) last year, Blood On The Docks returns with absolute brilliance. Directed by Edwin Baily, Mauvaise pente is a superb piece of television served by a perfect cast - particularly Bruno Solo, Emmanuel Salinger and Liza Manili. Mata Gabin plays Faraday and Winckler's boss Lucie Dardenne, Guillaume Viry is police computer expert "Bill Gates" and Jean-Marie Hallégot is Lulu - Richard Faraday's deaf-mute son. Filmed in Le Havre, Deux flics sur les docks is produced by Gétévé (Zodiak France) and France Télévisions with the support of Région Haute-Normandie. It is distributed by Zodiak Rights (Being Human).

Mauvaise pente caught 3.177.000 viewers (12.6 %) and the third place against the French version of Survivor on TF1 and NCIS on M6. For the anecdote, Franco-German channel Arte premiered ITV's DCI Banks (distributed by BBC Worldwide) the same night for 799.000 viewers (3.2%) and TMC fared even worse with an opportunistic repeat of Poirot's Hallowe'en Party. Next friday France 2 will air Du sang et du miel, adapted from Graham Hurley's book Blood and Honey.

Special thanks to Michèle Dubray.

http://geteve.fr/en/productions/series/blood-on-the-docks.html
http://www.grahamhurley.co.uk/
http://www.ozap.com/actu/audiences-retours-gagnants-pour-koh-lanta-et-qui-veut-epouser-mon-fils-m6-resiste/443852 (Ratings - In French)

See also:

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2011/11/blood-on-docks-deux-flics-sur-les-docks.html

BLOOD ON THE DOCKS (DEUX FLICS SUR LES DOCKS)

This is a drama you'd rather expect on ITV1 but French pubcaster France 2 aired on Friday the premiere of Deux flics sur les docks, adapted from the Faraday books by English crime fiction writer Graham Hurley.

France 2's detectives sound Brit this fall. In October the French public channel aired a new episode of Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie, adapted from Christie's books but set in 1930s France with a French sleuth. Now Graham Hurley's Portsmouth DI Joe Faraday goes Gallic in Deux flics sur les docks (Blood on the Docks). The 2 X 90-minute drama is astutely set in Le Havre, and stars actor/director Jean-Marc Barr (The Big Blue, Europa) as Capitaine Richard Faraday and Bruno Solo (Caméra Café) as Capitaine Paul Winckler. Mata Gabin plays their boss Lucie Dardenne.

In Les Anges brisés (adapted from the book Angels Passing), Richard Faraday investigates the death of a teenage girl. His former partner, maverick cop Paul Winckler, leads him on the trail of a young black boy caught by CCTV. The victim was best friend with the daughter of Bazza Swaty (Emmanuel Salinger), local entrepreneur, mobster, and a pal of Winckler. Meanwhile, Paul must team up with newbie Lieutenant Julie Fabian (Liza Manili) and Richard tries to hide his relationship with journalist Mary Devlin (Agathe Dronne) to his deaf-mute son Lulu (Jean-Marie Hallégot).

Les Anges brisés is adapted by Bernard Marié (Central Nuit/Night Squad) and directed by Edwin Baily, director of Petits Meurtres en Famille - the 2006 miniseries which spun off Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie. The choice of Jean-Marc Barr and Bruno Solo is rather original as they don't belong to the shortlist of the 5 or 6 actors usually cast in the genre on French TV. Let's hope though that Barr will bring more consistency to his empathic French Faraday (half American, like the actor) in next week's Lignes Blanches, adapted from Cut to Black. The impressive Bruno Solo, in an unusual non-comic role, steals the premiere as Winckler.

Deux flics sur les docks is produced by Gétévé (Zodiak France) and France Télévisions, with the support of Région Haute-Normandie, and is distributed by Zodiak Rights (Being Human) (1). Jacques Salles and Christian Charret are the producers and Muriel Paradis exec produce. Stéphane Moucha (Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie) is the composer. Overall a valuable effort, Les Anges brisés looks definitely like the kind of drama ITV, Sky or the Beeb could commission. France Télévisions also co-produces BBC One's Death in Paradise.

(1) http://www.zodiakrights.com/Programme.aspx?id=6402

http://www.grahamhurley.co.uk/
http://www.citeartistes.com/deux-flics-sur-les-docks.htm (In French)
http://www.adcine.com/collection-Graham-Hurley-les-anges (In French)
http://geteve.fr/en/