I'm just not very good at watching stuff on the telly, and I'm not improving with age. But I managed to force myself to watch a full episode of the BBC's latest version of Maigret, featuring Rowan Atkinson, this evening whilst Noi was out at a wedding. Actually I'd watched the beginning of the episode a couple of times before but never managed to stay with the programme, despite its many merits. As I said, I've sort of lost the knack of watching tv drama.
The production values for this show were sky-high. It nails Simenon's Paris in every detail relating to period and atmosphere. And the acting was note-perfect, including Atkinson's inspector. He's wonderfully subdued and watchful, absolutely true to the character.
However, having said that, the casting, though brave, doesn't work. The first couple of times I tried to watch I couldn't quite get past the fact that this is Mr Bean / Black Adder, etc, etc and I struggled to adjust. This time I was okay with the great former comedian. I was no longer vaguely expecting a moment of mirth after each conspicuous pause; familiarity served to breed a kind of acceptance. But it couldn't alter the fact that Atkinson has the wrong face for the character. Maigret is above all ordinary, inconspicuous. The bourgeoise who effortlessly blends into the background and only holds attention through a kind of observant, intelligent solidity. They should have cast an unknown in the role, but I suppose they needed some kind of star power to sell the project. It looks so good it must have been expensive.
Above all, despite all though, the programme triumphed and its triumph is Simenon's. He remains unsurpassed in terms of conceptual brilliance and perfect story-telling. Not a bad combination, eh?
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