Three Pines

Never heard of the books ( more into sci fi ) or this show but wow it was good. Molina shines in the lead role and as others have said plays a decent, moral, considerate and kind detective who's not drowning himself with a bottle, has gone rogue or is grieving a dead wife or all the other usual tropes in a crime show. Helped by a likable cast, beautiful scenery and a quick pace. The show will have a new case every two episodes and not drag it out for slog of eight or ten episodes which many shows try and fail to keep the interest. Admittedly I did guess the killer before the first ep was over but that didn't detract from the fun. The recent show Echo 3 threw in the towel by the fourth ep. Terrific beginning and can't wait for more.

After the first two episodes, we are definitely looking forward to the next few. It's enjoyable and unique to see a series like this set in wintery Quebec. Alfred Molina does a good job playing the caring and insightful Armand Gamache, the lead investigator. I'm intrigued to see what happens with the suspicious villagers. The subplot about missing and murdered Indigenous women enhances the feeling of immediacy and relevance of the series beyond a Christie style of village murder mystery. (Disappointing to see people complaining about this topic in the reviews, since it's handled with nuance and is a *real* and relevant issue to the time and place).

The victim is a bit of a caricature villain and some of the acting is uneven but overall this is starting out as a very enjoyable series.

Haven't read the book, and if you're the same I suggest ignoring the reviews bombing it based on that because it's not uncommon for tv/movie adaptations to fail to live up to their book's grandeur or reader's expectations. There's almost always someone saying it's not as good as the book.

So from someone who hasn't read it, I think it's off to a great start. The most notable thing is that this seems like a really well made series, might not be the most mind boggling story off the bar but everything seems to be done right and has no specific weak points for me. This might sound dumb because, of course most shows are done by professionals, but this feels like it was really made by professionals.

I like the story because it feels believable, nothing eccentric yet I'm still drawn to it. I think the best part about the show is the characters and actors playing them; they feel like real people in a real town with real cases, so it's easy to draw you in. Any show can be good, but I think truly great shows are those that manage to get you immersed in them, were you feel like you're in the show, a part of it and their lives. This goes for any genre too, romance, drama and "based on true story" flicks are the obvious ones, but even fantasy or sci-fi and horror. Might not have the craziest story or characters or prismatics visuals, might not even be a 10/10 star show/movie like this one(for me); but when a show fully submerges you that you only think about what you're watching and don't even subconsciously check your phone or anything, that's a good show. Feels like a decent small town murder mystery, sorta reminds me of Mare Of Easttown.

I wouldn't say it's one for everyone, if you're looking for a bullets flying sort of rush search elsewhere, but if you're looking for a good drama to watch this is a pretty good option.

I haven't read the books. This hooked me. Beautiful filming and pace, well put together. Good characters, and I am anticipating the episode releases every week. I suppose the only far fetched thing is so many deaths in a tiny place. But perhaps the bad energy from the history of the place is being used in the story to explain it. Can't wait for more!

Weird reviews from folks. It wasn't amateur nor badly written like those reviewers said, the characters don't come across as American... they say Alfred Molina's character did schooling in England, which helps with his accent. The other characters come across Canadian. The First Nations thread was done well.

I haven't read the books so I'm watching this with no preconceptions and purely on merit. So far the series has played like an Agatha Christie with many possible antagonists while also running a backplot about disappearing indigenous girls and corruption. Alfred Molina plays the part of troubled detective brilliantly and his selection of sidekicks are excellent character driven parts. The locals that populate 3 pines are very quirky and all carry their fair share of secrets. The setting is beautifully imagined and cinematography is great. Having said all that this series is nothing new but just well done and the characters interesting enough to keep you invested. Recommended.