Commissaire Magellan

Magellan is simply the most formulaic mystery series I've ever seen, at least after season one. So, I've compiled a template for a budding Magellan writer.

Template for a Commissair Magellan Screenplay:

1) Open with short scene with the victim earlier the day of the murder.

2) Next scene, usually at night, the murder, tastefully done, little gore.

3) After stock footage of the town is standing in for the fictional town of Saignac, Magellan is at breakfast with his daughter and his nephew, Ludo. In the middle of the cute breakfast colloquy Megellan must get a call from his work colleague Selma telling him of the murder, to which he responds "I'll be right there" and he immediately leaves. (Note to screenwriter: The call about the murder must come at breakfast, not in the afternoon at the Police Station, or any other time.)

4) At the crime scene Magellan and Selma speak to several people who knew the victim and one gives them the name of a very likely suspect.

5) They go to interview that suspect, whom they determine is not likely to be the killer, but that suspect tells them something that leads them to another suspect, and it continues that way through several suspects.

6) One of the suspects should take a runner when he sees the two cops and Selma, being the younger of the two and in better shape, chases after him. This suspect is male and should not end up being the murderer.

8) While unraveling all sorts of family and business secrets among the suspects our two cops discover that the parentage of one of the younger characters is different than what everyone believes. (This is optional as it doesn't have to be in every episode, but the majority of them.)

9) Approximately ten minutes before the end of the episode the most likely suspect at that point must be murdered as he/she knows too much. But this second murder must quickly lead them to find the real killer.

10) During the course of the investigation there should be three scenes of Magellan at home with his daughter and live in comic relief character, the ne'er-do-well, insufferable Ludo. (Note to writer: These scenes should be cute and delightful, but so far they've been mostly ridiculous, silly and annoying.)

It should be noted that the Ludo character replaced prosecutor and Magellan's best friend Gavrillac, who was in the earlier episodes It was always unbelievable as to how the otherwise intelligent prosecutor could act so stupid. With respect to Ludo that's not a problem!

There is almost no deviation from the above formula in every episode, so if you are binge watching this night after night as I did, it becomes frustrating. Can't they do something original and break out of the mold, but they never do. Yet, despite all this I was hooked.

Indeed, it is a tribute to the writers can come up with such interesting plots and characters within these very strict guidelines.