Three Pines

In general, I think that this is a good series. I'm a fan of the books but I recognize that sometimes changes are made for various reasons in adaptations and there will always be a difference between books and TV are different mediums. My husband (who has never read any of the books) also enjoyed the first season/series.

What I like about this series:

Alfred Molina's portrayal of Inspector Gamache is excellent. He beautifully captures the thoughtfulness, compassion and humanity of the character. Many of the other performances are also very well done especially Tantoo Cardinal.

I liked that they filmed in the eastern townships of Quebec, the architecture of rural Quebec is different than the rest of Canada or the northern USA. I liked that most of the cast and crew were Canadian.

The indigenous story arc of Blue Two-Rivers is unique to the television show (not in the books) and is very well written, well acted and compelling. Apparently the show's director is indigenous and they used indigenous cultural consultants. The care that was taken is evident in the show. Although Isabelle LaCoste is not indigenous in the books, I thought it was a good idea to have her characters as an indigenous character who doesn't know the culture (because she was adopted like many in the "scoop) and as an outsider in the police. For far too long in this country (Canada) the issues surrounding the treatment of indigenous people have been ignored. This arc is integrated very well into the existing stories from the book.

Areas I think could use improvement:

The issue that immediately struck me is the lack of French (there is some but not as much in the books) especially with 2 characters. Jean Guy doesn't speak English (and mistrusts English speakers) Gamache and his wife only speak French to each other. As well, realistically most Surete du Quebec business would be in French (except interviewing English speakers). I was surprised that they had Gamache speak with a standard English Canadian accent (rather than British as he does in the books) although I thought that this was probably because it might confuse people who hadn't read the books.

However, my biggest issue was the episodes often feel rushed because they cover an entire book in 2 parts and add the indigenous storyline. In some cases, I feel they would have worked better as 3 or 4 part stories. The best story in my opinion (which didn't feel rushed) were The Murder Stone parts 1 & 2.

Overall, I would recommend this show. We enjoyed it and look forward to seeing the second season/series.

I've just watched the first two episodes of Three Pines and am definitely a fan. The starkly beautiful Quebec setting, along with the clever and thoughtful juxtaposition of the Indigenous, French and Englih cultures is nothing short of delightful.

It is especially refreshing to see the always enjoyable Alfred Molina land such a meaty role and he certainly does not disappoint. The rest of the cast is equally well-cast and the characters seem to be well thought out.

It's truly great that the accomplished and highly respected veteran actor Tantoo Cardinal still has her fastball breaking over the plate, now that she's in her seventies.

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.

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've read most of the Three Pines books, some of them more than once. I've enjoyed reading them all. When I read I make my own pictures in my mind, as I would think most avid readers do. I have the village of Three Pines pictured very much differently than that in the TV show. Mine is much more rustic and the bistro is totally not like what we see on the show. There's not as much development of the characters like the books have but maybe with time we'll see more of that. I do like Molina as Ganache. I think he is perfect. I hope anyone who hasn't read the books would do so. If you like mysteries, you will probably love Three Pines.