User reviews

Why are the 'couch potato reviewers' on here so cruel when sharing their views? This is as well written, filmed and acted as Any formulaic detective series on TV these days... and in the hands of seasoned actors like these, better than some. Always give a new series 2 or 3 episodes before you make a judgement, a lot of talented creatives worked very hard to bring some much needed entertainment to us... If you can't say something nice, shut the feck up!

Might not be everyone's cup of tea but my wife and I both loved it! Beautiful setting filmed in Malta although it supposedly takes place in western France but easily overlooked. Some of the characters are definitely quirky to the point of being corny although lovable nonetheless. This is not serious drama certainly and the story is very predictable with occasional one liners that are classic British humor. It's lighthearted, enjoyable entertainment that doesn't require apt attention or puzzling over whodunnit. Good change of pace.

Perhaps I'm aging myself but I don't need gratuitous violence and sex to enjoy a mystery show. In fact, when you throw in good natured comedy with characters that you enjoy seeing on screen you've got something special.

Please ignore those negative reviews if you are trying to figure out if this Acorn mystery is worth your time because if you want entertaining, uplifting, and worth watching TV this new addition to Acorn's line-up will leave you smiling.

Yes, as one critic noted, the cast is "older" but one day even the critic will slip into middle age. The Madame Blanc Mysteries does not market itself has hard hitting and gore-filled and R rated viewing ... only a fun mystery with hints of romance and a cast of characters who are really fun "CHARACTERS!"

The producers, actors, and writers have given viewers a binge-worthy show that I for one hope is extended into many future seasons.

The show is wonderfully done. The characters are charming, always keeps me guessing, not gory, but intriguing. I really hope for a 3rd and 4th season. I love the tight nit community and the inclusion of art! I love that it is bilingual. I watch a great many mysteries and this one is quite different and refreshing. The filming location is beautiful and keeps me interested. The interiors are interesting and believable in a small community. Yet the the residents are a nice mix of working people and a few retirees. The main character, Madame Blance is fabulous in her roll. She make the show. She comes across intelligent, yet very down to earth and accessible.

Really enjoying this comedy-drama-mystery so far. It's great to have a show written by and predominately starring over 50s that is clean enough for all generations to watch together. I wish the younger characters were a bit more inspiring eg have more interest in their work and the all-age community. The leading lady and man are absolutely lovely together. Plus I love bi-lingual shows, should be more of those on TV, as so many places/groups are.

I like Sally Lindsay as an actress. She's great at comedy, drama and comedy drama. I particularly loved her in Sky series Mount Pleasant. I also think she's great in the Madame Blanc Mysteries which she also created and produced.

In this show she plays Jean White, an antiques dealer whose husband has died in a car accident in the south of France. She travels to the village of St Victoire to initially pick up his belongings and do the usual after-death admin, but begins to suspect it wasn't a car accident. It also comes out that he may have been leading a double life whilst away seemingly on antique buying trips. Alongside this, Jean manages to get involved with the local Gendarme when various incidents - murders, theft, art forgeries and more occur in this beautiful French (actually filmed in Malta and Gozo but who cares? It makes for a beautiful sunny backdrop) village.

The supporting characters include Dom, a fellow Brit single dad who becomes her sidekick and friend, as well as a mixture of "Brits Abroad" - Sue Holderness and Robin Askwith as the posh owners of the chateau are particularly funny, the local garage owner and her son, the Irish pub landlord and his wife, as well as native locals all adding their quirks and dramas of their own to the mix.

If you're looking for gritty and dark murder drama this show isn't for you. To me its kind of a mix of Death in Paradise and Agatha Raisin, but also has its own thing going on. The mysteries are engaging enough, and there are some quite interesting twists, and there is plenty of humour mixed in along the way.

This show kind of slipped under the radar until I saw a promo for it whilst streaming another show from Channel 5 and decided to give it a go. I don't regret it. Its one of those shows that's just fun to watch and I hope we get more series.

Silly fun in a light entertainment format. Of course it's not meant to be taken seriously. Of course the actors are hamming it up. It's still an entertaining little package best enjoyed with a nice glass of red French wine.

Great series but the old couple in the chateaux are too over the top. I love the main characters and their relationship. The second episode story of the dying woman Eleanor who was a child when her mother and brother Henri were snatched by the Nazis was a beautifully written story. Sally and Steve have a great chemistry.

While the film location, protagonist, and Dom are watch worthy, the two J characters are garish caricatures who detract from the series. Surely Ms Lindsey has given them enough screen time in the first two seasons.

Their drivel makes no sense failing to fit into the plots and ensemble, and their physicality resembles in a tortured way, the 70's, which that era doesn't deserve. I have to fast forward through their scenes. Supplant their characters with more Cooper-like ones to keep the fence sitters for a third season.

P S The opening music is far too dated-sappy-which doesn't go with the mystery theme.

Likeable characters, but the plot is far fetched. The writing is a bit lacking. There's a lot of fluff to make it a six episode series. I have seen better Britbox shows.

I really enjoyed this. I got an Agatha Raison vibe at first but just on the blonde vivacious detective similarities.

I liked the older characters.. I did find it weird that there were so many british expats in this French town but then again I expect they hang out together in real life as well.

I wasn't sure about her detecting at first but then went with her intuitive flow as well as her expertise solving the day.

It was fun. I hope there are more series.

Where to begin?!? It's as if Sally Lindsay has taken Midsomer Murders, Rosemary and Thyme, 'Allo 'Allo, Lovejoy and A Year in Provence, thrown them into a blender, given them a damn good 'zizzz', and then poured out the script for Madame Blanc!!! The resolution of the first episode was 'swift' to say the least and wouldn't have strained the talents of Insp Clouseau, never mind Sherlock Holmes!! Oh yes, Clouseau...there's another who was popped in the blender!!! Line of Duty it ain't, but it's enjoyable enough for a Saturday night with a glass (or two) of Sauvignon Blanc!!! 'Chewing gum for the eyes' as my old Boss would put it!!!

This was described as a cozy mystery so I didn't expect a serious mystery drama. Glad to see main characters a bit older & ( for the most part) looking like regular people. The "lovebird couple" was a bit over the top but, oh well. The bartender & wife were annoying but a bar/restaurant is always a good place to get people together. The mysteries were simple, but fun; I wasn't bothered by poor writing as some reviewers mentioned.

One thing I liked was that each episode had its own dilemma, but there was an ongoing thread that had not been solved yet. Alas, I will never know what Barbara's deal was. A same-sex couple every couple of episodes was a thumbs down for me. Maybe someday I will try it again but for now I'm gone.

A mystery without the over dramatising. I like the characters and there is a lovely mystery to solve. The background of France is so entertaining also. A nice break from England and the US.

If you can get through the first episode and like it, you're probably good for the season. As characters are introduced, we are taken into a world where there's not much room for believability or a truly plausible mystery.

Instead, this show is more of the Matlock/Murder She Wrote/Charlie's Angels school, which is simple, easy, stagy, and at times making attempts to be mildly humorous. I appreciate the advanced age of the cast, because old people have adventures too, although one might speculate perhaps the star/creator/writer chose her cast in part because so many are obviously older than her.

One might wonder, though, why the characters of Judith and Jeremy, both played by actors in their seventies, are so broadly and loudly portrayed. Evidently the two actors are TV veterans, not the stage, and yet they play their parts like community theater actors trying to get noticed by someone in the back row. They need to rein it in a little, imo.

My wife and I are both fans of British crime dramas such as Line of Duty, Dalgliesh and Manhunt, maybe some Grantchester thrown in as well, but we found this more frivolous variety of "mystery" unwatchable. It is to mysteries what Doc Martin is to medical shows, except that Doc Martin is quite entertaining, well written and very well acted.

Really enjoyed this. Great location. A bright sunny and refreshing change. The ongoing mystery is intriguing and the self contained weekly case to be solved keeps things ticking along nicely. A lovely change.

This is a lovely light dramady for Gen Xers. Believe the characters are still finding their footing, let's hope the show gets renewed so it can fully flush itself out. Fingers crossed for an early 2022 release date.

Really like loved this. Enjoyable, good fun, good rapport between characters. Liked the continuity, with the main story line spanning the whole series, and each episode having a self contained mystery to solve! Please give us series 2!!

Jean White, an antiques expert, finds herself in France when her husband dies under mysterious circumstances and her efforts to solve the mystery of his death leads her to establishing herself permanently in Sainte Victoire. Her knowledge of antiques helps her solve several mysteries and she becomes a consultant to local policeman Caron. She also becomes friendly with a few fellow expats: Dom (a friendly cab driver who becomes Watson to her Sherlocking), wealthy married Judith (pleasantly snooty) and Jeremy (pleasantly extroverted) as well as local female mechanic Gloria.

Sally Lindsay is quite good as the brilliant antiquer from Manchester. She easily carries the series with her warmth and charisma (I like her wardrobe too). She has great chemistry with Steven Edge as Dom, whose character you'd expect to be a bit boring but Edge makes him so congenial you'd wish he'd drive cab in your neighborhood. All the performances are good but the mysteries are just not that intriguing. I tune in for an opportunity to see these pleasant people in lovely surroundings, learn a bit about antiques but not for the plots The death of the rock star in the sealed room was the only mystery thus far I found at all interesting. It would be nice if the other mysteries had that same kind of snap.

The writing and acting in series one was enlightened and fun to watch. Easily, a person could quietly watch and be carried away all the while - and here's the important bit - my intellect not being ignored or disrespected!

Series two, however, at least thru episode five is obviously under new management and the writing reflects a playground soap opera!

No challenge exist intellectually nor are the stories even faintly believable.

Neither series is meant to be on the same block with Morse, Poirot or even Midsummer Murders but please be entertaining!

I hope if there is a series three you will bring back the writers of series one....at the very least!

Really enjoyed this series - carefree happy viewing which I will miss.

Enjoyed glass of nice wine whilst enjoying lighthearted story - nice scenery and different plot. Well done all - hope there is a series 2 x.

A great premise let down by poor writing and weak plots. Some of the characters are pretty cliché but the setting is lovely. Hopefully season 2 will do better.

No mystery here.... terrible plots ... terrible characters ... terrible acting .. everything unbelievable ...a female mechanic who's overalls never get dirty ... ridiculous.

I think this series is meant to be OTT/ham/caricature acting, it's a light hearted, not to be taken too seriously series which I'm enjoying so far. Nice location, not France tho, I believe it was filmed in Malta but you can't tell.

It's so easy to criticise. When you have watched TV programmes over many years, like I have, you kind of get a feel for what is good and what isn't. All subjective of course. 'I know what I like and I like what I know' etc.

To be fair this series has good intentions but it falls short in terms of structure, dialogue and characterisation. Plenty of basic script errors.

The problem here is it struggles to know what it wants to be. Is it a thriller or a comedy? No way can this series be described as a thriller, as Channel 5 triumphantly boasts. Perhaps a 'comfy crime'?

I am completely bewildered why Channel 5 commissioned it, for it does nothing to enhance the channel's reputation. Surely it can't be because Sally Lindsay is in it? She might be a name in soap opera land but in this she is the main protagonist, for goodness sake! The principal character that carries the show. Except she doesn't. She just walks about looking totally bewildered. Considering she is the writer of the series you would have thought she would really given this character some oomph! But no.

If you want an example of an iconic character, who deals in antiques, take a look at Ian McShane in Lovejoy (a great series that you can watch time and time again)

Then we have Dom Hayes (played by Steve Edge). This is a good character and there is some spark when he and Sally are together on screen, but really his character is just an English version of Spiros in 'The Durrells'. So we have sort of seen it all before.

Next we have Judith and Jeremy Lloyd (played by Sue Holderness and Robin Askwith). They are the comic elements. Reminiscent of the old 70's television series 'George and Mildred'; so corny for today.

So who is this series aimed at? Who is the demographic? Why is it being broadcast at 9pm when it is clearly more suited to daytime scheduling? Older viewers will have seen all this in the 70's 80's and younger viewers won't look at it at all. I think this series would have been better suited as a BBC commission; where they can afford to spend more money on programmes of this kind. However, when they already have series like Father Brown and Shakespeare and Hathaway I doubt they would have seriously considered it.

Still, on the whole, it's not harming anyone and it passes an hour. The colourful locations and sunshine are great but I've only given it 6 out of 10, hoping it gets a bit better further into the series.