We started with the Rowan Atkinson version which is very good but this Micheal Gambon version is far more approachable and likeable.

He is well supported by Jack Galloway and James Larkin as Janvier and LaPointe, respectively, with Geoffrey Hutchings giving what is, in my mind, the definitive portrayal of the faithful Sgt. Sporting his pipe that seems a nod to Sherlock Holmes, the pragmatic and refined Maigret investigates murders in his singular unhurried manner and inevitably discovers the truth. Very French sometimes dark but love George Simeon an these movies are great if you like foreign movies It has sub titles but Bruno Cremer was the perfect Maigret. Characters were Georges Simenon's specialty, and I think these four shows, all based on his mystery novels of the same names, capture this.So, in conclusion, the first season is a drab-looking cheap endeavour whilst the second season is the prestige show you'd expect from a Granada-produced "Maigret" series. The Cremer Maigret varies in quality with the directors, but he is almost always brilliant, playing his hunches and guiding his investigations with a deep psychology that truly honors the original Simenon novels. The scripts for this first season tended to be plodding and dull and seemingly written for the old studio-bound production style. If you love classic film, Masterpiece theater, and generally watch British humor or mysteries on PBS, you have to look for MhZ International programs and find this. The ones drab, overlit sets are replaced by rich, ornamented interiors full of character and period atmosphere.

Rowan Atkinson credibly transforms himself into the seriously calm and curious police commissioner Maigret who risks his life to find the culprits. Scenes go on forever, dialogue is long-winded and exposition-heavy, and there is minimal use of locations. I like to check all my purchases when they arrive as it might be a while before I get to watch them in full.Maigret TV Series 1960–1963: starring Rupert Davies, as the most lauded definitive Maigret, in 52 episodes; Davies's celebrated BAFTA-winning portrayal won the approval of the author; Simenon himself said of Davies, "At last, I have found the perfect Maigret! People are critical of this saying it is a British version of a French tale,fair comment but it is a well written and well cast and watching makes me want to win the lottery and move to Paris.