Just caught the first two episodes of Three Pines, a new series on Amazon Prime Video -- at once charming, dangerous, provocative, with a Sherlock Holmesian detective (Inspector Gamache, played by Alfred Molina) and gorgeous wintery scenery north of Montreal. It somehow manages to have elements of a British cosy whodunnit, with cursing you wouldn't hear even in Chicago PD, and it's an altogether wonderful treat to see.
I should also mention that it's based on Louise Penny's series of novels (which I haven't yet read), before I warn you about spoilers ahead...
These first two episodes feature Gamache hard at work on two cases, a missing Indigenous young woman, and soon an horrendous mother -- an author -- who is electrocuted sitting in a chair outside in snow, watching a curling match.
The second case is solved by the end of the second episode. The first case remains, and I assume will be pursued throughout at least this entire season. The first case, in addition to what I said above, also has elements of the Murdoch Mysteries, and a group of intriguing suspects, each somewhat plausible, given what an awful parent the victim was. How awful? She tells her daughter she's sorry the daughter was born.
The series is also lifted by a contemporary dialogue, rife not only with cursing but wisecracks and sarcasm. These are heard in a timely way, every time you might be lulled into thinking you're only seeing a Hercule Poirot in Canada. I've found there's something about Canadian TV shows in general which gives them a special appeal you don't find in American TV -- I'm thinking here of the police shows 19-2 and Flashpoint, as well as the Murdoch Mysteries -- and Three Pines has a nice helping of that, too.
Highly recommended, and I'll see you back here with more reviews.
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