This is a TV serialization of a 00's successful movie, based on the eponymous novel. Potentially, this is good Euro-scary-crime stuff. American writers deliver Hannibal Lecter, American Psycho, or True Detectives, and their European counterparts do Broadchurch, Salamander, Crimson Rivers, and the like. I usually like the European series because they nicely weave in some interesting historical nuggets together with some spectacular locations. I felt a bit let down by this one. The first story (e1-e2 as per the C4 broadcast) was intriguing, but the reveal in the second episode was just medieval fantasy, and frankly too simplistic in so many ways it's impossible to list. The sex trysts between the protagonists were shallow, unbelievable and possibly unnecessary.
The acting and direction were good, and this kept me going. The aspect that got me was the fact that everybody, including the extras, in a German police station, spoke perfect French. It would have been more believable in a cross-border story to have at least some dialogue in the relevant language, and appropriately subtitled. Are producers afraid that people can't read? Other series have managed this well (e.g. The Tunnel, Salamander) and even action series like Strike Back can handle this.
Watchable, but could do so much better.
Review of Les rivières pourpres
