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Maigret

Maigret

1991–2005Ended14 seasons54 episodes~90 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

The pragmatic, reserved and refined Maigret investigates murders in his singular unhurried manner and inevitably discovers the truth.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Maigret?

Maigret earns 4 badges, led by Atmospheric and Standout acting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Maigret worth watching?

Maigret's Midcredits score is the 88th percentile of all shows, from 1.1K ratings across 2 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

88th percentile

Better received than 88% of shows

88th percentile among Crime82nd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)84th
Approval (how many liked it)88th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

79 /100

84th percentile of all shows

88th percentile among Crime78th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

87% liked it

88th percentile of all shows

84th percentile among Crime83rd percentile among 1990s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

59th percentile

1.1K ratings across platforms

38th percentile among Crime42nd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 38% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Bruno Cremer's Maigret is a taciturn, slow-burning detective whose method relies on quiet observation and psychological insight.

Fans praised

  • understated, psychologically astute performance by Bruno Cremer
  • soaking, gloomy period atmosphere (1940s-50s Paris)
  • patient storytelling that honors Simenon's humanistic mysteries

Detractors panned

  • very slow pacing that can feel ponderous
  • minimal screen time for Maigret's wife and supporting team
  • some episodes make unnecessary plot changes from the novels

What stands out

Acting92

Cremer's underplaying, subtle rage, and empathy praised

Atmosphere90

Thick, dour period immersion; bars, bistros, wet streets

Cinematography80

Dark wet streets, period architecture, muted palettes

Emotional impactDivisive75

Compassion for victims and criminals moves fans

CharactersDivisive70

Maigret's humanism strong; wife and team reduced compared to books

Ending65

Resolution feels earned by patient investigation

Plot and story58

Loyal to Simenon's psychology but some episodes alter key events

PacingDivisive40

Slow, patient in a way fans call immersive and detractors call tedious

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 1991 · 54 episodes

  • S1E1

    Maigret and the Burglar's Wife

    Dec 1, 199195 min
  • S1E2

    Maigret and the Flemish Shop

    Jan 5, 199290 min
  • S1E3

    Maigret and the Judge

    Mar 15, 199290 min
  • S1E4

    Maigret in Montmartre

    Jun 7, 199290 min
  • S1E5

    Maigret and the Headless Corpse

    Sep 11, 199290 min
  • S1E6

    Night at the Crossroads

    Nov 27, 199290 min

Watch experience

What is Maigret like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ContemplativeTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Procedural · 7% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe series plays its material entirely straight, presenting its investigations with a solemn, unhurried gravitas that treats murder and human frailty with respectful seriousness.
The rideThe typical episode sustains a calm, contemplative mood punctuated by moments of tension during interrogations or reveals, with the emotional peak often arriving in the middle when the crime's human cost becomes clear.
StructureStories are told in a straightforward chronological order without structural gimmicks, focusing on Maigret's unhurried investigation.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained murder investigation with a beginning, middle, and end, though character relationships develop subtly over time.
Season formatSeasons are largely interchangeable batches of cases; there is no overarching arc, and the status quo is restored at the end of each episode.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe methodical revelations leave viewers pondering the hidden truths of human nature, while the quiet melancholy of the cases lingers.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MysteryPuzzle
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% (this title) · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Puzzle: A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).

8% of shows fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeEach episode presents a murder that Maigret solves through patient, methodical observation of clues and human behavior, inviting the viewer to piece together the truth alongside him.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% (this title) · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% (this title) · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 14% of showsTruth · 6% of showsCommunity: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series is fundamentally about the pursuit of justice through uncovering the truth, while often revealing the social fabric and humanity behind each crime.
StanceThe show observes its primary theme of justice neutrally, presenting each case not as a triumph of good but as a quiet uncovering of human truth, with the stakes rarely extending beyond the individuals involved.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
SettingParis and its suburbs during the mid-20th century, from cramped apartments to grand bourgeois homes
MusicThe score is subtle and atmospheric, often featuring strings and piano to accompany the investigative mood.

Content guide

Is Maigret okay for kids?

TV-PG

Maigret is rated TV-PG.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Netherlands12
  • Russia12+
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Maigret have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Maigret?

Cast

Bruno Cremer
as Commissaire Jules Maigret
Alexandre Brasseur
as Inspecteur Paul Lachenal
Jean-Claude Frissung
as Janvier
Pierre Diot
as Inspecteur Christiani
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Anne Bellec
as Madame Maigret
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Eric Prat
as Torrence
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Pierre Baillot
as Moers
Jean-Paul Bonnaire
as Inspecteur Battisti
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Fabien Béhar
as Inspecteur Luciani
Marina Golovine
as Ginou

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