The good folks at Walter Presents have released two French crime shows on the same day this autumn, and what a hugely contrasting pair of productions they are.
If you want to avoid spoilers, stop reading this article now.
Reviewed elsewhere is ‘Something To Hide’, one of the darkest shows WP have made available about the alleged rape of a young boy. In stark contrast, ‘Astrid: Murder In Paris’ (known as ‘Astrid and Raphaëlle’ in France) is a slightly comedic police procedural from the ‘Professor T’ school of enjoyable crime capers.
Astrid Nielsen (exquisitely played by Sara Mortensen) works in the police records bureau in Paris. She’s autistic and lives with Asperger’s Syndrome, a condition which makes her uncomfortable in most social situations. Early in the show, we see her being chatted up by a young man who asks her if she has a minute and would she like to get some coffee. She gives him a lecture of the ill-effects of caffeine and then politely informs him that his minute is up, completely unaware that she was being courted.
But her condition also makes her acutely aware of the tiniest of detail and it gives her an incredible memory recall – both highly valuable assets in crime fighting. So, when Commander Raphaëlle Coste (Lola Dewaere, who you might recognise as Mathilde in ‘Killer By The Lake’) comes calling for information about an apparent suicide, Astrid cannot help but point the Commander towards a very similar case in the police files.
Raphaëlle initially thinks someone has simply sent the wrong files, but once she realises the similarities, she seeks out the person who lead her down this path. And so begins a highly fruitful relationship between the slightly scatter-brained police Commander and the meticulous Astrid.
In this opening episode, the crime-fighting duo discover a link between a series of apparent suicides by doctors, which leads them to an event that happened in Latin America some years ago. And the realisation that, if they don’t act quickly, the latest “suicide” might not be the last violent death they have on their hands.
Autism is a condition that has been explored on TV crime shows in the past, of course. ‘Professor T’ (both the Ben Miller version and the original Belgian series), Monk and – best of all – the fabulous Saga Norén (Sofia Helin) in The Bridge. I imagine Sara Mortensen studied the condition thoroughly before undertaking this role, because she handles it beautifully and sensitively. The show is relatively lightweight and there are plenty of comedic moments, but they’re not at Astrid’s expense.
I thoroughly enjoyed the opening episode. It doesn’t take itself too seriously; there’s no gore or violence. It’s old-fashioned crime-fighting entertainment. Each instalment is a stand-alone story, so you can dip in and out without having to worry about missing an essential plot twist. This is perfect autumnal evenings fodder. Sit down with a hot cup of cocoa and a biscuit (or three!) and immerse yourself in Astrid and Raphaëlle’s world.
Walter Presents: ‘Astrid: Murder in Paris’ is available as a full boxset on All 4 now.
