Season 1 of Magellan was extremely enjoyable. All the actors and plots worked out. Then the wonderful Nabil disappeared and was replaced by an ever complaining character at the end of season 1.
Season 2 starts with 2 girls younger than in season 1!
Since when this would make sense to anyone?
And not only that, but their character is unpleasant.
Is the writer different ?
10 stars for season 1, 4 stars for season 2
12 Reviews
Get rid of Ludo
canabera13 January 2022
This series was enjoyable utnil the character Ludo came on board. What a loser, irritating and annoying. Aside from that character I enjoy the show with great scenery, good mysteries and very little violence. MHz is great for foreign programming which far surpasses anything in the US excepet Yellowstone.
Midsomer Murders en Français
don-druker22 November 2021
If you're a fan of Midsomer Murders, but also like your mysteries to have a decidedly Gallic twist, then Magellan is absolutely for you. The plots are convoluted, the suspects are plentiful, and the dogged Inspector is invariably going to get his man (or woman). But, what sets Magellan apart from what the French would call its British homologue is its edginess, its willingness to discover dark little corners in the psyches of even its most sympathetic characters, even Inspector Magellan himself. There's a focus on the actual crime investigation itself that sometimes gets blurred in Midsomer Murders; unlike its British cousin, Magellan's narratives are sharper, more detailed, and easier to take seriously. None of the casualness that sometimes makes Midsomer Murders seem like an excuse to meander through the sometimes incomprehensible (to a foreigner) personality quirks of the British provincial elite. There's real police business being done here, and Simon Magellan, despite his Colomboesque sartorial disarray and his exasperation with his often uncomfortable role as a 21st century divorced father desperately trying to do the right thing by his precocious teenaged daughters, really is a highly respected and insightful cop. His characteristically French aura of ironic detachment barely conceals a good and decent man who clearly understands what makes people tick and uses that understanding to tease out ingenious solutions to the tangled mysteries he encounters (references to Simenon's Maigret would be appropriate at this point). Yes, the mythical Northern town of Saignac appears to account for just about all of the murders recorded in France in any given month, but that's what we love about formulaic, locked room mysteries like this -- they tell us that the world may seem perennially out of joint, but that with local heroes like Tom Barnaby in England and Simon Magellan in France, everything will turn out more or less alright.
Consistently wonderful
emailreceiptsandorders16 February 2023
I am a fan of several different crime genres. This series is particularly entertaining because it takes you back and forth between the crime and the mystery and the ins and outs of Commissaire Magellan's family life. It is a wonderful balance between mystery and light humor. Nothing is over done or overly dramatic. This is a show you can watch with your family/teens/younger teens. There are gruesome or bloody moments, but always post-mortem and very temporary. The storyline is the focus, not the ability to shock an audience, which I find to be over the top, over done and erroneous. The characters are all likeable and believable. It is a nice break from the average crime/mystery show. The comedic relief is appreciated.
Good mystery but extremely formulaic
lesepstein18 December 2023
Magellan is simply the most formulaic mystery series I've ever seen, at least after season one. So, I've compiled a template for a budding Magellan writer.
Template for a Commissair Magellan Screenplay:
1) Open with short scene with the victim earlier the day of the murder.
2) Next scene, usually at night, the murder, tastefully done, little gore.
3) After stock footage of the town is standing in for the fictional town of Saignac, Magellan is at breakfast with his daughter and his nephew, Ludo. In the middle of the cute breakfast colloquy Megellan must get a call from his work colleague Selma telling him of the murder, to which he responds "I'll be right there" and he immediately leaves. (Note to screenwriter: The call about the murder must come at breakfast, not in the afternoon at the Police Station, or any other time.)
4) At the crime scene Magellan and Selma speak to several people who knew the victim and one gives them the name of a very likely suspect.
5) They go to interview that suspect, whom they determine is not likely to be the killer, but that suspect tells them something that leads them to another suspect, and it continues that way through several suspects.
6) One of the suspects should take a runner when he sees the two cops and Selma, being the younger of the two and in better shape, chases after him. This suspect is male and should not end up being the murderer.
8) While unraveling all sorts of family and business secrets among the suspects our two cops discover that the parentage of one of the younger characters is different than what everyone believes. (This is optional as it doesn't have to be in every episode, but the majority of them.)
9) Approximately ten minutes before the end of the episode the most likely suspect at that point must be murdered as he/she knows too much. But this second murder must quickly lead them to find the real killer.
10) During the course of the investigation there should be three scenes of Magellan at home with his daughter and live in comic relief character, the ne'er-do-well, insufferable Ludo. (Note to writer: These scenes should be cute and delightful, but so far they've been mostly ridiculous, silly and annoying.)
It should be noted that the Ludo character replaced prosecutor and Magellan's best friend Gavrillac, who was in the earlier episodes It was always unbelievable as to how the otherwise intelligent prosecutor could act so stupid. With respect to Ludo that's not a problem!
There is almost no deviation from the above formula in every episode, so if you are binge watching this night after night as I did, it becomes frustrating. Can't they do something original and break out of the mold, but they never do. Yet, despite all this I was hooked.
Indeed, it is a tribute to the writers can come up with such interesting plots and characters within these very strict guidelines.
Template for a Commissair Magellan Screenplay:
1) Open with short scene with the victim earlier the day of the murder.
2) Next scene, usually at night, the murder, tastefully done, little gore.
3) After stock footage of the town is standing in for the fictional town of Saignac, Magellan is at breakfast with his daughter and his nephew, Ludo. In the middle of the cute breakfast colloquy Megellan must get a call from his work colleague Selma telling him of the murder, to which he responds "I'll be right there" and he immediately leaves. (Note to screenwriter: The call about the murder must come at breakfast, not in the afternoon at the Police Station, or any other time.)
4) At the crime scene Magellan and Selma speak to several people who knew the victim and one gives them the name of a very likely suspect.
5) They go to interview that suspect, whom they determine is not likely to be the killer, but that suspect tells them something that leads them to another suspect, and it continues that way through several suspects.
6) One of the suspects should take a runner when he sees the two cops and Selma, being the younger of the two and in better shape, chases after him. This suspect is male and should not end up being the murderer.
8) While unraveling all sorts of family and business secrets among the suspects our two cops discover that the parentage of one of the younger characters is different than what everyone believes. (This is optional as it doesn't have to be in every episode, but the majority of them.)
9) Approximately ten minutes before the end of the episode the most likely suspect at that point must be murdered as he/she knows too much. But this second murder must quickly lead them to find the real killer.
10) During the course of the investigation there should be three scenes of Magellan at home with his daughter and live in comic relief character, the ne'er-do-well, insufferable Ludo. (Note to writer: These scenes should be cute and delightful, but so far they've been mostly ridiculous, silly and annoying.)
It should be noted that the Ludo character replaced prosecutor and Magellan's best friend Gavrillac, who was in the earlier episodes It was always unbelievable as to how the otherwise intelligent prosecutor could act so stupid. With respect to Ludo that's not a problem!
There is almost no deviation from the above formula in every episode, so if you are binge watching this night after night as I did, it becomes frustrating. Can't they do something original and break out of the mold, but they never do. Yet, despite all this I was hooked.
Indeed, it is a tribute to the writers can come up with such interesting plots and characters within these very strict guidelines.
French version of Midsomer Murders
dklecan15 May 2023
The Gaellic version Midsomer Murders. Very formulaic, which actually makes it an easygoing enjoyable show to sit back and watch a couple of episodes a week. His sidekick Salma, a lovely smart detective, who has the answer to everything after checking her computer or ipad for 2 seconds. Magellan home life after the first few seasons is quiet, with daughters, girlfriend and buddies at French restaurant until the intro of his nephew, Ludo. This character should be awarded the French Emmy for most annoying character on French TV.
From my American perspective, seems like every episode and every character has an affair, and/or don't know their origins or that of their parents, siblings, even their kids. French detective shows seem to feature certain type of murders: the death of a opera/ballet star, soccer player, cyclist, so when the victim was a swimmer, I was happy, as I am a swimmer. I loved this episode and laughed my head off. Also shared with my Master's coach, lines such as, "swimmers are very competitive, any of them could easily be murderer." . Or, that the french female swimmer is "tres fagile." Tell that to Ledecky. Actually almost every young woman is "tres fragile." to Magellan.
Another thing that makes me laugh is that you often hear the metaphor, "a stick up his ass." The protagonist literally walks like has a stick up his ass with his arms not moving. Is this a mannerisms the director wants to highlight? Because we often see Magellan walking around, and next to Salma (who has the grace of a dancerj looks awful. Also isn't France noted for their sartorial style? His jacket looks like a sack of potatos.
Check out Mongeville , another French detective story. The chemistry between two protagonist is much better, plus his home life is one of a rich eccentric who loves to cook luscious French dinners. Seems more like a retired French Bruce Wayne, who loves to solve murders with French panache.
From my American perspective, seems like every episode and every character has an affair, and/or don't know their origins or that of their parents, siblings, even their kids. French detective shows seem to feature certain type of murders: the death of a opera/ballet star, soccer player, cyclist, so when the victim was a swimmer, I was happy, as I am a swimmer. I loved this episode and laughed my head off. Also shared with my Master's coach, lines such as, "swimmers are very competitive, any of them could easily be murderer." . Or, that the french female swimmer is "tres fagile." Tell that to Ledecky. Actually almost every young woman is "tres fragile." to Magellan.
Another thing that makes me laugh is that you often hear the metaphor, "a stick up his ass." The protagonist literally walks like has a stick up his ass with his arms not moving. Is this a mannerisms the director wants to highlight? Because we often see Magellan walking around, and next to Salma (who has the grace of a dancerj looks awful. Also isn't France noted for their sartorial style? His jacket looks like a sack of potatos.
Check out Mongeville , another French detective story. The chemistry between two protagonist is much better, plus his home life is one of a rich eccentric who loves to cook luscious French dinners. Seems more like a retired French Bruce Wayne, who loves to solve murders with French panache.
More seasons.
valstone5211 December 2022
I love this 6,great scenery, mostly fantastic actors. Magellan is a cross between Vera and columbo. At least two murders per episode, although one only had one murder. What was stupid to me was the changing of the daughter's. Yes one was old enough to leave, but then they bring in a much younger girl than the youngest. She's always in adult conversations, she has a smart mouth and does she, attend school regularly??? Simon's friend Paul was ok in the beginning, then he wore his welcome out. But I would rather have him, than the bum nephew ludo. He's very unlikable, he's lazy and dirty looking. I hope there are more seasons of this series, just get rid of ludo and the entitled daughter.
A worthy successor to Columbo
pjl-78 January 2019
We stumbled on this by accident - a program we were watching on France 3 rolled over into an episode, and we kept on watching.
Like Columbo, each episode stands alone, though there are certain recurring characters who provide a backdrop to the investigative action. Unlike Columbo, Simon Magellan has a home life, and in general this provides the light comic relief that offsets the drama of the murder investigation.
The relations and plot twists between the various possible suspects in each murder are as tortuous as anything Agatha Christie or Erle Stanley Gardner ever dreamed up, and the frenetic pace of unravelling the tangled web in the span of a 90 minute episode keeps the viewer constantly on the edge of the seat.
The characters are for the most part highly believable, and even the bit parts and extras do a sterling job of adding credibility, especially when some of the plot propositions come across as somewhat lame. In this context, I must make mention of one young actress, Florence Coste, who played a strong supporting role in the May 2018 episode "Un Amour De Jeunesse" ("Young Love"). The ability to cry really convincingly on camera is rare. The ability to act drunk believably is almost non-existent. Ms Coste handles both with such perfect understatement that I was quite awestruck.
If I had to single out one area where the series falls short, it is in the camera work and final editing. There are jumps in the picture, badly angled shots, and a heavy reliance on a series of canned aerial views of the town to indicate that Simon Magellan is moving from place to place. But this is not an art film, it is a mystery series, and we are content to forgive the poor post-productoin for the sake of some excellent acting and fun plot.
It isn't easy to find episodes to watch. France 3 runs them from time to time in batches on successive weekends of a few weeks, but not in episode sequence, and with long breaks between. MHz Choice has the first 8 episodes available with English subtitles that are too big and too high on the screen, and therefore interfere a lot with the action. It would be nice if the copyright owners would put the existing 32 episodes on a DVD boxed set and make them available on-line.
Like Columbo, each episode stands alone, though there are certain recurring characters who provide a backdrop to the investigative action. Unlike Columbo, Simon Magellan has a home life, and in general this provides the light comic relief that offsets the drama of the murder investigation.
The relations and plot twists between the various possible suspects in each murder are as tortuous as anything Agatha Christie or Erle Stanley Gardner ever dreamed up, and the frenetic pace of unravelling the tangled web in the span of a 90 minute episode keeps the viewer constantly on the edge of the seat.
The characters are for the most part highly believable, and even the bit parts and extras do a sterling job of adding credibility, especially when some of the plot propositions come across as somewhat lame. In this context, I must make mention of one young actress, Florence Coste, who played a strong supporting role in the May 2018 episode "Un Amour De Jeunesse" ("Young Love"). The ability to cry really convincingly on camera is rare. The ability to act drunk believably is almost non-existent. Ms Coste handles both with such perfect understatement that I was quite awestruck.
If I had to single out one area where the series falls short, it is in the camera work and final editing. There are jumps in the picture, badly angled shots, and a heavy reliance on a series of canned aerial views of the town to indicate that Simon Magellan is moving from place to place. But this is not an art film, it is a mystery series, and we are content to forgive the poor post-productoin for the sake of some excellent acting and fun plot.
It isn't easy to find episodes to watch. France 3 runs them from time to time in batches on successive weekends of a few weeks, but not in episode sequence, and with long breaks between. MHz Choice has the first 8 episodes available with English subtitles that are too big and too high on the screen, and therefore interfere a lot with the action. It would be nice if the copyright owners would put the existing 32 episodes on a DVD boxed set and make them available on-line.
Why the nephew Ludo?
myemail-374637 December 2021
The series has been enjoyable. However, I have been fast forwarding the scenes with the nephew Ludo. Most reviews on this character have not been positive. So why do the producers or whoever are the decision makers insist on including this character? It is a shame. The interludes with the original cast was entertaining. Is it is grinding at best. Who can we appeal to for a change and have Ludo move to Antarctica and live there happily ever after. And we can move on enjoying Saignac with Magellan and Selma. That will be appreciated by many of us.
Magellan Revenue
botanicalmaster11 December 2018
I found this gem on MHZ. If you like Poirot or Agatha Christie you will appreciate the pacing and consistency in this series as it is very similar. It is interesting enough to binge watch one after the other and each episode has some inconspicuous humor and amusing anecdotal moments. It's a shame the supporting role of lieutenant changed actors three times. At the same time though, it could be deemed as believable had it been explained to the viewer or if there was some transition between the three. The actors who played the roles of the daughters for some reason had to be changed. I don't know why. It wasn't a problem viewing the younger sister's noticeable growth spurts. That made the show believable. The second set of daughters worked out well and really it doesn't matter that they look nothing like the first set. Perhaps the writers wanted to suspend Magellan's age, make him timeless by surrounding him with a cast that seemingly doesn't age. Whatever the reason, it didn't seem necessary. Either way, new characters, past characters, both casts have succeeded in making this show a ten.
Mostly amusing - which is fine
keenast21 November 2021
Commissaire Magellan is an enigma: he is kind of annoyingly sympathetic but also an utter bore and very conservative living in a French small town. Still this show survived for quite a few seasons - I guess the reason is that it avoids senseless violence and action action action scenes - which I too appreciate.
Cinematography is similar, nothing stands out, which again is good, on the other hand it's also really boring again, so it fits the show. The first few episodes have terrible lighting and a brownish tint to it - so it looks even more dated.
Acting generally is ok, nothing special again.
The stories themselves tend to be rather convoluted though. Episodes are around 90 minutes long! They should be 60 minutes though. I've got the feeling there are too many pages added just to lengthen the script.
Music: it drags along in the background not drawing much attention, except in the episode 7 ('Undercover Miss' in the US), an episode called 'La miss aux deux visages' in original where the musics composer borrows very liberally from Antonio Jobim's 'How insensitive'! Or was it a love letter to Jobim?
All in all: very pétit bourgeois !
Cinematography is similar, nothing stands out, which again is good, on the other hand it's also really boring again, so it fits the show. The first few episodes have terrible lighting and a brownish tint to it - so it looks even more dated.
Acting generally is ok, nothing special again.
The stories themselves tend to be rather convoluted though. Episodes are around 90 minutes long! They should be 60 minutes though. I've got the feeling there are too many pages added just to lengthen the script.
Music: it drags along in the background not drawing much attention, except in the episode 7 ('Undercover Miss' in the US), an episode called 'La miss aux deux visages' in original where the musics composer borrows very liberally from Antonio Jobim's 'How insensitive'! Or was it a love letter to Jobim?
All in all: very pétit bourgeois !
Is watchable... until Ludo shows up
jimpataic-7857225 February 2023
All episodes follow a pattern. Past histories, usually involving a child out of wedlock in the past, and 2 murders. The culprit is easy to spot early on, so not much mystery. Selma is the only competent police officer. Magellan has her do all the dangerous stuff, especially if shots are fired. For some reason, he doesn't bother to carry a weapon. Fast forward through the scenes with nephew Ludo. He's unwatchable. Just a waste of oxygen. Why Magellan can't manage his household is never explained. Very irritating to see such incompetence. I wouldn't want him leading an investigation into the murder of someone I knew.
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