Maigret

I first came across Georges Simenon's Chief Inspector (or Commissaire/Commissioner to be absolutely correct) Jules Maigret of the French Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris (better known by its abbreviation, the PJ) in my youth. Watching the BBC's TV series – which starred Rupert Davies as Maigret – was something we did as a family, and I enjoyed the way in which the stories evolved during their telling. (I subsequently discovered that Simenon often had no idea as to how a plot would unfold when he sat down to write them, and just let the plots develop as he wrote.)

The next actor to depict Maigret on British television was Michael Gambon. The production values were excellent, and I remember one reviewer stating that you could almost smell the garlic and sweat when you watched the programmes.

Last night I watched the latest incarnation of Chief Inspector Maigret to hit the small screen ... Rowan Atkinson!

Now I have always enjoyed watching Rowan Atkinson's work, and know that he is an extremely capable actor whose range is much greater than just being Mr Bean or Blackadder ... but I had doubts about whether or not he could portray Maigret.

I was wrong to have doubts.

Rupert Davies's Maigret always struck me as being a down-to-earth, jovial policeman, whilst Michael Gambon's portrayal was quiet, thoughtful and yet avuncular. Rowan Atkinson's Maigret is a much more introverted, yet caring man, who is at the same time a consummate detective with the ability to make tough decisions when the time requires it. Last night's programme – which was a dramatised version of Simenon's MAIGRET SETS A TRAP – was excellent, and I was pleased to read that at least one further programme has been made and will be transmitted later this year. It is something that I will look forward to watching.