If Unforgotten and Midsomer Murders are up there with some of your favourite TV shows, we’re about to introduce you to a series that’s the perfect blend of them both. Adapted from Louise Penny’s bestselling Chief Inspector Gamache book series, the beyond brilliant drama takes us to the outwardly idyllic Quebec village of Three Pines where Chief Inspector Inspector Gamache (Alfred Molina) uncovers many of its dark secrets – and it’s so good, you might just find yourself watching it in one go.
The series, which first aired in 2022, comes from the same producers as The Crown and sees Inspector Gamache deal with a number of mysterious and increasingly perplexing murders. Thankfully, he’s assisted by his trusted team including the more experienced Sergeant Jean-Guy Beauvoir (Rossif Sutherland) and Sergeant Isabelle Lacoste (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers), as well as rookie Agent Yvette Nichol (Sarah Booth). Think Midsomer Murders’ village charm mixed with Unforgotten‘s complex yet captivating cases.
What is Three Pines about?
As we mentioned, the eight-part series takes us to a secluded village in Québec known as Three Pines. Despite its idyllic appearance, the village is, in fact, plagued by a series of mysterious murders. It’s up to kind-hearted detective, Chief Inspector Gamache (Alfred Molina), to investigate, but he doesn’t go it alone. Working alongside him are his trusty team made up of the combative Sergeant Jean-Guy Beauvoir (Rossif Sutherland); the astute Indigenous working mother Sergeant Isabelle Lacoste (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers) and an accident-prone rookie, Agent Yvette Nichol (Sarah Booth).
Over the course of the eight episodes, we also meet many of the village’s eccentric residents, including the owners of the bistro, Gabri (Pierre Simpson) and Olivier (Frédéric-Antoine Guimond), artists Peter (Julian Bailey) and Clara (Anna Tierney), bookshop-owner-cum-psychologist Myrna (Tamara Brown), gallery owner Bea (Tantoo Cardinal), and the irascible poet Ruth (Clare Coulter). And the more Inspector Gamache delves into the lives and histories of those who have found sanctuary in Three Pines, the more it affects him.
There’s also something else troubling Inspector Gamache. He believes his deployment is punishment after he ignored his senior’s orders to stop investigating Blue Two-Rivers, an 18-year-old missing indigenous girl. It’s a case that torments him and forms the overarching plot of the show, with his other investigations, including the death of a famous socialite and the murder of a popular resident, run alongside.
The cast of Three Pines includes:
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- Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2; ) as Chief Inspector Armand Gamache
- Rossif Sutherland (The Handsmaid’s Tale) as Jean-Guy Beauvoir
- Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (The Abandons) as Isabelle Lacoste
- Sarah Booth (Heartland) as Yvette Nichol
- Anna Tierney (Deceit) as Clara Morrow
- Julian Bailey (He’s Out There) as Peter Morrow
- Marie-France Lambert (Seducing Doctor Lewis.) as Reine-Marie
- Tantoo Cardinal (Dances with Wolves) as Bea Mayer
- Clare Coulter (Die My Love) as Ruth Zardo
- Frédéric-Antoine Guimond (Starbuck) as Olivier Brulé
- Pierre Simpson (Clara) as Gabri Dubeau
- Tamara Brown (The Bold Type) as Myrna Lander
- Frank Schorpion (Best Sellers) as Pierre Arnot
- Georgina Lightning (Older Than America) as Arisawe Two-Rivers
- Isabel Deroy-Olson (Fancy Dance) as Kara Two-Rivers
- Anna Lambe (The Grizzlies) as Blue Two-Rivers
- Crystle Lightning (Yellowstone) as Missy Two-Rivers
- Marcel Jeannin (Crisis) as Superintendent / General Director Francoeur
Is there a trailer for Three Pines?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Three Pines below.
Is Three Pines any good?
Yes, it’s the perfect hybrid of a cosy murder mystery and detective thriller. If you love grittier shows such as Unforgotten but are also a sucker for a good old-fashioned murder mystery, such as The Marlow Murder Club, you’ll enjoy meeting Chief Inspector Gamache and the quirky characters he encounters. Viewers have praised the series as “carefully crafted”, “informative” and “intelligent” and we don’t disagree with them.
How can I watch Three Pines?
You can stream all eight episodes of Three Pines now on Prime Video.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
One of ITV’s best detective dramas is The Long Call. Adapted from Ann Cleeves’ (Vera) much-loved novel of the same name, Detective Inspector Matthew Venn (Ben Aldridge) returns to Devon to the strict evangelical community he fled from two decades prior after the death of his father. Upon his return, he’s set to work on a extremely testing case when a body washes ashore. You can stream all episodes of The Long Call now on ITVX. We’d also recommend Irvine Welsh’s Crime, which follows Detective Inspector Ray Lennox (Dougray Scott) who”s tasked with investigating gritty and complex cases whilst battling his own demons of trauma and addiction. Both series of Irvine Welsh’s Crime are available to stream on ITVX.
