‘Maigret’ Premiere: A Woman’s Final Words Hint at a Darker Mystery

Maigret, PBS, Season 2, First Look - PBS

Paris’ most observant detective is back on the case as Maigret returns to PBS Masterpiece for Season 2.

Benjamin Wainwright returns as Chief Inspector Jules Maigret, the methodical French detective who relies on his understanding of human behavior to solve some of Paris’ most troubling crimes. After a first season that saw him confront ghosts from his past and nearly lose his wife to a serial killer, Maigret is back on the job. And his latest case is about to become a very personal problem. Warning: Spoilers ahead for Maigret Season 2 Episode 1 “Hanged Man, Part 1,”

Maigret’s birthday celebration takes a deadly turn

The Season 2 premiere begins with Maigret’s birthday celebration, courtesy of his wife, Louise (Stefanie Martini), and his fellow detectives. However, the festivities are cut short when a bomb threat is reported at the Banque de Vincennes.

At the bank, Maigret’s team spots a suspicious woman carrying a pink backpack. Fearing that the bag contains a bomb, Detective Karim LaPointe (Reda Elazouar) arranges to switch it with an identical backpack while Inspector Berthe Janvier (Shaniqua Okwok) distracts her. The plan works, but when the woman discovers the switch, she becomes distraught.

“What did I ever do to you? How can you be so cruel?” she demands before pulling a gun. Maigret attempts to calm her, telling her, “We are not going to hurt you.”

“You already have. Now you will know what it feels like,” she replies before shooting herself.

Masterpiece PBS/YouTube

Where Is Sergeant Joseph Torrence?

Back at the station, investigators are left with more questions than answers. The dead woman was carrying no identification, and her backpack contained a man’s suit rather than a bomb. With nothing connecting her to the bank threat, the team’s priority is figuring out who she is.

‘Maigret’ Season 1 Ending Explained: What to Remember Before Season 2

One familiar face is also missing from the investigation. Sergeant Joseph Torrence (Blake Harrison) has apparently headed to Marseille, where he’s either “chasing drug lords or sunbathing on the beach.” (Harrison was written out of Season 2, leaving Maigret’s team without one of its original members.)

The woman is eventually identified as Adeline Jeunet (Dora Sztarenki), a brilliant former university student who abandoned a promising career in science for political and environmental activism. Her mother reveals that the two had been estranged for 10 years, while investigators discover that Adeline had been working at an STD clinic.

Adeline’s past raises more questions than answers

But Adeline’s death raises more questions than answers. Inside her apartment, investigators discover threatening letters, burned money, and €250,000 hidden beneath her mattress. Even more puzzling is the bloodstained man’s suit found in her backpack.

The investigation leads Maigret to two of Adeline’s former university acquaintances, banker Genevieve Belloir (Phoebe Sparrow) and restaurant owner Claude Van Damme (CJ Beckford). Both deny knowing Adeline, despite evidence connecting them. Maigret suspects that Adeline may have been blackmailing the pair, but neither is willing to cooperate.

Maigret finds himself under investigation

Meanwhile, Maigret faces an investigation of his own. Inspector George Bonfils (Alex Bhat) and his former rival Inspector Justin Cavre (Rob Kazinsky) question his handling of Adeline’s death, while Director Xavier Guichard (Nathaniel Parker) warns that the case is becoming a public embarrassment.

At home, Maigret continues discussing the mysterious death with Louise, who suggests that Adeline “must have been under intolerable pressure.”

Masterpiece PBS/YouTube

A 10-year-old suicide leads to a dangerous cliffhanger

The biggest breakthrough comes when LaPointe and Janvier investigate a photograph of a church found in Adeline’s apartment. They discover that 10 years earlier, a man named Emil hanged himself at the church. He had worked at the same university as Adeline, providing a possible connection to her mysterious death.

But before Maigret can get any answers, someone attempts to run him down with a car, forcing the detective to fire his weapon as the episode comes to a close.

Maigret, Season 2, Sunday, 9/8c, PBS and Masterpiece on PBS

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or dial 988. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

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Source: Crime