Inspector Barnaby from the other side of the channel.

Each Sunday afternoon a popular English series is broadcast on TV: Inspector Barnaby. In spite of the theme, a lot of French people watch this series. What attracts the viewers? I think we are experiencing an atmosphere we are not accustomed to seeing in France. Horrible crimes are committed in dream-like places where people are very polite. The castles and cottages are beautiful with marvellous, cosy interiors. Generally, people are more from the upper or middle classes where everybody thinks particularly leisure and parties! For a good story, there are at least four murders…In my opinion what pleases people is that the crimes don’t seem real. Characters don’t lose control of themselves. It seems like an intellectual game without consequences on the viewer’s behaviour.

I would say: it is so British.

Claude.