The highly anticipated second season of Maigret has officially arrived on PBS Masterpiece. It launches with a suspenseful and dangerous case that immediately tests Chief Inspector Jules Maigret. Starring Benjamin Wainwright as the iconic French detective created by author Georges Simenon, the Season 2 premiere dives straight into a complex web of concealed money, shifting loyalties, and a high-stakes confrontation at a Paris financial institution.
A Deadly Bank Mystery Sets the Tone
The premiere episode, titled “Hanged Man, Part 1,” opens during a rare moment of domestic celebration. Maigret’s wife, Louise, played by Stefanie Martini, organizes a birthday gathering alongside his fellow detectives at La Brigade Criminelle. However, the festivities are cut abruptly short when authorities receive a critical bomb threat targeting the Banque de Vincennes.
Chief Inspector Maigret and his team quickly deploy to the scene to manage the volatile situation. The investigation zeroes in on a woman carrying a sus**cious pink backpack. In a tense undercover maneuver, Detective Karim LaPointe, portrayed by Reda Elazouar, attempts to swap the woman’s backpack with an identical decoy. Meanwhile, Inspector Berthe Janvier, played by Shaniqua Okwok, provides a strategic distraction. The operation goes awry when the suspect realizes the exchange has taken place, turning hostile and placing the officers on immediate edge.
Internal Friction and High Stakes at La Brigade Criminelle
Beyond the immediate danger at the bank, Season 2 introduces severe internal pressure for Maigret. Director of Police Xavier Guichard, played by Nathaniel Parker in his series debut, steps in as Maigret’s new boss and mentor. Growing sus**cious of Maigret’s rising fame and unconventional methods, Guichard actively seeks to undermine the veteran detective’s standing within the department.
The leadership shift brings immediate operational changes. With one colleague leaving and another transferred by Guichard, the team must absorb a new addition: former Internal Affairs officer George Bonfils, played by Alex Bhat. Bonfils’s presence immediately creates friction among Maigret’s core loyalists, complicating their daily police work.
Adapting Classic Simenon Masterpieces
Season 2 is structured around three of Georges Simenon’s most celebrated novels: The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien, Maigret’s Revolver, and The Yellow Dog. Spanning six action-packed episodes, the new run of television explores dark, haunting crimes where the boundaries between guilt and innocence dissolve entirely.
As Maigret grapples with a sus**cious bank death, a bloodstained suit, and unsettling connections to a crime committed a decade prior, he must rely on his instincts to deliver a unique form of justice. Fans can catch new episodes weekly on Sunday nights at 9/8c on PBS Masterpiece, or stream previous cases via PBS Passport and Prime Video.
