Sally Lindsay has been a TV star in Great Britain for over 20 years but only now with AcornTV’s “The Madame Blanc Mysteries” is she having her first American hit.
“Yeah, it’s an amazing thing. I think returning dramas are so special because you get to know the characters so well. Like old friends really,” Lindsay, 50, said in a Zoom interview from London as the series launches its third season Monday.
“I’ve always wanted to create a murder mystery-procedural but this is different because it’s got my love of antiques. I cannot believe how well it’s done in such a competitive world because it’s a little show that people have taken very much to their hearts, which is a source of joy and pride for the team really,” she said.
Lindsay co-created the show, co-writes the scripts, executive produces and stars as Jean White, an English widow settled in France’s scenic Mediterranean village of San Victoire.
“When we first meet her, her husband of 10 years whom she thoroughly adores, has got a little place there. Jean is an antiques dealer. They get all their bread and butter sales from these French markets and bring them back to the UK and sell them.
“He’s coming back from one of the markets and is in this horrible car crash and dies. Only then does she find out he’s been living a double life. Not only has he signed everything away, he’s been living hand to mouth trying to pay debtors off.
“He’s also got another woman! But the thing she can’t bear in Episode 1 is the fact that he was bringing in a very expensive emerald ring. And it’s gone.”
A sleuth is born. Jean relocates to their “little place” and “wants to know, ‘Who’s got the ring?’ That starts her life off in San Victoire. We see what her purpose is going to be there: She becomes a police consultant on criminal cases. And we meet all the crazy characters that are around.”
Hidden among the crime solving, wine tasting and fine dining that is the hallmark of life on the French Riviera is a bit of social commentary.
“It all came out of this vision of the characters that are silly expats. In our country the British people move to Europe — and never learn a word of their adopted country’s language. They’ll always import their food stuffs from Fortnum and Mason or Marks and Spencer. I mean, it’s there all over the place and I just thought, Well, I’m sure they’re lovely people and don’t know they’re quite ridiculous.”
AcornTV streams the 2-episode premiere of “The Madame Blanc Mysteries” Monday.