Fortunately, it’s status quo for the fourth season of the lightweight French mystery drama, Magellan: murders still happen like clockwork in the fictional town of Saignac and lucky for us, they usually involve the wealthy so we get to see inside their well-appointed homes… Cordelia (Marie de Stefano) still lives at home, Ludo (Franz-Rudolph Lang) still provides comic relief as the nephew-whose-visit-never-ends, journalist Florence (Nathalie Besancon) remains in the picture as Magellan’s (Jacques Spiesser) brainy girlfriend and Magellan’s lieutenant, Selma Berrayah continues to amaze with her drive and smarts. 

Who wouldn’t want this man’s life? Homicide detective in an idyllic town (in reality, Lille) who works 9 to 5. Most days he makes it home for dinner with his agreeable high-school-aged daughter and crazy nephew. (Crazy-funny, not crazy-menacing). His young lieutenant regularly chases and tackles any suspect on the lam while Magellan drives or strolls up like a sensible 50-something. What’s not to like about predictability and amusing schtick?

Previous seasons have featured Magellan’s friend, Paul more prominently (Bernard Alane, Captain Marleau, Murder In… ). Paul’s a district attorney by day, kvetcher and lonely bachelor by night. He does appear on Magellan’s doorstep at the end of this season, however, having been thrown out by his wife yet again. As fate would have it, Magellan’s ex-wife Barbara (Agnès Soral) also shows up, seeking safe harbor after a breakup. She and Paul have a lot in common and Ludo’s watching them like a hawk. It’s all very French.