Rowan Atkinson, Maigret, and the Pipe

I agree. No pipe, no Maigret.
I am looking forward to watching this next Sunday. However, I have my reservations. I did enjoy the series with Michael Gambon though.

It is on ITV in the UK next Sunday the 27th. I don't know when or what channel else in the world though.

Looking forward to seeing if he can pull it off, playing a straight role after years of comedy. Hopefully he does. Incedentally petersons have brought out a 'maigret' pipe.

It's very easy for a comedian to pull off drama. Robin Williams did a couple of serious rolls. And, even though he did a fantastic job, but the audience wasn't as impressed. Jim Carey did one serious roll, it died. Steve Martin, while I worship the genius of this man's comedy and mastery of logic and language, when I went to see him play his banjo. As a banjo player myself, he was enthralling, wonderful, fantastic, but it sucked. I watched him on the Late Show, the crowd wants him to be funny, and they come to see him hungry for humor.

Bill Murray, Lost in ...what was the name of that stupid well acted movie? Want more Punch Drunk love with Adam "not funny" Sandler?

It's much easier to do drama than comedy, because comedy requires so much more science and art to pull off. But, the problem is going to be expectations of the audience. I don't care how many banjo rolls or fancy fretting Steve martin does on a stage, when the crowd wants a sweet and spicy, and you give them cornbread, things will get nasty.

I have a feeling that if Rowan plays this character with a totally straight interpretation, even if he does a fantastic job, it's not going to meet audience expectations.

I remember seeing Ed o´Neill in a serious role. It was unbearable to watch and I was waiting for him to act as Al Bundy every second of the movie. Although not many artists can pull off the change there is one who does it all the time: Will Smith. He is one of the few admittedly.

Yip the reviews seem to be good, I'll wait till its on ITV international and see, personally I like the Morse offswing Lewis.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3513103/Blackadder-French-Inspector-Morse-cunning-plan-CHRISTOPHER-STEVENS-Rowan-Atkinson-Jules-new-TV-crime-drama.html

I thought the show was pretty good, a nice slow, lazy day made for tv movie.

Love the Atkinson Pardoy Doctor Who. Classic!

I thought Atkinson was excellent as Maigret and I really enjoyed the programme, but the reviews were not great.
BTW - Rowan Atkinson went on record to say that he smoked a pipe at university, but didn't keep it up.
Andy