Let me preface this by saying I do not generally watch or enjoy crime dramas. When they're not squicking me out (SVU, I'm looking at you), they tend to put me to sleep. However, this French show Profilage (which in English means "profiling") has several things going for it, prompting me to take an interest.
First, it has a simple yet engaging premise: the seasoned leader of a criminal investigation unit in Paris clashes with the criminologist his boss up and hires one day, seemingly out of the blue. (In the show at least, a criminologist is basically somebody who provides psychological profiles to aid investigation). Mathieu Pérac is used to being the guy in charge of his team, and doesn't take to his new "parner" very well, especially considering that she seems just a little bit... off. She comes off as a bit of a flake, and nobody on the team really takes her very seriously, but they gradually come to respect and rely on each other.
Another thing Profilage has going for it is compeling characters. Although Guillaume Cramoisan (Mathieu) acquits himself quite well as the straight man, it's really Odile Vuillemin as the cooky criminologist Chloé Saint-Laurent who really shines. She has all these wonderful little ticks that make her character a lot of fun to watch. I love that she has this brilliant talent for psychological analysis, even though you get the sense that she's not quite all there herself. (She has her own shrink, for example.) Her past is a bit of a mystery as well...
One other thing Profilage has that your typical US crime drama doesn't: PARIS!!! I miss Paris sooo much, and I love seeing the characters in this show run all around it and interact with other Parisians, and just basically be super French. That's actually what initially drew me to the show. I came for Paris, but stayed for the stories and characters.
Profilage has two seasons completed, and is slated for a third. Cramoisan will not be returning as Mathieu, which is a shame, but with Vuillemin still on board as Chloé I'm pretty optimistic that the new guy could be just as good. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about English subs, so if you don't speak French that could be an obstacle to your enjoyment of this delightful series. It has a Viki channel with the first 1.5 episodes subbed though, so there's potential for the future...
One final word on shipping: although the show focuses on two attractive, heterosexual male and female protagonists, a romantic relationship does not seem to be the endgoal for these characters. As a longtime kdrama aficionado it feels strange to say this, but there you go. That's not to say the possibility isn't there for the future (the two have chemistry, no doubt about that), but that really isn't the main focus at this point. (I'm almost through the first season.) I actually like that their relationship is more of a professional/friendship one; it feels quite natural. This is definitely not a Castle situation, where you have this pseudo will-they-won't-they-wink-wink set up really obviously from the get go. There's also the fact that Mathieu has a wife and kid. But anyways, check it out! Here's the official website at TF1, and check out some scenes below!
