As reported by Peter White for Deadline Hollywood, Chief Inspector Armand
Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec [police force]... sees things that others do not: the light between the cracks, the mythic in the mundane, and the evil in the seemingly ordinary. As he investigates a spate of murders in Three Pines, a seemingly idyllic village [in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada], he discovers long-buried secrets and faces a few of his own ghosts.[3]
In contrast to the books, the series includes a secondary storyline throughout the season, with Gamache investigating the disappearance of a young woman.[citation needed][4]
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache witnesses and subsequently stops police brutality against a family of women at a political demonstration for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. This earns him the displeasure of General Director Francoeur (Gamache's superior) and as punishment, he is dispatched to the remote village of Three Pines to solve the 'elaborate and public' murder of CC de Poitiers, a wealthy socialite. He soon discovers that everything is not as it seems and he has no shortage of suspects.[6]
In addition to this case, Gamache also begins to investigate the cold case of the disappearance of Blue Two-Rivers, an indigenous woman who now haunts his dreams.
2
"White Out - Part 2"
Sam Donovan
Emilia di Girolamo
2December2022(2022-12-02)
Gamache continues to investigate CC's murder, eventually solving it after uncovering her enigmatic and painful past and family history.
Meanwhile, Gamache's relief at a breakthrough in the Blue Two-River's case is short-lived when her family rejects his version of events, leading Missy Two-Rivers (Blue's mother) to a desperate act.
Gamache returns to Three Pines to investigate the missing persons case of Marc Fortier, a resident of the village. A search of CC's now abandoned and vandalised home, a former Canadian Indian residential school named St. Anthony's,[6] brings to light Marc's murder. Following a lead, Gamache finds a new suspect at Marc's secret cabin.
Meanwhile, Gamache decides to continue to pursue Blue Two-River's closed case with the help of Sergeant Lacoste, despite Francoeur's disapproval and existing evidence to the contrary. Later, Lacoste discovers that a key piece of evidence in the Two-River's case was faked and visits Tommy's residence (Blue's childhood friend, who is also missing and was last seen with Blue in the faked photograph).
4
"The Cruellest Month - Part 2"
Tracey Deer
Jamie Crichton
9December2022(2022-12-09)
Gamache uncovers more of Three Pines's secrets and the villager's lies while investigating Marc's murder. The villagers hold a memorial after Gamache's discovery of the hidden and unmarked graves in St. Anthony's, following which Bea reveals details about an argument Marc was involved in earlier on the day of his murder. Gamache solves the murder after realising that Marc's killer had a very personal motive.
Lacoste revisits Tommy's and his brother Kevin Kis's residence and discovers new evidence after an exhausting search, which eventually reopens the Blue Two-River case.
Gamache's wedding anniversary celebrations are interrupted by the discovery of Julia Morrow's body, the brand new heiress to the locally famous Manoir Belleforet hotel[6] (formerly the home of the dysfunctional Morrow family). He and his team investigate the case with intense focus on the Morrow family.
Gamache and Lacoste also continue to maintain interest in the Blue Two-River case and their new suspect Kevin. Kevin contacts Lacoste and asks for a private meeting.
6
"The Murder Stone - Part 2"
Daniel Grou
Catherine Tregenna
16December2022(2022-12-16)
Gamache and his team dig further into the history and secrets of the Morrow family members while dealing with their own personal demons. Gamache finally solves the puzzle of Charles Morrow's statue (Julia's recently deceased father); giving him the final clue to unlock the mystery of Julia's murder.
Kevin and Lacoste have a tense encounter as Kevin tries to tell his side of the story, saying that he was framed for Blue Two-River's murder by the police. Kevin reveals that he heard three gunshots while escaping from a traffic stop where he, Blue and Tommy were pulled over. Gamache and Lacoste secretly investigate his claims. Kevin finally agrees to meet Gamache, but is arrested and later dies in custody.
7
"The Hangman - Part 1"
Sam Donovan
Emilia di Girolamo
23December2022(2022-12-23)
A man is discovered in the woods near Three Pines, seemingly the victim of a group lynching, and Gamache finds himself wondering whether all the villagers are capable of murder.
8
"The Hangman - Part 2"
Sam Donovan
Emilia di Girolamo
23December2022(2022-12-23)
Gamache and his team unearth a tragic story that provides the key to the victim's desire for vengeance, which leads the team to his murderers.
Principal photography was completed between August and December 2021.[12] Filming took place over five five-week periods in Montreal and rural Quebec, specifically in the Eastern Townships, the region of Quebec where the novels take place and original author Penny resides.[13] Specifically, outdoor scenes in the village are filmed in Saint-Armand.
The soundtrack includes music from Elisapie, The Bearhead Sisters, Chloé Stafler, and Riit.[9]
Release
On 1 November 2022, Amazon Studios announced the premiere date and official trailer of Three Pines. With eight one-hour episodes in total, the first two episodes premiered on 2 December 2022, with two new episodes released each week until the finale on 23 December. Initially, the series was set to air only in certain countries: the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Greenland.[14]
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the show has an approval rating of 72% based on reviews from 18 critics.[15]
Chase Hutchinson of Collider praised Alfred Molina's performance as Inspector Gamache, rating the series a B and wrote, "It is in its more melancholic and macabre moments that Three Pines stumbles upon something more sinister that elevates it a bit beyond a standard mystery tale."[16] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com called it "a collection of intelligent two-hour mysteries that fans of Agatha Christie or even Columbo should watch."[17] Amber Dowling of Variety gave it a positive review and concluded "For now, this short-but-sweet adaptation offers a sweeping cinematic taste of cultures and stories that are deserving of the global platform Prime Video offers, all while doing justice to the best-selling novels on which they're based."[18]
Awards and Nominations
The series has been nominated for several awards since its 2022 release.
On 13 March 2023, it was announced that the series was canceled after one season.[2] The partners behind the show including Left Bank and Prime wanted the show to return but were unable to reach an agreement.[19]
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