Streaming series review - Cherif

Cherif - Season 1 ***½ (out of 5) (NR) This subtitled French TV series ran for six years. Based on the first five of Season 1's eight episodes available for review, it richly deserved that level of success. Cherif (Abdelhafid Metalsi) is a maverick police captain who exudes the sort of roguish charisma that plays well in any culture or context. As the series begins, he gets a new partner (Carole Bianic) - an uptight, by-the-book woman who is also new to Lyon, and unaccustomed to his unorthodox methods of dealing with suspects and witnesses. As usual, his ways prove highly successful, and she grudgingly becomes more flexible. Ain’t it always that way? After all, if Murtaugh had made Riggs more disciplined, the Lethal Weapon franchise would have died with the first.

Each episode is a stand-alone crime for the pair to solve, though some personal issues for both provide threads that run through them all. The scripts are solid, with plenty of light touches that should play as well with viewers here as in Europe. Production values are first-rate. American audiences will particularly find the settings a lovely change of pace from our accustomed New York and Los Angeles backdrops. Unlike those imports that take a full season to solve one complicated case, this one does not call for binge viewing. One can simply enjoy each episode when time permits, without having to strain to recall details from before. The two stars are well matched. His default facial setting of a wry, knowing smile is perfect counterpoint for her baseline determined grimace. Their skills are much different, but equal, making this a pairing that viewers will enjoy following.

Thus far, the inevitable will-they-won’t-they arc for such cop or detective teams is minimal, yet not off the table. They begin with the sort of meet-cute that abounds in rom-coms. Then the writers wisely relegate that element to the margins to develop rounded personae focused on the crime du jour. Even so, I’m almost as curious about where that dangled romance may go, as I am eager to savor the crimes yet to be solved by this engaging duo.

(Alternatively titled Captain Sharif. Streaming as of March 1 on MHz Choice.)