Maigret Star Wants a Potential Season 2 to Make One Improvement to the Show

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As a huge fan of detective dramas, I’ve been really enjoying the PBS series Maigret. It stars Benjamin Wainwright as Chief Inspector Maigret, a brilliant detective with the Paris Police Judiciaire. What I find fascinating is how he doesn’t just solve crimes, he really connects with the cases and even understands the people who commit them. It’s a much more psychological approach than a lot of other shows, and it’s really compelling.

If you’re eagerly anticipating the next Sherlock Holmes movie, this show is a great option in the meantime. It’s based on the popular Inspector Maigret novels by George Simenon, which began publishing in 1931 and now includes 75 books and 28 short stories. While Maigret’s adventures have been adapted for screen many times, the 2025 version offers a fresh, modern interpretation of the character.

TopMob spoke with Benjamin Wainwright, the lead actor from Maigret, and he shared what one change he’d like to see if the show gets a second season.

Wainwright acknowledged that many viewers have expressed a strong desire to see more episodes featuring the Maigret characters and to learn more about their stories. He shared this enthusiasm, saying he’d be thrilled to see that happen.

Wainwright expressed his hope to explore the backstories of the characters in the series, stating, “I think we deserve to see more of where the Maigrets have come from and how they became who they are.” He explained that while the first season focused on introducing Maigret himself, the second season offers an opportunity to develop the other characters, which he is excited about.

Although there hasn’t been an official announcement about a second season of Maigret, work on new episodes has started in Budapest. Benjamin Wainwright said they’re still unsure if the show will be renewed, but he has already read the scripts for the first two episodes of a possible Season 2.

Russ Milheim from TopMob interviewed Shaniqua Okwok, who plays Janiver, a member of Maigret’s team (often called The Maigrets). You can find more of their conversation below.

Season 2 of Maigret Could Use This One Major Change

Some Are “Desperate to See More of the Maigrets and See Those Guys Developed.”

  • TopMob: “Vaguely, what can you tease about what Season 2 is going to be bringing to the table, and how it’s going to elevate things from what we just got with Season 1?”

I’ve read the first two episodes of a possible Season 2. While nothing is confirmed yet, there’s a lot of potential. Some early reviews have mentioned that viewers are eager to see more of the Maigret characters and their stories, and I agree – I’d really like to see that happen.

Honestly, I really want to see more backstory on these fascinating characters – people like Janiver, Lepointe, Torrence, and even Cavre, if he makes it! And Lucas, too. They all have such great energy together, and the actors really bring them to life. It’s the kind of chemistry that makes you invested and wanting to know how they became the people we see on screen.

In the first season, the supporting characters didn’t have much chance to develop because we were focused on introducing Maigret. But I’m excited about Season 2 because we’ll be able to give those other characters more attention and really develop them.

The Maigret Crossover the Cast Wants to See With Idris Elba

“Let’s Just See Luther and Maigret Hash That Out…”

  • TopMob: “Who is a famous detective, from any medium, that you would love to see Maigret team up with?”

I think it’s pretty clear we’d love to see a crossover between Maigret and Sherlock. But here’s a bit of a wild idea – what if we put Idris Elba’s character, Luther, in the mix? Imagine Luther and Maigret facing off – it would be crazy, but potentially amazing. I genuinely think it could be something special.

I’ve always been struck by how well Maigret and Luther work as detectives, even though they approach things differently. Maigret really digs into what makes people tick, focusing on their psychology, while Luther can be a lot more forceful. But underneath it all, they both genuinely care and have this incredible drive to see justice done – they share a real passion for their work, you know?

Benjamin Wainwright: [They would be] unstoppable. Yeah, that’s better than anything I can think of.

What Makes Maigret a Unique Detective Show

“Maigret Has a Very Particular Approach to Crime-Solving.”

  • TopMob: “My first question for you guys is, obviously, there are a lot of detective shows out there. What do you feel really makes this particular one unique among those others?”

Benjamin Wainwright believes that Maigret approaches crime-solving in a unique way. He often seems to feel more understanding towards the criminal than the victim, driven by a need to understand their motivations, the events that led them to commit the crime, and their psychological makeup. This approach is influenced by typical French detective work, but also stems from Maigret’s own distinct personality.

It seems like anyone’s life could have taken a different path, and the author Simenon, known for the Maigret novels, pointed out that criminals and police officers often come from the same neighborhoods. That’s central to how Maigret solves crimes – he understands the people involved because he’s familiar with their world, having grown up on the streets of Paris. His team reflects an even broader range of Parisian life, and people like Shaniqua Okwok, playing a character like Janiver, bring unique skills to the group. He essentially uses them as a collective intelligence to investigate cases.

We feel incredibly fortunate to have both Patrick Harbinson and Georges Simenon involved in the show. The source material provides a rich history to build upon, and Patrick is a truly brilliant creative force. Combining those two elements creates something really special – we’re lucky to have such talented minds collaborating on this production.

What Benjamin Wainwright and Shaniqua Okwok Brought to Their Characters In Maigret

“We Are Not All Conscious of Everything We Give Off As People.”

  • TopMob: “What do you feel something you guys brought to your character that wasn’t inherently on the page, but through your performance and just finding who this person was, you kind of added to them?”

That’s a great question! I’m excited to be the first Black woman to play the character of Janvier. When developing her, I considered the traits already established in the source material, but also how those traits would manifest for a Black woman in today’s world – specifically in 2024 or 2025. I used the existing character as a foundation, but focused on making her feel authentic, relatable, and relevant to modern young audiences, especially young Black women. Essentially, I had a starting point and then worked to bring her to life in a way that resonates today.

For me, a lot of the performance comes from being cast in the right role. We aren’t fully aware of everything we project as individuals, and that’s probably a good thing. But when you’re cast, it means something about you naturally fits the character. Then, it’s about subtly adjusting your performance and exploring the script to see where you can take it. Sometimes I’d overdo it, and the director, Patrick, would remind me that it wasn’t quite right for the character of Maigret.

Sometimes we’d try different approaches to a scene, and the director would gently remind us that it wasn’t quite right for the character of Maigret. We were always working together to find the right balance. We had some really enjoyable moments filming, like one scene with Reda Elazouar and Shaniqua where someone was picking a lock. We started getting carried away with the physical comedy, and Patrick had to step in and say we needed to remember it was a serious crime scene, not just a funny bit. So, we often had to rein ourselves in.

Recently, Apple TV+ released a compelling detective series called Smoke, starring Taron Edgerton.

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2025-11-03 20:38