A smart, unorthodox and compassionate lead. That is what Marianne Vauban is in the French dramedy, Marianne (or Marianne, One of a Kind for English viewers).

Set in Marseille, France, Marianne (Marilou Berry) is a judge, a judge who leads with her heart for those in her life and those involved in the cases she is solving, but she also will not be trifled with. In fact, she makes no qualms about how she prefers to live her life, preferring to live alone, her companion a ferret named Cyrano, and her vintage blue Citroen 2CV is a supporting character in many ways as it is a contributing touch of a glimpse into her personality as someone who cares well for what she loves.

Season two aired this past April and May, and all six episodes, along with six episodes of season one, are available on MHzChoice. Each episode, running about sixty minutes in length, involves two cases, one a major crime (usually a murder) and the other a civil case, which she addresses directly with the two opposing parties in her office at the Palais de Justice. The latter is the more humorous conflict of the two and is resolved in a creative way that, through Marianne’s mediation, offers an aha that she applies to solving the former case.

What makes this series endearing is its dramedy characteristics – Marianne’s humor is dry and whipsmart, often prompting her assistant of twenty years to chuckle, especially when the defendant or plaintiff of the civil case don’t grasp her asides. Capitain Pastor provides a likable and love-sick foil to Marianne’s independent and non-nonsense approach to both life and each case. They solve the case together while he receives advice from her on his love life.

I thoroughly enjoy this series, and having completed watching the second season, have become even more a fan of Marianne’s for both her independence and intelligence, as well as her huge heart, as is demonstrated by her care given to foster a young boy, Zacherie, in season two, who crossed her path during a previous case from season one.

I had a good chuckle watching the trailer for season two (shown below). It gives an accurate peek into her character, and the series itself. And just as an aside, season two is by far the best of the two so far. Watch the full series now on MHzChoice. My fingers are crossed that there will be a season three.

Marianne was chosen as the Petit Plaisir for episode #427 of The Simple Sophisticate podcast, 15 Life Investments — 10 Daily Choices, 5 Big Moves

~Explore more Petit Plaisirs in TSLL’s Archives here.

~Explore more French-inspired Petit Plaisirs here.