The fifth season of The Madame Blanc Mysteries airs on Channel 5 tonight at 9.05pm, following antiques dealer Jean White as she and Dom Hayes plan their wedding while solving new cases.
The series centres on Jean White, played by Sally Lindsay, who travels to the South of France after her husband Rory dies unexpectedly, seeking the truth behind his death. She begins solving other mysteries with help from local taxi driver Dom Hayes, played by Steve Edge. Their relationship has deepened since the first season, and tonight's episode opens a new chapter.
What to Expect in Season 5
A synopsis for the new season teases: "As Jean and Dom plan their wedding, nothing can prepare them for the unseen obstacles that crop up along the way. Over the course of the series, a dead body in one of the show's iconic locations, Uncle Patrick hosts the pub quiz of the century at La Couronne, Judith and Jeremy face a heart-wrenching dilemma, and the bodies continue to stack up when someone is found foaming at the mouth in St Victoire Theatre."
The synopsis adds: "We witness the full, fabulous wrath of John Marsden, and hold our breath to see whether Jean and Dom will finally make it down the aisle."
Cast and Guest Stars
All series regulars return, with Lindsay and Edge reprising their central roles. Co-writer Sue Vincent stars as Gloria Beaushaw, while Robin Askwith and Sue Holderness return as Jeremy and Judith Lloyd James. Alex Gaumond plays Chief of Police André Caron, Tony Robinson appears as Dom's Uncle Patrick, Paul Chuckle plays Gloria's dad Trevor, and Stephen Bailey returns as gangster John Marsden.
Guest stars joining the drama include Justin Moorhouse, Brian Capron, Lesley Joseph, Jason Manford, Michael Fenton Stevens, Su Pollard, Louisa Lytton, Frazer Hines, Bonnie Langford, and Zoe Lyons.
Viewer Reception
The series has drawn praise since debuting in 2021. One Rotten Tomatoes user wrote: "Absolutely fabulous mystery series! Lot the characters, the fun, the love, the friendships! NOT focused on violence and blood, but solving puzzles! Top score. Enjoy!"
Another viewer shared: "Love this show for several reasons: the characters are refreshingly different, quirky, and lovable; the setting is beautiful and is a character of the series in itself; and the writing/plots are also quirkily fresh. Hope to see it go on for a long time."
A third added: "If you're looking for gritty and dark murder drama this show isn't for you. To me its kind of a mix of Death in Paradise and Agatha Raisin, but also has its own thing going on. The mysteries are engaging enough, and there are some quite interesting twists, and there is plenty of humour mixed in along the way."
The same fan continued: "This show kind of slipped under the radar until I saw a promo for it whilst streaming another show from Channel 5 and decided to give it a go. I don't regret it. Its one of those shows that's just fun to watch and I hope we get more series."
A final viewer said: "When I watched the first episode of Madame blanc mysteries, I was hooked!! They are so entertaining. It's obvious the cast gets along really well & the chemistry is great."
The Madame Blanc Mysteries returns to Channel 5 tonight at 9.05pm.
