The Madame Blanc Mysteries - Season 3, Episode 5 - February 1, 2024 - "Kidnap"

This episode starts out with Judith's surprise at Jeremy taking her to lunch at one of Sainte Victoire's finest restaurants.

I found it funny, her remark about it having a "two year waiting list". They're in what seems like a very sparsely populated small town. Who are all these people clamoring to get in? AND who have what must be a lot of money to eat there? Jeremy and Judith seem to be the richest, most connected people in town, so why would she be surprised that he could get THEM a reservation? Hmmm.

So, anyway, it turns out to be a surprise birthday party for Judith, and a few of their local friends are there.

Awww....So SWEET!

Included in the party is a dear old friend of Judith's from way back, Nancy, who came with her snarky sister. At one point Nancy excuses herself to go find the restroom but when she doesn't come back, Judith starts to worry.

All of a sudden, Jeremy gets a message on his phone that shows photos of a tied up Nancy... she's been kidnapped!

Luckily, since Jean is right there, she starts trying to figure out who may be some possible suspects. As usual, there are a few wrong turns, including one Jeremy has his own suspicions about.

But eventually they receive a ransom message.

Including a clue that gets Jean to remember something she saw at the party that finally leads her to the place where Nancy is being kept and the person who took her.

But... in a final surprise, it turns out that the person who took her isn't the person who arranged the whole kidnapping.

So, a pretty good one, in my opinion, with lots of Robin! I like that it includes some background information on the characters of Jeremy and Judith, that give them more depth. It's interesting how even though Jean White is the main character, she isn't given as much character development as a lot of the side characters are given. Maybe that's still coming, as there are still hints of a possibly romantic interest from Dom.

The Madame Blanc Mysteries - Season 3, Episode 4 - January 25, 2024 - "Fashion"

Jeremy and Judith offer their Chateau to fashion designer Violet Oliver for a fashion show of her new collection.

Although Jeremy seems to have gotten tired of the demanding Violet staying at their home.

During the show, Violet comes on stage and, unexpectedly, the electricity goes out and she falls off the balcony.

The crowd is surprised when she pops up again, unhurt.

Violet confides later that she was in fact pushed, and now Jean White inserts herself into the investigation.
The group talks over the possible suspects, as there aren't that many that could have done it.

But as each one is investigated, they come no closer to solving the mystery. Violet's stay at the Chateau must be prolonged, much to Jeremy's dismay.

When one of the models then turns up dead, Jean knows there's something deeper going on. New questions need to be asked...

In the end, Jean figures out the REAL story, and it's a bit sad.
But Jeremy is eager to finally push Violet out the door! ha ha

The Madame Blanc Mysteries - Season 3, Episode 3 - January 18, 2024 - "Jackal"

The episode starts out with a woman getting shot as she stands at a bus stop in the middle of the small town's shopping district, in broad daylight. Everyone is out and about enjoying their day, and witnesses the event but no one sees who did it. Jeremy and Judith, who are still trying to run their pub, get an idea about how to make money off all the people the murder will be bringing into town.

They'll give away free crepes, thus drawing people into the pub and hopefully spending money on other food and drink.

Great scene with Jeremy as crepe chef! Longtime Robin fans will notice a familiar scene from "Bless this House"!!

I love it when they do stuff like that! Anyway, with the amount of ingredients they needed to buy and the amount that falls on the floor and is wasted, they wind up not being all that profitable.

Jeremy and Judith are exhausted and decide they really need to find someone to help.

Coincidentally, Steve's uncle happens to be in town and mentions that he's owned and managed a few pubs in his day and offers to help out...

...only to find himself with a job offer and a place to live!

So, just like that, we get a new regular castmember! In the meantime, of course, Jean White is solving the murder case, coming to wrong conclusions, bringing in a lot of trivia about antiques, etc. But yes, figured out in the end with the help of the dead girl's father who has come from out of town. Nothing left for me to say except enjoy some more of these fun then and now scenes!

The Madame Blanc Mysteries - Season 3, Episode 2 - January 11, 2024 - "Duel"

This episode starts with townsperson Gloria coming across a dead body with a fencing sword stuck in his chest while on her morning walk.

So then THAT mystery has to be solved, which along the way involves a harrowing trip to visit the town's colorful mob boss.

But Robin's Jeremy is again in the amusing side story, concerning him and Judith holding a party at the pub.

And then needing a lot of help getting set up and ready for it...

Which involves a trip to one of those warehouse club type stores.

It also had come out that last season's pub owners have left abruptly.

Only to have it be revealed that Jeremy and Judith were the REAL owners ... it seems that the couple had run into some financial problems so they quietly bought them out.

So the party goes well...

...and then one of the guests makes Jean White suspicious and before long she has the whole case wrapped up neatly.