“Erica”: what is the new TF1 series adapted from Camilla Läckberg’s Swedish thrillers worth?

Series. Writer Erica Faure (Julie de Bona) struggles to find inspiration for her second detective novel, after the success of the first. She returns to Port Clément, the small town of her childhood where her parents have just passed away, to find her sister Anna and sell their father’s boat. Barely arrived, she meets her childhood friend with whom she decides to have dinner that same evening, but, a few hours later, she is found dead, drowned in her bathtub! Very quickly, Erica suspects a murder rather than a suicide and begins to investigate, both out of duty for the memory of her friend, but also because this police universe inspires her and she has only done so. imagine in his books. She clashes with inspector Patrick Saab (Grégory Fitoussi). Burned by a failed marriage, she is still very sensitive to his charm, to the point of starting a romance. At the same time, her sister is struggling with an abusive husband. Erica tries to protect her and her two children…

Pretext investigations and romantic comedy

If Erica Falck becomes Erica Faure, Patrik Hedström, Patrick Saab and Fjällbacka, the small village on the west coast of Sweden where the action takes place, has been transferred to a fictional place near Hossegor, “Erica” ​​is indeed the French adaptation of the novels by Camilla Läckberg (Actes Sud). The Swedish author, one of the most famous of Nordic Noir, a style of Scandinavian thrillers that are all the rage and with millions of books sold around the world, began her career in 2003, when she published volume 1 of the saga , “The Ice Princess”, which constitutes the first two episodes of the series, followed by two others, “The Preacher” and “The Stonecutter”. “There are around ten to adapt with the characters, depending on the audience,” confides Julie de Bona. The actress lends her features to Erica, but in a much lighter register than that of the written version where the very in-depth, dark, detailed investigations of the novels are a little left aside – especially in episodes 1 and 2 – at profit from the romantic comedy. An assumed choice.

A sour candy

“The most interesting thing is to follow the evolution of the characters,” explains the actress, who has become a popular face in series, from “Peur sur le lac” to “Bazar de la Charité”, and in cinema this summer, with “Le Comte of Monte Cristo. “Erica is a tart candy, with a lot of humor. He’s a sunny and playful character,” explains Julie de Bona. If readers of Camilla Läckberg will probably be disappointed by this adaptation, directed by Frédéric Berthe (“Les Randonneuses”, “Mademoiselle Holmes”…) where the investigations serve as a bit of pretext, fans of romantic comedies will love the characters, especially the couple of investigators formed by Erica and Patrick who become involved, over the course of the episodes, in a passionate story.

Monday January 6, at 9:10 p.m., on TF1.