Saw this on the Talking Pictures channel (UK, old films and TV). They had previously shown the 1960s series (50+ episodes, BBC, B&W) featuring Rupert Davies, a generally acclaimed Maigret.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
This Cremer version is of course French, with subtitles, but they are not too wordy, so fairly easy to follow. Also very French, lots of atmosphere, meaningful looks, thoughtful silences.
I see some reviews refer to how faithful this version is to the books, a ludicrous statement in one respect, as Lucas, his main assistant in all the books I've seen, has almost completely disappeared!
I haven't liked all the episodes so far of this Cremer version, but THIS one is VERY GOOD. Frequent reviewer Whalen is as usual most accurate with his comments, so check that for the plot.
Maigret is disturbed by an assistant being shot, (serious, but not fatal), so he goes to stay at the 'serviced apartments' which seem to be involved (they'd been looking for a robber thought to be hiding in the building).
A large and disparate cast, everyone seems to have an alibi, and the landlady is determined to issue sweetness and night at all times (and on one night, a communal dinner).
As ever, Maigret ferrets away at the accounts of all concerned trying to work out the actual truth. However, they seemed to be unaware of the precise angle of the shot (it had come from one or two floors up), and when the inspector had recovered enough to speak, his memory of a face from the past doesn't seem to get put to best use?
As ever, the acting is extremely good, and in this one, the time flies by (not always the case!), though I have to add that the old BBC series did just this story, pretty much exactly like this one, in HALF the time!
I'll add on a further moan, why does this series invent new inspectors in Maigret's team??? Archambaud and Christiani here, I don't recall them in the books, and the BBC series (52 episodes) had Lucas in most, with Lapointe and Torrence in a subset as needed. And that's faithful to the books, as far as I recall?!