U has added a new series that makes for perfect summer evening viewing. Set in the south of France in the 1960s, Monsieur Spade sees Clive Owen play Dashiell Hammett's fictional detective Sam Spade, who was immortalised by Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon.
The six-part series first aired in the US on AMC in 2024, before making its way to U last month. Alongside Owen, Monsieur Spade also stars Matthew Beard, Rebecca Root and Alfre Woodard in a guest role.
The show's synopsis reads: "Set in 1963 in the sun-drenched south of France, Clive Owen stars as iconic detective Sam Spade, who has swapped gritty San Francisco for a peaceful life - until that calm is violently disrupted."
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The limited series was co-created by Tom Fontana and Scott Frank, the latter of whom has received two Academy Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay (for Out of Sight and Logan).
Monsieur Spade currently holds a solid user rating of 6.8 on IMDb from 8600 logs, with the general consensus being that the detective drama faltered towards the end following a promising start.
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One user wrote: "Monsieur Spade started off intriguing, with complex characters and an air of mystery befitting a Neo-noir detective drama. However, it ultimately rushed the conclusion in a disappointing final episode full of tedious exposition dumping."
"This series had lots of interesting twists and turns, some decent dialogue, along with occasional funny moments, and scenery that just makes you drool," opined another user, who noted Owen's "solid performance" and the "lovely period details".
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A third wrote: "Through Owen's masterful performance, we see glimpses of the resilience that continues to simmer within Spade, making him a compelling protagonist audiences can't help but root for."
A fourth viewer also had mixed impressions, writing: "Despite Owen's strong performance, the storyline's unfolding felt like a missed opportunity to revitalize and deepen the Sam Spade legend for a new audience."
Monsieur Spade is streaming now on U.
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Stephanie is a freelance news writer, who previously covered WWE and AEW for Digital Spy.
After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she studied journalism at Birkbeck University.
Outside of her work at Digital Spy, she writes about pop culture, with a special focus towards Irish media and how it intersects with politics.
You can read more of her work on her Substack page.
