In Prime Video’s latest entry into the crime and mystery genre, actor Alfred Molina is trading in his iconic metallic tentacles from playing Doctor Octopus in the Spider-Man franchise for an investigative, all-seeing eye in the small town of Three Pines, Quebec, Canada.

In what seems to be an idealistic village where joyous religious singing is heard through open windows, and neighborly curling matches swallow and captivate the townsfolk, the audience is quickly thrust into something a lot more dark and dreary. As Three Pines goes on and the plot unravels, bitter and deceitful truths are uncovered through the blinding white snow.

Taking a Look Into Three Pines

Premiering on the 1st of December 2022, Three Pines is a show that instantly throws a riveting plot about multiple mysterious disappearances surrounding the indigenous population into the viewer’s lap. While the off-screen, assumed deaths are scandalous in their own right based on the fact that they all originate from a specific demographic, a sudden and quite elaborate murder during the first episode propels the main characters to spring into action.

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Also stepping in as one of the many executive producers on the show, Molina captivates as Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Raiders of the Lost Ark, Love Is Strange, and Boogie Nights are just some of the award-winning hits that line his long and industrious career. The well-rounded supporting cast include Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, who stars as stoic Isabelle Lacoste; Sarah Booth, who plays loose-footed rookie Yvette Nichol; and Rossif Sutherland, who stars as Gamache’s right-hand robin, Jean-Guy Beavoir.

Ms. Tailfeathers is a renowned indigenous filmmaker and actress who focuses her own stories on First Nation issues as well as women of color. Sara Booth has starred in numerous fan-favorite tv shows such as Heartland and Star Trek Discovery. Last but not least, Rossif Sutherland is a Canadian-born actor who has played roles in both movies and tv shows, including 2022’s Orphan: First Kill, Stellar, and Hulu’s trademark series, The Handmaid’s Tale.

Armand Gamache Comes To Life

     Prime Video

The Three Pines television series was modeled after an ongoing eighteen-book series written by author Louise Penny. With the first one released in 2005 called Still Life, Ms. Penny’s series follows the same main character as he investigates peculiar murders and solves them in an intuitive and cunning fashion. The new Prime Video production is faithfully based on the second entry in the line of books called A Fatal Grace.

An interesting factoid about the original works is that, as opposed to the newly released streaming adaptation, the author does her best to stay away from adult themes such as violence or sex and focus more on the personal motivations of characters as well as their hardened personal values.

While that feature of the novels has been seemingly dropped for a more realistic and gripping visual story, honorability remains in the chief inspector’s soul. When he sees extreme social injustice in front of his eyes, Gamache is driven to act in the opposite way, with regard to high morals and sensitive care. Given that this scene takes place right in the first episode, this showing of respect also quickly becomes the catalyst for the captain to step foot into the show’s main setting. His showing vitality for honor towards his own line of work does not go unnoticed as this trait of his is explicitly delved into by a supporting character.

Not only does the setting provide an eerie enough backdrop to make the main story compelling, but the introductory residents of Three Pines are enthusiastic enough at first to complete the peaceful illusion. Numerous times throughout just the first two episodes, Armand Gamache finds them all laughing hysterically and enjoying themselves. This draws the audience to start second-guessing all the central inhabitants of the quaint suburb. This isolated world that the Three Pines show surrounds was all produced by Left Bank Pictures, a production company created in 2007.

The London-based filmmaking organization is responsible for such hits as the Netflix exclusive Behind Her Eyes and The Outlander tv show that premiered in 2014, which is still ongoing. Left Bank has left a mark on the filmmaking legacy, winning the Best Independent Production Company Award in 2011. The show’s main producer, John Griffin, comes to the table as the lead on over thirty episodes of Shameless and over twenty-five episodes of the teen-focused drama, Skins.

Considering the alluring Alfred Milona-led crime mystery has only released the first two episodes yet and will let out subsequent chapters once a week, there is plenty of time to pack your bags and find yourself in the sleepy, hushed town of Three Pines. Just don’t get lost in the mesmerizing snowstorms; you might never find your way out.