With crime and thrillers still the main drivers of the television market, France TV Distribution has announced the sale of Curious by Nature, a singular feel-good production led by Three Colors: Blue star Florence Parnell.
In the first sale announced, Walter Presents/Global Series Network is no longer available in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.
NBCUniversal International Networks & DTC has licensed “Curious by Nature” to Calle 13 in Spain and Ulica 13 in Poland. Basque pubcaster EiTB, Aragon Swisscom Blue and TV3 Group Latvia are also among the buyers.
“Curious by Nature” (“Enquête parallèle”), originally broadcast on France 3, a channel of France Télévision, one of the largest public broadcasters in Europe, begins with the second episode. Fred, a former war correspondent turned local television journalist, scores a 1 for the use of hilarious countryside as he drives through a stunning region of the French countryside, a mix of forests and red-roofed residential hamlets with pockmarked rolling hills. Beside her is the maladroit cameraman Manu (a winning turn from Jean-Baptiste Shermerdin).
Combatant and never one to miss a good story, Fred plans to interview local shopkeepers and the mayor, but when the body of a young man is discovered under the local water supply, he has no intention of missing a case. Like many French crime series, much of the series’ lightness comes from the domestic details as Fred attempts to start a new family in his hometown, focusing on his 16-year-old adopted daughter Rosa and Fred’s mother, who wants to see Fred finally settle down.
“Curious by Nature” also stars Jechyriel Massengo, Masha Merrill and Frédéric Tilmont, with Mehdi Sadun, David Mora, David Beiou and Annie Gregorio.
“Curious by Nature” is produced by France Télévision and Brain Productions, led by veteran Alan Pancraj, whose lengthy credits include “Holy Land,” starring James Caan.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Films and Belgium’s New Frontier Films and RTBF’s “Curious by Nature” is written by Armel Patron and Emmanuel Patron, co-creators of “Love (and Trouble) in Paris.”
The big quirk of Curious by Nature is its production format, with only two episodes filmed each year, with the first four episodes released in December 2023 and January 2025, followed by two episodes released one week apart in January of this year.
Curious by Nature, directed by Stéphanie Pilonka and Christophe Patourange, took the top spot in December 2023 with 4.5 million viewers and a 24.1% share. The shares of the next three companies fluctuate at 21.3%, 19.1%, and 18.1%.
Reviews were positive, with Terre Loisir giving the show four stars out of four, praising Parnell’s “tenacious” performance.
