'Mademoiselle Holmes' Heads Stateside to PBS Passport

When the final set of Sherlock Holmes stories passed into the public domain on New Year's Day 2023, it was as if the entire entertainment sphere had been waiting for that moment to start releasing every version of the famous detective imaginable. The Arthur Conan Doyle stories were one of the more infamous ongoing public rights issues, with the majority having already passed into the public domain in the late 1990s; however, the final set were frozen as part of Disney's lobbying to push copyright from 75 years to 99, resulting in the Doyle estate suing everyone and anyone over anything they could find whenever a Sherlock project was announced.

Despite the Doyle Estates' best efforts to halt firms like Enola Holmes and shows like Sherlock, the Holmes stories have remained in the public consciousness, making the franchise a tempting subject for TV series looking to ground themselves in something viewers already know and love. In the past year alone, there have been the debuts of Watson and Sherlock & Daughter on American TV, as well as the production of Amazon's Young Sherlock in the U.K. Now the French series, Mademoiselle Holmes, which debuted on TF1 in 2024, is heading stateside to PBS as part of the Walter Presents lineup.

Like Watson, Mademoiselle Holmes is a 21st-century-minded, contemporary-set detective series (though set in Paris, not NYC). The series focuses on DS Charlotte Holmes, known to her colleagues as Charlie, the great-granddaughter of the famous sleuth, who discovers well into adulthood that she has inherited his knack for crime-solving.

Here is Walter Presents' synopsis of the series:

Charlie is a timid French police officer living with her grandfather — until an accident awakens in her the deductive brilliance and bold spirit of her famous ancestor, Sherlock Holmes. 

And here is a translated version of TF1's synopsis:

At 36, Charlie Holmes is a relatively discreet and shy cop, who is a bit of a sideline in her squad. Yet she enjoys a prestigious pedigree, being the descendant of the famous Sherlock Holmes. One day, when she is hit by a car, Charlie has a moment of enlightenment and finally reveals her full potential.

Astrid favorite Lola Dewaere stars as the titular Charlotte Holmes, with Tom Villa (from Walter Presents series Munch) as Dr. Samuel Vatel, her version of Dr. Watson and OG Gossip Girl's Roxane Mesquida as her nemesis, April Moriarty. 

The rest of the supporting cast includes several Walter Presents regulars, including Thomas Jouannet (Nina), Alika Del Sol (Leo Mattei - Special Unit), Armelle Abibou (The Wagner Method), and Éric Naggar (The Paris Murders). Daniel Prévost (We Are Tourists), Oscar Berthe (Bellefond), and Tony Garcia Lewis (Music Hole) round out the ensemble.

All six episodes of the series' first season were penned by Victoria Musiedlak (My Mum, Cancer & Me) with Simon Rocheman (Agathe Koltès). Astrid directors Frédéric Berthe and François Ryckelynck split helming duties.

Mademoiselle Holmes Season 1 will debut with all six episodes on most PBS Passports and the PBS Masterpiece Channel on Friday, September 12, 2025. Season 2 has already aired in France, and will probably follow sometime in the next year. Season 3 has not yet been confirmed.

Astrid, Seasons 1 through 4, and Munch, Seasons 1 through 3, are available on most PBS Passports and the PBS Masterpiece Channel. Check your local listings and streamers.