Watch Leo Mattei - Special Unit

Leo Mattei - Special Unit is a gripping crime drama series that aired on PBS Masterpiece in 2013. Set in Paris, the show follows Leo Mattei (Jean-Luc Reichmann), a tough and dedicated police officer who heads up a special unit that handles cases involving missing children.

Leo Mattei is a complex character. He is a man who has experienced tragedy in his own life - his own son was abducted and never found. This personal experience fuels his determination to find and rescue missing children, and gives him a unique connection with the families of the victims.

The show is structured around individual cases that the team tackles. Each episode opens with the disappearance of a child - it could be a baby taken from a hospital, a young boy kidnapped from a park, or a teenager who has run away from home. The opening scenes are always heart-wrenching, as we see the parents frantic with worry, the police racing against the clock to find the child, and the abductor going about their sinister business.

Leo Mattei and his team use a variety of tactics to track down the missing children. They interview witnesses, gather evidence, and rely on some high-tech tools to help with their investigations. One of their key resources is a database that catalogs the genetic information of everyone in France. This allows the team to track down relatives of the missing child and to identify suspects.

The show is fast-paced and full of tension. As each case unfolds, we see the emotional toll it takes on the families of the missing children, as well as on the police officers working the case. Leo Mattei is a driven and intense character, but he also knows how to connect with the families and offer them support.

The show is not just about the cases, though. Over the course of the first season, we learn more about Leo Mattei's personal life. We see his relationship with his wife and daughter, and we get glimpses of the trauma he has experienced from losing his own son.

The other members of the special unit are also given some depth as characters. There's Samira Lachhab (played by Samira Lachhab), the tech expert who helps the team navigate the database and other digital tools. There's also Patrick, a seasoned detective who has a dry wit and a fondness for whiskey.

One of the strengths of the show is that it doesn't shy away from the reality of child abduction. The cases are often dark and disturbing, and the show doesn't sugarcoat the fact that some children are never found or are found too late. At the same time, the show also manages to convey a sense of hope in the midst of tragedy. We see the determination of the police officers and the resilience of the families.

The production values of the show are high. The cinematography is stylish, with a lot of moody lighting and dramatic camera angles. The music is also effective, with a haunting theme tune that sets the tone for the show.

In summary, Leo Mattei - Special Unit is a gripping and emotionally powerful crime drama. The characters are well-drawn, the cases are tense and well-plotted, and the show manages to balance darkness and hope in a compelling way. Fans of crime dramas should definitely check this one out.

Leo Mattei - Special Unit is a series that ran for 2 seasons (16 episodes) between December 7, 2013 and on PBS Masterpiece