'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAIxAAAgEDAQkAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQQCAAMRIQUGEhMUQVFx8P/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/8QAGREBAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQACEWHB/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDMyg7NlEze4xd5McmEc6XO4xj7WqdlnbEmbshvAyAZkgdJa8+qUqLsAYHXWf/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Yes, Patience is based on Astrid et Raphaëlle, the French crime drama also known as Astrid: Murder in Paris. The series was commissioned expressly for British viewers (launching on Channel 4) and PBS viewers, with rights purchased to license the format and characters. It was aired as an official co-production which reworks the format and characters of Astrid et Raphaëlle to fit a new cultural environment, tone, and audience.
Since the show debuted, Astrid fans have been quick to note the similarities, the neurodiverse archivist, the female detective foil, and the unconventional investigative duo.
And while the similarities stop at the surface level, this isn't just inspiration; this is outright adaptation with obvious creative jumps taken. Let's break down how Patience and Astrid are linked and why the PBS series is different from the others.
Patience is an official translation of Astrid et Raphaëlle
The series is a UK adaptation of the French police procedural television series Astrid et Raphaëlle. The series was produced in collaboration with UK broadcasters (Channel 4) and PBS, and all rights to adapt the format and characters for another audience were retained.
This is not to say the show is a loose re-drafting from Astrid; it is an officially sanctioned re-imagining of the initial concept of the French show. Licensing guarantees that the show remains within the format of the original but with cultural and creative variations in character interpretation and narrative style.
What are the primary differences between Patience and Astrid?
Although the show is an adaptation, it makes conscious changes that set it apart from Astrid et Raphaëlle. Foremost among these is the presentation of neurodivergence. In the show, Patience's role is played by an autistic actress, which lends authenticity and depth to the character. In Astrid, the character Astrid Nielsen is autistic, but the woman who acts as her isn't.
In addition, the show sidesteps some of the more stereotypical or cartoonish depictions of autism in Astrid. The show eschews flash of feeling, introspection, and sophistication of intelligence in favor of strangeness or social ignorance. The show has been complimented because Patience is a slower, more reflective pace, providing viewers with more room to slide into the internal life of the character.
Character dynamics: A change in emotional mood
In Astrid et Raphaëlle, the repartee between Astrid and Commander Raphaëlle is rapid, frequently laced with humor, joking, and quick give-and-take. The French show relies on contrast between Raphaëlle's unplanned nature and Astrid's methodical thinking to create tension and drive.
Conversely, the show is less heated in tone. The tension between Patience and her detective counterpart is an archetype of mutual respect and subcurrent tension as opposed to contradiction or conflict. This change is an example of a different literary ethos and cultural current, one more reflective than plot-oriented.
How does Patience address neurodivergence differently?
One of the subjects of most debate surrounding Patience is its treatment of neurodivergence. Casting a neurodivergent actor in its lead, the show presents a more lived-in and realistic representation of autism. Rather than pointing up stereotypes or melodramatically overplaying the behavior of the character for impact, the show brings its subject matter alive with dignity, sympathy, and emotional truth.
This is a departure from Astrid, who, although publicly lauded for her portrayal, has been criticized for sometimes venturing into "quirky genius" cliché. The show strives to be more normalized in its depiction, with those scenes delving into emotional control, sensory input, and conflicts between individuals in thoughtful manners.
Are the supporting characters the same?
Though the show adapts the Astrid et Raphaëlle format, supporting characters have been reimagined. The show's detective, for instance, is created with established history, official bearing, and interpersonal relationship with the lead. Casting has been designed to reflect British institutional culture rather than French policing institutions.
These adjustments allow the show to be independent, although it is on a broad street that its French source had charted. It is identical in form but not identical in detail.
Cultural adaptation: From Paris to the UK
The second significant difference between the two programs is in the setting. Astrid lives amidst Parisian life. Its buildings, its terms, and its bureaucratic politics all play a surface-level function in creating the show's tone and rhythm. The show is relocated to British contexts, with varying institutional dynamics and social signals.
Influencing everything from the dialogue to the breaking of cases, this change transforms Astrid's intensity and action-oriented approach into Patience as complex and emotional. Even the cinematography and score reinforce this divergence, with Patience choosing instead muted tones and restraint.
In short, for certain: the show is based on Astrid et Raphaëlle through an official adaptation process. It is no self-standing production loosely inspired by the French play but a British remake of the same structural blueprint with a fresh cast, different tone, and careful retooling for another cultural context.
Trending
Where the show blunts some of Astrid's stylistic edginess and submerges in quiet feeling at the expense of plot-led intensity, the essential relationship is preserved: a neurodivergent woman as central to a crime-solving unit, remapping how audiences conceive of intelligence, empathy, and difference.
Reply
