Research Unit

Research Unit follows a French gendarmerie squad that tackles the toughest crimes. Set in Bordeaux from 2006 to 2013 and later in Nice from 2014 onward, the team specializes in cases that demand patience and sharp instincts. The investigators chase leads across towns, fields, and records, often pushing limits to locate missing people, unravel heinous abuses, and piece together patterns behind disappearances. The unit's work is about more than solving crimes; it's about managing fear, navigating trauma, and balancing legal constraints with the urgency of the evidence. As they build cases, they draw on cooperation with witnesses, forensic insights, and cross border outreach that extends beyond France's borders.

Premiered in 2006 as a French crime series created by Steven Bawol and Dominique Lancelot. Xavier Deluc stars as Martin Bernier, who leads the Section de recherches, a unit tasked with the toughest investigations.

Audience reception is modest but positive, with a vote average of 8.2 out of 10 from 14 votes. The show centers on a highly specialized gendarmerie squad dealing with child abductions, disappearances, sexual crimes, and cases that cross national borders.

While not a mainstream phenomenon, Research Unit contributes to the French crime procedural landscape by highlighting procedural rigor, multi agency cooperation, and the toll of long investigations. Its shift from Bordeaux to Nice mirrors how real life units adapt to evolving caseloads.