I have to admit that Death In Paradise is not one of my favourite crime dramas. I understand that the easy whodunit format is one that people enjoy, but I dislike the characters and the way it depicts life on a Caribbean island. To me it’s like one, long Lilt advert with some crime thrown in for good measure. But… it regularly pulls in over eight million viewers (when consolidated) so I’m duty-bound to bring you the news that series six has started filming, and has a surprise or two up its sleeve.
Set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie and filmed in Guadeloupe, the sixth series of the successful winter warmer will see the Honoré Police team head to London for the first time to solve one of the island’s most complex murder cases in an unprecedented two-part special.
Discussing the London-based episodes, executive producer of Death In Paradise, Tim Key, says: “We are very excited to be bringing Death In Paradise to London for the very first time. Humphrey has always been a fish out of water in Saint Marie, adjusting to the island’s ways and customs, but for the scenes set in London, the roles are reversed as he is back in his hometown, giving an opportunity to explore the characters that viewers know and love against a new backdrop.”
The new series also marks the return of Sally Bretton as a new series regular, Martha Lloyd, following her guest appearance in the final episode of series five. Joining Kris Marshall, Danny John-Jules, Don Warrington, Josephine Jobert and Tobi Bakare on Saint Marie, her character will become a prominent part of the new series and, as sparks continue to fly between her and DI Goodman, could love possibly be in the Caribbean air?
Other names announced to feature in the upcoming eight-part series include Ardal O’Hanlon, Douglas Hodge, Natasha Little, Adrian Rawlins, Monica Dolan, Ramon Tikaram, Emily Taaffee, Gary Beadle, Fiona Allen, Kerry Fox, Kemi-Bo Jacobs and Mark Powley.
The Killing Times 
I’m not a big fan either, although I like the landscape and French accents (faux or not). It’s Midsomer Murders in the Caribbean, isn’t it? Still, both series are very popular; clearly, a little escapism does the heart good!
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Yes, exactly. I think that’s why it;s so popular – nice, sunny place, bit of murder, bumbling detective and a whodunit.
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This was barely tolerable when lovely Ben Miller was in it – it’s now looking like a very poor kids’ show that even Cbeebies would can
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Good grief Ramon Tikaram? Brother of Tanita and the ‘Mexican Jumping bean’ from This Life? Where has he been all this time.
I agree with you as to why you find this series a bit ‘problematic’.
But everyone is fairly buffoonish, and credit is shared across the team for various insights that propel each story. However, it is a bit Miss Marpel like in the end as the audience is never given all the information right up to the very last moment.
So what it does is remove the need for the viewer to try to work it out and just enjoy the scenery, the pretty people and switch off. As you say a winter warmer, no wonder it is so popular.
I assume 50% of the audience is there to see Josephine Jobert and her predecessor in short-shorts.
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