We've seen two of these so far (and revamping the review after ALL 6, and AGAIN after the second series has finished), and the people wailing because it's not Death in Paradise should give their heads a wobble. No, it's not the Caribbean, well done, but as the vast majority of British series are set here, so what?
The stories look set to be mysteries, not all murders, and that's fine too. We got used to the barmy spectacle of Midsomer Massacres wiping out half of southern England, the Oxford population being decimated (Morse), and that small West Indies island also having a murder rate slightly worse than the Colombian drugs suburbs.
The show looks like they've got a good cast, with a variety of characters to give the viewers a few funny moments along with the impenetrable crimes, the station has a well-meaning idiot, a nerdy junior detective, an old sourpuss, and Marshall's eccentric DI Humphrey, newly shifted to Devon as his fiancee has moved back home. Sally Bretton gives expert help in that role, and - JOY - the wonderful Barbara Flynn is playing her mother. Flynn can do no wrong - though we have to excuse her that recent ITV Kate & Koji tosh she was in, everyone has bills I suppose?!
I'd have to blast the frankly daft review from one Les Nicholls, moaning that it's not the warm & sunny Caribbean (Happy Valley and Morse weren't either - for just 2 of many?!) but then he thinks it's set in Cornwall, even though Devon has been mentioned zillions of times so far. He also didn't like Marshall in the original, but a recent poll put him and Miller as the joint most popular leads (about 2 thirds of the votes), and the other third about split between Ardal O'Hanlon and the recent chap, the leaden Ralf Little and his Increasingly odd boot polish hair dye. Sorry Les, you're way off beam there too.
This show should catch on, decent plots for the crimes, and a bit of a twist with Humphrey's lady having her ex boyfriend (ex-fiance apparently!) as her new business partner, bailing her out (Jamie Bamber in that role). Given the many series that the original series has had (so far, more to come), the viewers clearly like this type of thing, a little mystery to consider, and sympathetic characters, with a few funny lines thrown in. A further twist is the relative novelty of dropping the 2 detectives into the crime scenes as they work through the plot possibilities, a kind of enhanced flash-back? Seems to work well so far.
I see reviewers moaning about the co-star, and the IVF storyline, well, tough, she's an excellent actress, and coped well with a tricky storyline. The eccentric characters in the station are for light relief, and that IS EXACTLY what the supporting cast do in the Caribbean Paradise show!!
Hopefully this show does get further series, and with the final scenes showing Humphrey & Martha having a reconciliation back on St Marie, along with THAT cast, it was a reminder that hopefully they find somebody who is less irritating than Ralf Little to play the lead role when that one comes back?!
And NOW we've had 2 whole series -- with a third and a Xmas special announced -- it's clear it HAS caught on well, in fact the writing and characters put it ahead of the original DIP. It's greatly helped because the cases are far from all deaths, just mysteries. It's comfy TV -- but the public does NOT want Shakespeare, ballet or Newsnight on at prime time!
The stories look set to be mysteries, not all murders, and that's fine too. We got used to the barmy spectacle of Midsomer Massacres wiping out half of southern England, the Oxford population being decimated (Morse), and that small West Indies island also having a murder rate slightly worse than the Colombian drugs suburbs.
The show looks like they've got a good cast, with a variety of characters to give the viewers a few funny moments along with the impenetrable crimes, the station has a well-meaning idiot, a nerdy junior detective, an old sourpuss, and Marshall's eccentric DI Humphrey, newly shifted to Devon as his fiancee has moved back home. Sally Bretton gives expert help in that role, and - JOY - the wonderful Barbara Flynn is playing her mother. Flynn can do no wrong - though we have to excuse her that recent ITV Kate & Koji tosh she was in, everyone has bills I suppose?!
I'd have to blast the frankly daft review from one Les Nicholls, moaning that it's not the warm & sunny Caribbean (Happy Valley and Morse weren't either - for just 2 of many?!) but then he thinks it's set in Cornwall, even though Devon has been mentioned zillions of times so far. He also didn't like Marshall in the original, but a recent poll put him and Miller as the joint most popular leads (about 2 thirds of the votes), and the other third about split between Ardal O'Hanlon and the recent chap, the leaden Ralf Little and his Increasingly odd boot polish hair dye. Sorry Les, you're way off beam there too.
This show should catch on, decent plots for the crimes, and a bit of a twist with Humphrey's lady having her ex boyfriend (ex-fiance apparently!) as her new business partner, bailing her out (Jamie Bamber in that role). Given the many series that the original series has had (so far, more to come), the viewers clearly like this type of thing, a little mystery to consider, and sympathetic characters, with a few funny lines thrown in. A further twist is the relative novelty of dropping the 2 detectives into the crime scenes as they work through the plot possibilities, a kind of enhanced flash-back? Seems to work well so far.
I see reviewers moaning about the co-star, and the IVF storyline, well, tough, she's an excellent actress, and coped well with a tricky storyline. The eccentric characters in the station are for light relief, and that IS EXACTLY what the supporting cast do in the Caribbean Paradise show!!
Hopefully this show does get further series, and with the final scenes showing Humphrey & Martha having a reconciliation back on St Marie, along with THAT cast, it was a reminder that hopefully they find somebody who is less irritating than Ralf Little to play the lead role when that one comes back?!
And NOW we've had 2 whole series -- with a third and a Xmas special announced -- it's clear it HAS caught on well, in fact the writing and characters put it ahead of the original DIP. It's greatly helped because the cases are far from all deaths, just mysteries. It's comfy TV -- but the public does NOT want Shakespeare, ballet or Newsnight on at prime time!