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Death in Paradise

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Death in Paradise

Name: Death in Paradise
Director: Charles Palmer
Genre: Crime/detective, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Comedy
Released: 2011
Cast: Sean Maguire, Danny John-Jules, Rupert Graves, Hugo Speer, Karl Collins

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2011

Crime/detective
Drama

Summary

Detective drama following the work of investigators solving a series of baffling crimes on a beautiful Caribbean island.

Christmas Special 2025

Summary

The office Christmas party of a lifetime takes a dark turn when four co-workers wake up to find a stranger dead in the pool of their villa. DI Mervin Wilson and the team identify the murder weapon, but are left baffled when they find it was locked in a drawer when the murder took place - thousands of miles away from the crime scene. Meanwhile, Mervin anxiously waits to hear back from his newly discovered brother, which prevents him from getting into the festive spirit and embracing Saint Marie's Christmas celebrations. Festive instalment of the detective drama, starring Don Gilet, with guest appearances from Josie Lawrence, Kate Ashfield, Pearl Mackie and James Baxter

Review

David Brown

Some consider him no-nonsense, others believe he borders on the insensitive, but whatever your take on DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) — when it comes to Christmas, he’s about as festive as turkey leftovers in January.

So, when a dead body is found in suspicious circumstances in the pool of a Caribbean villa, the Saint Marie detective thinks nothing of cancelling his colleagues’ annual leave so that they can crack on with the case. True, he may have personal reasons for wanting to lose himself in work, but compared with the amiable social fumbling of his predecessors, Mervin is a hard taskmaster.

Having said that, it’s not hard to see why he’d be so obsessed with this mystery, what with the murder weapon having been locked in a drawer thousands of miles away in a drawer thousands of miles away in a drawer thousands of miles away in Swindon at the time the crime was committed. Yes, Swindon in Wiltshire. But thankfully, there’s a familiar face who may well be able to assist the detective inspector with this headscratcher of a logistical puzzle.

How to watch

Next showing

There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming provider below.

Streaming

BBC iPlayer

Details

Released on

2025-01-01

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Credits

Cast

rolenameMarjorie DoddsJosie LawrenceGavin BradburyJames BaxterHelen DugdaleKate AshfieldKaren HicksonPearl MackieNeil DugdaleBilly HarrisCommissioner Selwyn PattersonDon WarringtonDarrian St JulesAlix SermanOfficer Sebastian RoseShaquille Ali-YebuahCatherine BordeyElizabeth BourgineDS Naomi ThomasShantol JacksonDI Mervin WilsonDon GiletOfficer Darlene CurtisGinny HolderAshley SimmsOriana Charles

Crew

rolenameExecutive producerAmy RodriguezExecutive producerTim KeyDirectorJennie PaddonProducerRay McBrideWriterJames Hall

Review

David Brown

Crime in a sunnier clime as a succession of UK police detectives find themselves posted to the Caribbean to solve murder cases. While the high temperatures and local customs often take some getting used to, the investigations invariably play to the sleuths’ strengths. No locked-room or seemingly impossible mystery is beyond their capabilities – which is just as well, with the scowling Commissioner Patterson (Don Warrington), a stickler for the rules and a mainstay since the show’s inception, breathing down their necks.

A strong performer for the BBC since its debut 2011, this easy-going whodunnit has also spawned two spin-offs: Beyond Paradise and Return to Paradise. Shared characters have ensured that all three dramas inhabit the same fictional universe.