Death in Paradise fans have been loving a new detective drama that’s airing on Channel 5
Death in Paradise fans have been watching a new drama(Image: BBC)
Fans of Death in Paradise can look no further for the perfect replacement.
Loyal viewers of the hit BBC detective series have been loving a new drama that’s recently started airing on Channel 5.
Described as a “cosy crime” thriller, Benidorm is Murder comes from Death in Paradise writer Ian Jarvis and premiered last week on the channel.
The series centres around Dennis Crown (played by John Hannah), an ex-cop who exchanges life on the beat to landlording a bar in Benidorm. But when a string of tourists die on the sunny shores, Dennis resumes his detective status alongside his barmaid Rosa (Carolina Bécquer), who is obsessed with true crime and murder mysteries.
The second episode aired on Thursday (6 August), with Denise Welch and Alistair McGowan entering the fray as bar owner Ziggy and 90s game show personality Vince Starky.
A synopsis for the instalment reads: “At the Laughter Lounge, veteran comic Frank Mann is emceeing when his old friend, faded 90s game show star Vince Starky, blows in with younger wife Vienna. Vince’s comeback dates are tanking and owner Ziggy, drowning in debt, needs them to work…
“But the next morning, doorman Paco finds a dead body on the club roof. Maria begrudgingly asks Dennis to look at the scene, where he notes the head wound, scuff marks round the access door and, below, a fire extinguisher buried in a car windscreen.
“As Rosa helps retrace the movements of everyone connected to the club, old grudges, financial pressures and buried secrets come bubbling to the surface. Has the killer been hiding in plain sight all along? And can Dennis convince Maria to reopen the case she’s so eager to keep closed?”
Viewers were quick to share their verdict, with many heaping praise on the series. “It’s hammy but I can’t stop watching. Like a modern day Eldorado,” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote.
Viewers have been sharing their verdict(Image: Channel 5)
Another added: “I’m actually enjoying it,” while a third said: “@JohnHannah is no Miss Marple but he gets the job done.”
A fourth viewer echoed the sentiment on Reddit, saying: “The most interesting element may be the sidekick’s knowledge of television detective fiction. That gives the series permission to acknowledge the formulas of Midsomer Murders, Death in Paradise and even A Touch of Cloth without becoming a full parody.”
Someone else commented: “Death in Paradise type of vibe.”
Meanwhile, others were slightly more critical of the drama, with one person writing: “#BenidormisMurder is pretty bad, isn’t it?! Not quite as bad as #TheGoodShipMurder, but very nearly!!” while another described it as “dire”.
A third remarked: “A bit too slapstick for me,” while someone else stated: “Death in Paradise but in a massively s*** location.”
Benidorm is Murder is available to stream on Channel 5
