After the long-awaited return of DI Humphrey Goodman to our screens it was nice to see him again finally. However this time it was not the sunny, seedy, and viced locations that the island of Saint Marie had to offer, but instead a quiet, yet bustling fishing village in Cornwall. So, is this new Death In Paradise sping off worth watching? Well, if you’re wondering if Beyond Paradise is worth watching? – Please keep reading this post.
Table of contents – is Beyond Paradise worth watching?
After watching many of the episodes of the first and maybe only series of Beyond Paradise, I think I know exactly let’s discuss whether this new Death In Paradise spin-off is worth watching. So, is Beyond Paradise worth watching? Let’s discuss it now.
Overview – is Beyond Paradise worth watching?
Humphrey returns with his wife Martha Loyd, who he also met on Saint Marie in Death In Paradise Series 3. Joining them is also DS Esther Williams, played by Zahra Ahmadi and who appeared in many episodes of Count Arthur Strong on BBC iPlayer) and also PC Kelby Hartford, (played by Dylan Llewellyn who appeared as James in the popular Channel 4 series Derry Girls) and finally there was the Police office worker Margo Martins (played by Felicity Montagu).
Reasons Beyond Paradise is worth watching
Now I am going to go over some reasons why Beyond Paradise is worth watching my opinion, and of course later, I will go over some reasons why it is not worth watching.
A different style of storytelling
If you’re still wondering if Beyond Paradise is worth watching? then an interesting addition to Beyond Paradise is the fact that there are fewer flashbacks if any and instead we actually get to see what happened as it’s seen in Humpreys head. It’s kind of like a reenactment of an incident that the victim, suspect or both go through and it’s portrayed with Humprey and sometimes his DS (Esher Willaims) looking with him and imagining what went down.
Same set-up, different place
Did you like the idea of having a small group of characters, who were the police, having to deal with all the crimes in a close nit area in their headquarters which wasn’t really that big? Well, you’ll be pleased to know that that’s what we’ve got with Beyond Paradise as well, and it’s quite similar. So if you’re wondering: is Beyond Paradise watching – this might be one of the reasons why.
Return of Humprey Goodman & Martha Loyd
Of course, one good thing to mention about Beyond Paradise is the return of one of the main characters from Death In Paradise, and that is DI Goodman who first appeared in Series 3 of Death In Paradise.
Secondly, we have Martha Loyd, who also appeared in Death In Paradise series 3 onwards, and was Goodman’s old friend.
She later returned to England and he soon followed, leaving Saint Marie behind. If you enjoyed the chemistry between these two characters then here is one perfectly good reason to watch Beyond Paradise.
A different approach
So far there hasn’t been much bloodshed, and maybe this was what the showrunners were going for, because in contrast, the most recent episode of Death In Paradise, saw a man get stabbed twice! However, if you’re wondering if is Beyond Paradise worth watching, I think you should know that it is a lot less bloody and violent, not that Death In Paradise was, but you get my point.
Good humour (so far)
Another thing to consider if you’re wondering: is Beyond Paradise worth watching is the fact that the series features some funny moments (and some odd ones). For example, there’s a moment where Humprey asks Martha’s mum if she is related to a literal witch and then proceeds to fart moments later, which made me laugh for some reason.
And of course, there are two contrasting characters: PC Kelby and the office worker Margo who are polar opposites. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this spin-off if you are wondering is Beyond Paradise worth watching.
Beautiful setting
Being set in a bay in Cornwall, you can imagine that this area is quite nice, especially during the summer months, and you would not be wrong.
It’s not only by the sea that you’ll see most of the action but also in the countryside, there are manors, rural houses, chapels, cathedrals, vineyards, cafes and more.
There are many different places that will get featured in Beyond Paradise. It’s nowhere as nice (in my opinion) as Saint Marie, (which is filmed in Gaudaloupe) you can imagine that this is one really compelling reason to watch this series if you’re wondering: is Beyond Paradise worth watching?
Watch alongside Death In Paradise
This might not be the best reason on this list, but of course, since it’s a spin-off of Death In Paradise, the lore is still going to be the same. We’ve already had references to it from Humprey, where he talks about where he moved to before working in the Metropolitan Police Service in London.
There is also a chance that Death In Paradise might be used to promote Beyond Paradise, as the two could converse with each other about a suspect that ended up in Cornwall from Saint Marie or vice versa.
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Reasons Beyond Paradise is not worth watching
Now I’m going to detail some of the reasons why Beyond Paradise is not worth watching. These won’t be in any specific order, and with all of the relevant information, I think you will be able to make a good, informed decision on whether or not you want to watch Beyond Paradise.
No murder (so far)
Alas, if you think Beyond Paradise is going to be another version of Midsomer Murders or Death In Paradise you’re dead wrong. It seems so far we’ve had a difficult attempted murder, a kidnapping (kind of) and an attempted but failed suicide attempt and more similar lesser crimes to cold-blooded murder and conspiracy as we see in Death In Paradise.
And speaking of Death In Paradise, in contrast, we saw a man get stabbed, once, which turned out not to be fatal, and then again but another person who took the opportunity to murder him! I think this might be the feel the show is going for but it might bring off the show as boring and climatic, which might not be what viewers are looking for.
Cheap mans Death In Paradise
This point basically carries on from the first one and involves the fact that the show feels the same but incomplete when compared to its sister programme. For example, the intro is the same but with a different music pick obviously, and the whole police set-up is nearly identical.
There’s a square room with desks and of course, two detectives and one uniformed cop, with the new addition being Margo, who kind of plays into the commissioner role. It’s very, very similar and this just constantly reminds me of Death In Paradise.
Could it be the replacement for Death In Paradise?
If you’ve read my recent article: Is Time Running Out For Death In Paradise, you’ll know how I feel about Death In Paradise and where it’s heading. So this offers up the question, is this a subtle replacement for it? – Maybe, and maybe not, but when it was announced I did feel a bit confused, as I didn’t think it was warranted.
But maybe that’s why it was. Filming in Guadeloupe isn’t cheap, and it’s hard for some of the English actors considering how hot it can get, especially filming in those suits. So maybe it’s a replacement for when Death In Paradise finally lays down its head for a sleep it will never wake up from, but really, we won’t know until much later.
I’m not warming to the characters – well the new ones at least
Are you still wondering: is Beyond Paradise worth watching? – well, when we had the first episodes of Death In Paradise, I warmed to the characters, and more importantly the chemistry they shared instantly. However, with Beyond Paradise, that’s becoming quite difficult. Margo seems like a sour, resentful, difficult person, who answers every one of Humphrey’s questions and remarks with sarcasm and dead humour. As I said, I think she’s supposed to fill the void of the commissioner, as if that’s ever going to happen.
Kelby doesn’t fill his role
Again, we’ve got another character who feels like a replacement, and that of course is Kelby. Now I like the man who plays this actor, as he was pretty funny in the Channel 4 programme Derry Girls, however here he is a bit too young, and doesn’t strike me as a believable police officer, unlike Dwayne, JP, or Fidel he just isn’t really it, and sadly I think he holds the series back even further than some of the other characters, even if it’s not his fault. I do understand why he was chosen for the role though.
Feels a bit boring
If you’re still wondering: is Beyond Paradise worth watching? – then I’ve got one final thing to say, and that’s so that it already feels boring. I’m afraid to say. It’s just not the same as the stakes aren’t that high. I mean yes, we did see Humprey talk a man into releasing his wife and kids before seemingly driving his car off the cliff, then somehow reappearing behind him, but all because she was having an affair? Im sure divorce and child custody are the way to go, but apparently not for this man.
Conclusion – Is Beyond Paradise worth watching?
It appears that Beyond Paradise has both good and bad qualities, based on my analysis of the post’s numerous subheadings. Positively, the show stands out from other crime dramas because of its distinctive storytelling approach.
The show’s usage of a constant setup in several settings gives the tried-and-true formula a novel spin. The popularity of Beyond Paradise is increased by the return of beloved characters like Martha Loyd and Humprey Goodman, and the humour employed helps to counterbalance the serious subject matter. The backdrop of the event is also breathtaking, making it a visual delight to see.
It’s important to note that Beyond Paradise can be seen in conjunction with Death in Paradise, offering even more of the distinctive storytelling and lovely scenery that fans have grown to adore, though it will never be the same as Saint Marie.
However, in my opinion, Beyond Paradise is not worth watching at all. I’ve watched 5 episodes so far and in every single one I’ve had to stop watching it multiple times the way through because of how boring it is.
If you’re a fan of the old Death In Paradise or even the newer ones, do not bother with this series. Because if you’re wondering is Beyond Paradise worth watching? – you will be disappointed.
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