''Beyond Paradise'' is a British crime drama television series that first aired on 24 February 2023. It is a

spin-off Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...

of the long-running crime series '' Death in Paradise'' and stars Kris Marshall and Sally Bretton. On 8 April 2023, it was renewed for a second series and a Christmas special. On 26 April 2024, another Christmas special and a third series were commissioned.

Synopsis

The show follows Detective Inspector

Humphrey Goodman Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman is a character in the crime drama television series '' Death in Paradise'', portrayed by Kris Marshall. Goodman is assigned to Saint Marie after the murder of D.I. Richard Poole at the start of Series 3. C ...

, who left Saint Marie to be with Martha Lloyd. After becoming engaged, the couple move to Martha's hometown of Shipton Abbott, near the Devon coast. Not long after arriving, Humphrey joins the small local police force, where he quickly makes an impression on the local officers: Detective Sergeant Esther Williams, PC Kelby Hartford and office support worker Margo Martins, bringing a whole new approach to police work.

Cast

Main characters

* Kris Marshall as Detective Inspector

* Sally Bretton as Martha Lloyd, Humphrey’s fiancée *

Zahra Ahmadi Zahra Ahmadi ( fa, زهرا احمدی; born 1983) is a British actress from Plymouth England of Persian descent. She is best known for playing the original Shabnam Masood in EastEnders. Career She is known for her role as Shabnam Masood in the ...

as Detective Sergeant Esther Williams * Dylan Llewellyn as Constable Kelby Hartford * Felicity Montagu as Margo Martins, office support * Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd, Martha's mother

Recurring characters

* Jamie Bamber as Archie Hughes, Martha's business partner and ex-fiancée (series 1) * Melina Sinadinou as Zoe, Esther's daughter * Chris Jenks as Josh Woods, petty thief * Eva Feiler as Lucy, Josh Woods' fiancée * Jade Harrison as Chief Superintendent Charlotte (Charlie) Woods *

Peter Davison Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan ...

as Peter/Richard Baxter, Anne's internet date * Amalia Vitale as Hannah Owen, fostering care case worker

Crossover characters from ''Death in Paradise''

* Don Warrington as Commissioner Selwyn Patterson * Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey *

Ralf Little Ralf Alastair John Little (born 8 February 1980) is an English actor, writer, presenter, narrator and former semi-professional footballer, working mainly in television comedy. He played Antony Royle in ''The Royle Family'' and Jonny Keogh in ...

as Detective Inspector Neville Parker * Shantol Jackson as Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas * Tahj Miles as Officer Marlon Pryce

Production

Casting

Kris Marshall was one of the most popular detectives to feature on ''Death in Paradise'' and the producers knew he resonated with audiences around the world. The producers felt audiences wanted to know what happened to Humphrey and Martha. Sally Bretton also reprised her role from ''Death in Paradise''. Zahra Ahmadi and Barbara Flynn had both previously appeared in episodes of ''Death in Paradise'' playing different characters.

Location

The series is set in the fictional coastal town of Shipton Abbott, South Devon. A number of locations were considered, but the producers settled on the West Country as they felt that Devon had not been used very often in TV drama. They decided to film in the Cornish town of Looe because it has a thriving community with fishing businesses; additionally some scenes were filmed in neighbouring Polperro as well as

Fowey Fowey ( ; kw, Fowydh, meaning 'Beech Trees') is a port town and civil parish at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town has been in existence since well before the Norman invasion, with the local ch ...

. The fictional town is set slightly back from the coast so different storylines could be developed.

Episodes

Series 1 (2023)

Episodes 4–6 on BritBox in the US were shown a week earlier than they were in the UK.

Christmas Special (2023)

Series 2 (2024)

Reception

Michael Hogan of '' The Telegraph'' gave it four stars out of five, proclaiming it "superior to its mothership show" and "Charming, cheerful and just gripping enough, it was the cosy crime treat we didn't know we needed." Jack Seale of '' The Guardian'', conversely, awarded the first episode just two out of five stars.

Notes

* Peter claimed to be called "Richard Baxter" after having met Anne on a dating app in episode 2. In episode 4, Anne discovered that he had had a wife the whole time and his real name was Peter.

References

External links

* * * {{Tony Jordan 2023 British television series debuts 2020s British crime drama television series 2020s British mystery television series British television spin-offs BBC television dramas BBC crime television shows British English-language television shows Television shows set in Cornwall Television shows set in Devon