Ludwig

"David Mitchell wants to do a series in which he solves crimes like Inspector Morse or Miss Marple. We'll go with Morse - complete with puzzles - swap Oxford for Cambridge and build in the loveable fogeyishness that Mitchell has made a career of." That's what they thought and and it was a great idea. They were on to a winner. It's completely daft, bears little or no relation to actual police work, but it doesn't matter a jot. Mitchell is great, Anna Maxwell Martin is a delight - she is great at portraying really nice people (I remember Esther Summerson from 19 years ago) - and Dipo Ola is great as the sidekick (what a great voice he has). What's not so great is casting Dylan Hughes as 15 year old. It's laughable. He is likeable and can act OK (except not as a schoolboy. Really, can't they find any decent teenage actors? I know they exist.) I watched the whole series while laid low with a virus. It was just the right thing.

A gripping central story, expertly told and a great cast of actors - from David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin, to the rest of the central cast (such as Dipo Ola, Izuka Hoyle and Sophie Willan) to the guests who crop up each week as he they have further mysteries to solve - particularly great to see Derek Jacobi still going strong.

I found it very funny but it also contained plenty of peril, not least that you're not sure what is and is not true or who they should trust.

We devoured all six episodes in three or four nights and frankly we're already clamouring for more. Please can everyone else watch it so we can have season two!

A savant on the spectrum, acting as a detective, sees the tiny details other miss and then solves the crime, all while being enmeshed in a much bigger problem.

The characters are very likable, the plots are reasonably believable, and there is a refreshing lack of phony subplots.

Each episode is a stand alone case while the big problem consumes the entire series, so there is a satisfying ending to each episode while the big puzzle has some more pieces added to it.

Agatha Christie always ended her books with Hercule Poirot gathering all the suspects together and meticulously going through the crime, finally revealing the culprit. That was always my favourite part, and this series does exactly that.

My only quibble is that the last 2 episodes are very dark exposure wise, and it is very difficult to see what is going on at times.

It's a pretty much comfort viewing where a socially awkward and brilliant puzzle maker is replacing his twin brother in the police, since he disappeared. It is basically a procedural with a main current plot about the brother's disappearance, but I actually was pretty happy that there is one crime per episode. It is really fun to just watch him solve the crimes without any police knowledgemente envolved. It reminds me "monk" a bit, a show that I really love, but with a different flavour and perhaps wittier.

For sure it will have a US remake sooner or later, since it's the type of premise that can have endless seasons and money due to a future syndication after 456 episodes. But let's all be happy because for sure we will have more "ludwig" in the future and I'm glad this was made. Emphatic characters, nicely written misteries and mostly a strong protagonist. Extremely entertaining.

Lucy turns to her brother in law John, when her husband, John's twin brother James disappears. John, a puzzle designer by profession has to step into the shoes of his brother, a DCI in Cambridge.

It's a wonderful series, if I had to compare it to a show, it would be Jonathan Creek, you have complex mysteries, a wry humour, and a somewhat underrated, genius central character. It's light viewing, devoid of bad language and violence, it's intriguing family entertainment.

It's possibly the best new show to come out of The Beeb for years, I'm so glad to see it's been a ratings winner, and that a second series is in the pipeline. It has winner all over it, beautifully written, wonderfully produced and wonderfully acted.

David Mitchell is superb, perhaps the best thing I've seen him do, Anna Maxwell Martin, Dorothy Atkinson and Ralph Ineson are great. Sir Derek Jacobi gives a great guest performance.

Roll on Series 2, I can't wait for it.

9/10.