Beyond idiotic!
Was really looking forward to this death in paradise spin off, especially as Kris Marshal was one of my favourite DIs from the series, and also because being a West Country boy it's set in my part of the world.
Filmed in Cornwall but bizzatly set in Devon, obviously didn't want to be seen to be mimicking Doc Martin too closely, although actually it's just a police version of doc Martin with a less grumpy lead. Just like Doc Martin & other West Country based series such as the dreadful McDonald and Dodds the actors have been sent to the same school of generic West Country accent coaching, (clearly based in the middle of Bristol) and ridiculously unsubtle, over the top and of course spoken by every single resident.
The locals are depicted as the stereotypical dumb village idiots which is just boringly tedious, plane lazy and unimaginative writing.
You couldn't get away with depicting any other social group in this way these days but here we are yet again!
The police officers in death in paradise weren't written as being imbeciles so why are they in this, especially the incredibly irritating older female secretary character.
It's a shame because this stupidity really ruins what could be an acceptable series, the fact it's different mysteries rather than murders is an interesting touch and of course some lovely scenery and touching moments between Humphrey and Martha. However the tiring carrot crunching yokel routine just ruins it.
You can mix comedy with more serious issues as shown in Death in Paradise and other successful pats series such as Heartbeat, but beyond paradise just come across as being an idiotic farce than amusing light hearted police drama.
Filmed in Cornwall but bizzatly set in Devon, obviously didn't want to be seen to be mimicking Doc Martin too closely, although actually it's just a police version of doc Martin with a less grumpy lead. Just like Doc Martin & other West Country based series such as the dreadful McDonald and Dodds the actors have been sent to the same school of generic West Country accent coaching, (clearly based in the middle of Bristol) and ridiculously unsubtle, over the top and of course spoken by every single resident.
The locals are depicted as the stereotypical dumb village idiots which is just boringly tedious, plane lazy and unimaginative writing.
You couldn't get away with depicting any other social group in this way these days but here we are yet again!
The police officers in death in paradise weren't written as being imbeciles so why are they in this, especially the incredibly irritating older female secretary character.
It's a shame because this stupidity really ruins what could be an acceptable series, the fact it's different mysteries rather than murders is an interesting touch and of course some lovely scenery and touching moments between Humphrey and Martha. However the tiring carrot crunching yokel routine just ruins it.
You can mix comedy with more serious issues as shown in Death in Paradise and other successful pats series such as Heartbeat, but beyond paradise just come across as being an idiotic farce than amusing light hearted police drama.
- matthewhuk
- May 10, 2023