Reviewed: Beyond Paradise Season 2

If you’re a fan of Death in Paradise, its spin-off series Beyond Paradise is well worth a watch—but be prepared for a very different vibe. While the original series offers sunny Caribbean locations and a light-hearted murder mystery, its successor is a much cosier affair. Think country trains and a fictional Devon town, with a hint of Midsomer Murders.

The new series sees the return of DI Humphrey Goodman, played by the charming Kris Marshall. Humphrey’s move to the sleepy town of Shipton Abbott to be with his fiancée Martha (Sally Bretton) provides the perfect setting for a new batch of intriguing crimes. Of course, the presence of Humphrey’s unique brand of chaotic genius ensures the investigations are far from ordinary.

The second series opens with a meta murder mystery, featuring a real crime on a steam train—a case that Humphrey, of course, solves with his usual quirkiness and skill. The first episode is a slow burner, but the plot soon gains pace, exploring a dark past linked to the actors involved in the murder. Across the series, we see Humphrey and the team investigate a range of peculiar scenarios, including a missing teacher, a fishing boat mystery and an arson attack predicted by a medium.

While the crime storylines are interesting enough, the domestic dramas between Humphrey and Martha verge on boring. Their storyline in series one—involving IVF and relationship struggles—was overly dramatic and the two don’t seem to have great chemistry. Thank goodness the writers seem to have moved on from this storyline in series two, because—let’s face it—no one watches Beyond Paradise for the soap opera elements. We watch for Humphrey’s eccentricities and the lovely Devon scenery!

The supporting cast is a mixed bag. PC Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn), is a bit too goofy but I found myself enjoying the performances of Zahra Ahmadi as DS Esther Williams, and the always reliable Felicity Montagu as Margo Martins. Barbara Flynn also adds a welcome touch of class as Martha’s mother, Anne.

With a Christmas special and six new episodes, there’s plenty of content for fans of the first series to sink their teeth into. Beyond Paradise continues to entertain, despite its flaws, and the recent announcement of a third series suggests that audiences are engaging with this spin-off crime drama.