Nearly 3 million viewers tuned in for the opening episode of comedy drama Ludwig's second series on BBC One, according to Broadcast. The show, starring David Mitchell as an accidental detective, returned on Thursday, August 20, with viewing figures released this week.
The series opener was watched by 2.8 million viewers, making up 28.5% of the TV-watching audience at that time. This marked an increase compared to the first episode of season 1, which had 2.7 million viewers on TV in 2024.
Series 2 opening twist
Created by Mark Brotherhood, the series stars Mitchell in the dual role of reclusive puzzle maker John Taylor, aka Ludwig, and his twin, DCI James Taylor, who disappears without a trace in the first episode. Contacted by James's wife Lucy Betts-Taylor, played by Anna Maxwell Martin, John agrees to pose as his twin, ending up solving murder cases thanks to his deductive skills.
Series 2 of the Cambridge-set drama kicked off following a big twist at the end of the first season. It featured an unusual double confession at a theatre which saw John taking centre stage as he had to prove who didn't commit the crime.
Fans react to the return
Viewers had to wait two years for the drama to return, and just minutes into the opener they rushed to praise it. One said on X, formerly Twitter: "Binge watched S1 of #Ludwig Absolutely loving it. S2 here we come. It’s real life Scooby Doo."
A second posted: "There should be a BAFTA for opening credits on a TV drama. Ludwig would win hands down." A third added: "Like the title sequence." Another added: "Delighted that #Ludwig is back. One of the best new shows in recent years." While a fifth commented: "#Ludwig is back. I am so happy." One fan simply reacted: "Nice to have #Ludwig back."
Mitchell's diary reveals behind-the-scenes
While making series 2, lead star Mitchell kept a diary, and ahead of the first episode airing, he shared excerpts of it with the Radio Times. The first entry last September read: "Ludwig is starting to film again, more than a year after we shot the first series. I feel daunted. I love making this show (I always dreamed of playing a character who potters around thoughtfully in a mac, realising things) but, in another way, it’s like going back to school. I’m now going to be doing this thing every weekday until Christmas."
Season 1 became the BBC's biggest new scripted show since 2022, with 9.5 million viewers discovering it after 28 days. It was also the BBC's highest-rating scripted show of 2024 at that time and the biggest comedy series launch since at least 2018. Ludwig is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
