Viewers of BBC's Ludwig took to social media just minutes into the opening episode of series 2, sharing their delight at the return of the comedy drama starring David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin.
The series, which first launched two years ago, 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.
Fans praise opening credits and show's return
In the opening episode on Thursday, August 20, puzzle setter John 'Ludwig' Taylor, no longer having to impersonate his twin brother and following his successful closure rate for the major investigation team, returns under his new job title of crime scene consultant. An unusual double confession at a theatre saw John taking centre stage as he had to prove who didn't commit the crime.
Just minutes into the episode, fans rushed to social media. One said on X: "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."
David Mitchell shares diary excerpts from filming
Another viewer wrote: "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."
While making series 2, lead star David 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."
He continued: "Making a single episode of a drama can take two or three weeks. The last thing I filmed was Would I Lie to You, which takes two or three hours. (Although this doesn't seem like a short time to guests who are new to panel shows. I remember when Ronnie Corbett was on my team in 2010. He was used to the timing of the 1970s; he assumed it would take about 40 minutes. As we entered the third hour, the chuckles of this 79-year-old comedy hero became less jovial by the second)."
He added: "The first week of Ludwig series two involves a lot of car scenes. In the first series, my character (John Taylor, a puzzle-setter whose twin brother is a policeman who goes missing) was depicted humorously as a bad driver. I can't actually drive at all. In the new series, John discovers that his driving licence isn't valid and he has to be driven everywhere, which makes life easier."
Ludwig is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
