Channel 5's new detective drama Benidorm Is Murder is set to captivate fans of Death in Paradise, as it was written by show boss Ian Jarvis. The crime series, directed by Simon Delaney, shares many similarities with the BBC hit.
Plot and Cast
John Hannah leads the cast as former detective Dennis Crown, who relocates to Benidorm for a quieter life running a bar. However, when tourists start turning up dead, he is drawn back into investigating. He is assisted by sidekick Rosa, played by Carolina Bécquer, an aspiring actress-turned-waitress obsessed with vintage TV crime shows. Rosa references every detective from Miss Marple to Columbo as they solve mysteries.
Homage to Detective Genre
Fans of Death in Paradise and its spin-offs will notice a familiar array of suspects' pictures on a dartboard in Dennis' bar. John Hannah described the show as “the Easter eggs in the Marvel world, tipping the wink to the viewer about things gone before. And Rosa’s character is very meta with all her TV talk. We just decided to lean into it and embrace it.”
Synopsis
The synopsis states: "With Dennis' real-world experience and Rosa's encyclopaedic TV knowledge, each episode sees the duo tackling a new murder in paradise, whilst trying to remain on the right side of the local Spanish cops." The first look photos show the duo alongside Benidorm's policing team, DS Maria Hernandez (Ariadna Cabrol) and PC Jesús Ballesteros (Damian Schedler Cruz).
Cast and Premiere
John Hannah called the show a "gem of a show, filled with joy and humour", adding: "But there's a balance of comedy and serious emotional weight to the stories, which is testament to the writing." The main cast also includes Brian Bovell as Benidorm enigma Archie, a philosopher and poet. Guest stars include EastEnders' Tamzin Outhwaite and impressionist Alistair McGowan. Benidorm Is Murder premieres on Thursday, July 30 on Channel 5.
