Ludwig has returned for its second series, with David Mitchell reprising his role as master puzzle-setter John 'Ludwig' Taylor. The detective drama, also starring Anna Maxwell Martin as his sister-in-law Lucy, continues from series one, with Ludwig now serving as a Crime Scene Consultant, collaborating with DCI Russell Carter (Dipo Ola) on 'impossible' crimes for the Cambridge Police Authority.
Why Cambridge?
The city of Cambridge, where the programme is set and shot, plays a significant role in the series. Producer Georgie Fallon explained the choice: "Cambridge, as a setting, is important to the show. We didn't want to set it in London because so much is set in London, but Cambridge feels like a big enough, cosmopolitan enough city to justify the horrendous number of murders that they have there."
Fallon added: "It's also beautiful on camera and feels recognisable to viewers, but it hasn't been seen loads. I think Cambridge has a nice mix of the beautiful old architecture, but also this really modern side with the science parks and all the research and that's very interesting for us to set our world in."
David Mitchell on filming challenges
Lead star David Mitchell, who attended university in Cambridge, shared his love for the city: "I went to university there, and I love it. You want people to enjoy slipping into this world like a pair of slippers, but with a dead body in them. Cambridge is obviously a great candidate for that." He also referenced classic crime dramas: "Inspector Morse is one of my favourite shows, but that was set in Oxford. That's where people want to escape to in this kind of program. I think you've got to have a beautiful setting to juxtapose with the nature of the crimes."
However, Mitchell revealed the difficulties of filming in Cambridge, as reported by Cambridgeshire Live. In a diary he kept for Radio Times, he wrote: "Cambridge is an absolute nightmare to film in. It looks great, but you have to bring in a lot of vehicles full of lights and cameras and actors and make-up artists, and this city wasn't built for traffic." He described how a 'unit base' was set up on the outskirts, with drivers navigating via Google Maps until encountering bollards and a Cyclists Only sign, at which point he would say, "I can get out, I think I know the way from here."
Executive producer's perspective
Executive producer Kenton Allen emphasised the importance of the setting: "I think the setting is critical for any crime drama. When you think of Inspector Morse, you think of Oxford. When you think of Broadchurch, you think of the Dorset coast and the beach and cliff setting." He continued: "I think Cambridge gives us another layer of specificity and a visual language. I think the more specific you can be about where you are, the stronger flavour your show can have. It's a lot of period shows that feature Cambridge, but there's not that much contemporary drama that's been shot there. I think it feels fresh to a British audience."
Series two of Ludwig premieres on Thursday, August 20 at 9pm on BBC One, with the first three episodes available on iPlayer at the same time.
