Benidorm Is Murder is winning over Death in Paradise fans with cosy crime, familiar faces and sunny mysteries. Read the full story now!
Benidorm Is Murder is winning over Death in Paradise fans with cosy crime, familiar faces and sunny mysteries. Read the full story now!
A New Cosy Crime Drama Is Winning Viewers Over
Channel 5 has introduced a new detective drama that is already attracting attention from fans of Death in Paradise.
Benidorm Is Murder premiered recently and has quickly become a talking point among viewers who enjoy relaxed mysteries, colourful settings and a touch of humour.
The series stars John Hannah as Dennis Crown, a former police officer who has left his old career behind. He now runs a bar in Benidorm, but his quiet new life does not stay quiet for long.
When tourists begin dying, Dennis finds himself drawn back into detective work.
He is joined by Rosa, his barmaid, played by Carolina Bécquer. Rosa has a strong interest in true crime and murder mysteries, which makes her an unusual but useful partner.
The setting is also a major part of the appeal. Instead of the Caribbean island of Death in Paradise, viewers are taken to the Spanish resort of Benidorm.
It is a different location, but the ingredients are familiar: a colourful community, suspicious characters, complicated relationships and a murder that needs solving.
For some viewers, that has made Benidorm Is Murder an enjoyable new addition to the cosy crime schedule.
Others, however, have found its comedy and slapstick style a little too much.
That mixed reaction may be part of what makes the new series worth watching.
From Death in Paradise to Benidorm
Benidorm Is Murder has an important connection to Death in Paradise. The new Channel 5 series comes from writer Ian Jarvis, who has worked on the popular BBC crime drama.
That connection helps explain why some Death in Paradise viewers have been curious about the new show.
The basic format will also feel familiar to fans of traditional British mystery television.
There is a central detective, a colourful location and a collection of characters who may know more than they first reveal.
The difference is Dennis Crown himself.
Dennis is not beginning his story as an active police inspector. He has already stepped away from the force and chosen a very different life, running a bar in Benidorm.
But murder has a way of changing plans.
When tourists begin dying, Dennis returns to the kind of work he thought he had left behind.
His relationship with Rosa gives the show another layer. She loves true crime and detective stories, so she approaches cases with enthusiasm and knowledge of the familiar television formulas.
That makes her more than just a sidekick.
She can spot the patterns that viewers themselves may recognise from other crime dramas.
The series can therefore play with the traditions of cosy detective television while still telling its own stories.
For long-time fans of Death in Paradise, this mixture may feel comfortable without being exactly the same.
And that distinction matters.
A replacement does not have to copy the original show. Sometimes viewers simply want another series with a warm setting, interesting characters and a mystery to solve.
Benidorm Is Murder appears to be aiming for exactly that audience.
Key Events and Timeline
The early episodes have already established the main ingredients of the series.
The series premieres on Channel 5
Benidorm Is Murder arrives as a new cosy crime thriller, with John Hannah leading the cast as Dennis Crown.
His character has moved from police work to running a bar, but his detective instincts have not disappeared.
Dennis returns to detective work
A series of deaths among tourists brings Dennis back into investigations.
His previous experience gives him skills that the local authorities can use, even though he is no longer working as a conventional police detective.
Rosa becomes an important part of the process.
Her enthusiasm for true crime adds a different perspective to Dennis's more experienced approach.
Episode two introduces new suspects
The second episode aired on Thursday, August 6.
The story moves to the Laughter Lounge, where veteran comedian Frank Mann is performing. His old friend Vince Starky, a faded 1990s game-show personality, arrives with his younger wife Vienna.
The club's owner, Ziggy, is also facing serious financial problems.
Then the mystery begins.
A doorman named Paco discovers a dead body on the roof of the club.
Dennis examines the scene and notices several clues, including a head injury, marks around the access door and a fire extinguisher that has ended up buried in a car windscreen.
The investigation brings old arguments, money problems and hidden secrets to the surface.
Viewers begin sharing their opinions
As the second episode aired, viewers took to social media and Reddit to discuss the series.
Some enjoyed its deliberately broad style.
One viewer described it as "hammy" but admitted they could not stop watching.
Others simply said they were enjoying it.
But the response was not completely positive.
Some viewers found the show too slapstick, while others thought the comedy went too far.
The series continues on Channel 5
Whatever viewers think of the tone, Benidorm Is Murder has already created a conversation among fans of British cosy crime.
For a new series, that is an encouraging start.
Documentary note: The strongest comparison is not that Benidorm Is Murder replaces Death in Paradise, but that both shows use familiar cosy-crime ingredients while giving viewers a distinctive location and central detective.
Behind the Scenes: John Hannah and the Cast
John Hannah gives the series its main anchor as Dennis Crown.
The actor is well known to British television audiences, and his presence gives the new drama a recognisable face.
Dennis is also an interesting choice for a cosy detective story because he is not presented as a flawless investigator.
He has left police work behind and settled into a completely different career.
His return to crime-solving therefore comes with some adjustment.
Carolina Bécquer plays Rosa, the barmaid who works alongside him. Her interest in murder mysteries gives her character a slightly different role from the usual crime-drama assistant.
She already understands many of the storytelling patterns that viewers know well.
That creates opportunities for humour while also helping the investigation.
The wider cast includes Ariadna Cabrol as DS María Hernandez, Brian Bovell as Archie, Damian Schedler Cruz as PC Jesús Ballesteros and Eva van der Gucht as Jackie.
The second episode also introduced Denise Welch as Ziggy and Alistair McGowan as Vince Starky.
Their arrival adds another group of personalities to an already colourful setting.
The cast chemistry is important because cosy crime depends on more than the central mystery.
Viewers need to enjoy spending time with the characters between the clues.
That is one reason shows such as Death in Paradise have remained popular for so long.
The murders provide the mystery, but the relationships and humour make the world feel familiar.
Benidorm Is Murder is trying to build that same balance.
It has the sunshine and unusual location, but it also has a group of characters who can carry the story from one case to the next.
Fans Compare It With Death in Paradise
The connection with Death in Paradise has been one of the biggest talking points since the new series began.
Some viewers immediately recognised a similar style.
One viewer simply described the show as having a "Death in Paradise type of vibe."
Another compared its sidekick structure with other well-known British detective programmes, noting that Rosa's knowledge of television mysteries allows the show to acknowledge familiar crime-drama formulas.
That self-awareness gives the series a slightly different tone.
Not everyone was convinced.
Some viewers thought the drama was too silly, while others criticised the comedy and setting.
One particularly harsh response compared it unfavourably with another Channel 5 crime drama.
There were also viewers who called the programme "dire."
That is a clear reminder that cosy crime fans do not all want the same thing.
Some prefer the gentle humour and character moments.
Others want a more serious murder investigation with less comedy.
Death in Paradise has usually managed to balance both sides. Its murders can be serious, while its characters and island setting keep the overall experience light.
Benidorm Is Murder appears to lean further into comedy.
For some viewers, that is exactly the attraction.
For others, it may be the reason they do not return.
Still, the positive reactions show that the programme has found an audience.
One viewer admitted they could not stop watching despite calling the show "hammy."
That may be the clearest description of its appeal: it does not take itself too seriously, and some viewers are enjoying that.
Why Benidorm Is Murder Could Appeal to Cosy Crime Fans
There is a simple reason cosy crime continues to attract loyal viewers.
The mystery matters, but so does the world around it.
Viewers get to return to a familiar location, see familiar characters and spend an hour trying to work out who committed the crime.
Benidorm Is Murder has several of those ingredients.
The Spanish resort setting gives the programme a warm visual identity.
The bar gives Dennis a natural place to meet different people.
Rosa provides a younger and more enthusiastic voice beside the experienced former police officer.
And every episode can introduce a fresh group of suspects.
That structure gives the series room to develop its own identity.
It also makes the programme easy to compare with Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders and other British mystery dramas.
But comparisons can only go so far.
Dennis Crown is not DI Mervin Wilson or one of the earlier Death in Paradise detectives.
He has his own history and his own reason for becoming involved in investigations.
The series also has a more openly comic tone.
That may become its biggest strength if the writers can maintain a good balance between humour and mystery.
For older viewers who enjoy character-led crime stories, that balance will be especially important.
A good cosy mystery should give viewers enough clues to play along.
It should also make them care about the people solving the case.
Benidorm Is Murder is still establishing those relationships, but its early episodes have given viewers plenty to discuss.
And sometimes that is how a new favourite begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Benidorm Is Murder about?
Benidorm Is Murder follows Dennis Crown, a former police officer who now runs a bar in Benidorm.
When tourists begin dying, Dennis returns to detective work.
He works alongside Rosa, his barmaid, who has a strong interest in true crime and murder mysteries.
The series combines crime investigation, comedy and a sunny Spanish setting. It is designed as a cosy crime thriller and will appeal to viewers who enjoy character-led mysteries.
Is Benidorm Is Murder connected to Death in Paradise?
Yes, there is a creative connection.
Benidorm Is Murder comes from writer Ian Jarvis, who has worked on Death in Paradise.
The two programmes are separate series, however, and they have different characters and settings.
The similarity comes mainly through the cosy-crime format: an unusual location, a central detective, a group of suspects and a murder that needs solving.
Who plays Dennis Crown?
John Hannah plays Dennis Crown.
Dennis is a former police officer who has left the force and now runs a bar in Benidorm.
His past as a detective becomes important when a series of deaths brings him back into investigations.
Hannah leads the cast, with Carolina Bécquer playing Rosa, his true-crime-loving barmaid and investigative companion.
Where can viewers watch Benidorm Is Murder?
Benidorm Is Murder is airing on Channel 5.
The series is also available to stream through Channel 5's streaming service.
Viewers should check the current Channel 5 schedule for the latest episode times and availability.
Will Death in Paradise fans enjoy it?
That will depend on what each viewer enjoys most.
Fans who like sunny settings, murder mysteries, unusual suspects and light humour may find plenty to enjoy.
However, some viewers have already said that Benidorm Is Murder is more slapstick than they prefer.
The early reaction has been mixed, but several viewers have praised it and said they are enjoying the series.
For fans of cosy crime, it may be worth watching an episode before deciding.
A New Crime Drama With Its Own Personality
Benidorm Is Murder has arrived at a time when British viewers have plenty of cosy crime to choose from.
Its connection to Death in Paradise has naturally brought attention, but the new Channel 5 drama needs to stand on its own.
John Hannah's Dennis Crown gives it a strong central character.
His move from police officer to bar owner creates an unusual starting point, while Rosa brings energy and a genuine love of detective stories.
The Benidorm setting also gives the programme a clear identity.
Early viewer reaction has been divided.
Some fans say they are enjoying it and cannot stop watching. Others have criticised its broad comedy and thought the tone was too silly.
Both reactions are worth noting.
A new drama does not need to please every viewer immediately. It needs to give people enough reason to return.
So far, Benidorm Is Murder has done that for a noticeable group of cosy-crime fans.
For those who miss the warm locations, clever clues and familiar character relationships of Death in Paradise, this Channel 5 series could become a welcome addition to the television schedule.
Have you watched Benidorm Is Murder yet?
Do you think Dennis Crown has what it takes to become a favourite cosy-crime detective?
Share your thoughts, memories and favourite mystery shows in the comments below.
