The latest season of Death in Paradise started tonight with a very enjoyable first episode. However, while many aspects of the episode were well done, the way the show wrote out the character Ginny Holder felt unsatisfying.
Like every season, this one started with a murder! It was great to see Selwyn Patterson back – Don Warrington is fantastic, and it was good to have him return to the island and as Commissioner again. We’re also getting to know the new sergeant, Mattie Fletcher (Catherine Garton), and honestly, while everything was happening, I was thinking the exact same thing as Selwyn: “Where is Curtis?”
Everyone knew Adrian Holder was leaving the show before the new season of the crime drama started, but fans were left wondering how his character, Darlene Curtis, would leave and what that would look like on screen. Many hoped for a final appearance or even just a mention at Catherine’s bar, but unfortunately, the show didn’t give him any kind of farewell.
What to Read Next
Detective Inspector Mervin (Don Gilet) casually mentioned that the popular character was away taking care of her aunt in Montserrat and wasn’t expected to return anytime soon.
Mervin, despite his usual lack of emotion, seemed to feel sorry, but Commissioner Selwyn didn’t even notice. He was much more upset that he hadn’t been asked about hiring Detective Sergeant Fletcher.
The storyline is set aside for the remainder of the episode, with all focus shifting to the unfolding events in Saint Marie – including the arrival of Mervin’s deceitful brother, Mattie, and the puzzling murder investigation.
It wasn’t a proper farewell for a character who meant so much to the show and its fans, bringing them so much happiness.
The recent announcement on the official Death in Paradise Instagram suggests the actor could return in the future. This idea is also hinted at by the character Mervin’s lines in the show.
Although it appeared the team had already adjusted to her leaving, the news was still upsetting for the Commissioner and, like many fans, for us as well. It’s a shame there wasn’t a chance for a more heartfelt scene to celebrate her seven years with the show.
Even though Darlene’s exit is sad, it doesn’t ruin an otherwise excellent episode. The episode is actually made even better by the arrival of two new characters: Sergeant Mattie Fletcher and Solomon, Mervin’s brother. We finally get to see Solomon (played by Daniel Ward) after hearing about him in a phone call during the Christmas episode.
Mattie is a strong character, and she has a lot in common with the popular Darlene. They’re both confident, friendly, and not afraid to speak their minds, but Mattie brings a bit more attitude to the table.
I was immediately drawn to Mattie – unlike Darlene who wore her heart on her sleeve, Mattie has this intriguing air of mystery about her. The actress, Garton, is fantastic at portraying a character who’s both warm and strong, but also subtly hints at a difficult past. You can really feel there’s something more going on beneath the surface, and it’s captivating.
Solomon isn’t quite the little brother Mervin expected. He’s unpredictable and often gets into trouble, which adds a surprising and lively element to the show.
Beyond that, the contrast between his unpredictable personality and the neat, organized detective Mervin is striking. You can practically feel Mervin’s unease, which makes their scenes together incredibly entertaining.
This week’s murder mystery wasn’t particularly original, but the show’s unique team always brings something special to the story. As a result, season 15 is starting off strong.
The fifteenth season of Death in Paradise began airing on BBC One on Friday, January 30th. All episodes of Death in Paradise, as well as its spin-offs Beyond Paradise and Return to Paradise, are currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Read more Death in Paradise news on our dedicated homepage
Okay, so a new magazine all about Taylor Swift just dropped! It’s called ‘Living Legends’, it’s 100 pages long and full of color photos. I just saw you can grab it at any newsstand or online for only £8.99. Definitely checking this out!
Read More
- Heartopia Book Writing Guide: How to write and publish books
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Battlestar Galactica Brought Dark Sci-Fi Back to TV
- January 29 Update Patch Notes
- Genshin Impact Version 6.3 Stygian Onslaught Guide: Boss Mechanism, Best Teams, and Tips
- Robots That React: Teaching Machines to Hear and Act
- Learning by Association: Smarter AI Through Human-Like Conditioning
- Mining Research for New Scientific Insights
- Beyond Connections: How Higher Dimensions Unlock Network Exploration
- Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Can Finally Show The 32nd Century’s USS Enterprise
2026-01-31 00:50