Why Death in Paradise’s fresh new focus is the key to the BBC crime drama’s success

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The creators of Death in Paradise made a smart move by introducing Solomon (Daniel Ward), Mervin’s (Don Gilet) brother. Solomon is a playful, rebellious spirit – the complete opposite of his more by-the-book brother, and someone who definitely isn’t afraid to break the rules.

Solomon is the opposite of the typical lead detective, and this difference creates a wonderfully funny tension. It leads to scenes like Mervin getting thrown into a pool – fully dressed! – and his clumsy brothers ending up covered in hot sauce. This over-the-top humor fits the murder mystery series perfectly, adding a lot of exciting, physical comedy. However, their dynamic goes deeper than just silly antics; there’s a real connection there.

Honestly, the dynamic between Solmon and Mervin is exactly what this series needed. After 15 seasons, things were starting to feel a little…samey. But their totally different personalities really shake things up and give the whole franchise a fresh, new energy. It’s like a breath of fresh air!

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Okay, so finding out Mervin has a long-lost brother felt right, especially since he came to Saint Marie looking for his mom. But honestly, it feels a little weird for Death in Paradise. The show has always relied on the detectives falling in love and having those storylines alongside the murders, and this brother thing feels like a big shift away from that. It’s just not what we’re used to seeing on the show!

Over the years, ‘Death in Paradise’ has seen a few detective pairings: Richard Poole and Camille, then Humphrey Goodman and Camille before Humphrey met Martha, and of course, the popular duo of Neville Parker and Florence.

Their romance was never very passionate, and it hit a major snag when Neville started dating someone who tricked him and falsely accused him of murder. Luckily, he made it back to Florence and things eventually worked out…more or less.

The show generally took a slow and steady approach to its storylines, but Ardal O’Hanlon’s character, Jack Mooney, had a particularly difficult beginning. He was dealing with the loss of his wife and the challenges of raising his daughter, Siobhan (Grace Stone). He eventually found love with Anna Masani (Nina Wadia), but they split up when Jack decided to return to London to be closer to Siobhan.

The relationships between characters kept viewers engaged, and the initial focus on pairing them up was a clever way to draw people into the story. But that tactic can only work for so long before it gets old, making Mervin’s individual story arc a welcome change of pace.

The show’s creator previously established a unique direction for Gilet’s storyline by first centering it around his quest to find his mother, Dorna Bray, played by Judith Jacob.

The story delivered some incredibly powerful and emotional moments as the character dealt with feelings of being abandoned and struggled with wanting to know the truth. The revelation itself was both sad and satisfying – deeply painful for him, but captivating for viewers.

Now that the family drama was resolved, Death in Paradise could have quickly started a romance storyline. While there’s a budding connection between Mervin and DS Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson), the show’s creators smartly decided to focus on a different kind of relationship: the one developing between Mervin and Solomon.

Mervin’s past abandonment issues make his current relationship even more meaningful, even though he now knows the truth. He struggles with feeling unworthy of love, which leads him to push people away and isolate himself – even though deep down, he craves connection and longs for a family.

I’m really getting invested in how Detective Poole is building a sort of family with his team in Saint Marie, and even with people like Mayor Bordey. But it’s clear he’s still hoping to connect with his mom through his half-brother, Solomon, and really build a relationship with Solomon himself. It’s just so easy to want him to find peace and healing through that connection – it’s a really compelling part of the show.

Whether or not Mervin and DS Thomas will become romantically involved is uncertain, but focusing on something other than a potential romance was the best choice for Mervin’s story, allowing it to develop in a fresh and more compelling direction.

You can now watch the fifteenth season of Death in Paradise on BBC One every Friday. Plus, all seasons 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

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2026-02-07 01:20