Death in Paradise fans urged to watch new detective drama with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

Fans of the beloved cosy murder mystery series Death in Paradise are being nudged to give another British crime drama set on an idyllic island a whirl, featuring one of Britain's most iconic sleuths. The reboot of the classic 1980s BBC series Bergerac, which originally starred John Nettles, has been greenlit for a second season on U&Original after garnering a warm welcome.

Damien Molony, known from Brassic, returns as the eponymous detective Jim Bergerac in the show, which is spicing things up with fresh faces for its sophomore season. Adrian Edmondson of Midsomer Murders fame is set to charm as Nigel, a new romantic flame for Zoe Wanamaker's character Charlie, while Lesley Sharp from Red Eye will make her debut as Monica.

The brainchild of Being Human creator Toby Whithouse, Bergerac already parades an impressive ensemble cast, with Philip Glenister of Life On Mars, Robert Gilbert from Big Boys, and Luke Nunn of Grantchester fame gracing the first season's roster. The cameras are now rolling for the second season, which continues to unravel its mysteries against the picturesque backdrop of Jersey in the Channel Islands.

The synopsis for the upcoming 2025 instalment of Bergerac teases: "Troubled detective Jim Bergerac is forced to confront a troubling past case when a wealthy woman is murdered, pushing him to overcome personal demons and reignite his investigative prowess to navigate family tensions and law enforcement scrutiny."

With a coveted 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the inaugural season has received a chorus of generally positive critiques from reviewers, reports Manchester Evening News.

The Times hailed it as a "darker, more pained take on our Jersey detective", declaring: "Welcome back, Jim."

Digital Spy observed: "While there are familiar threads that pay homage to the classic show... there is one simple tweak to the way in which the case goes on to unfold that makes an impactful difference to this new iteration of the Bergerac series."

The Age noted: "There is no shortage of grim crime series being produced in Britain, and on its own terms this Bergerac is a good example of the genre done right."

The Nightly praised: "The character is very watchable, and Damien Molony is able to persuasively carry Bergerac's darkness and dynamism."

Yet some audiences remained unconvinced, with one viewer lamenting: "What a shame, it's all got too serious. None of the understated humour of the original series, which I've started watching again. Far better."

Another grumbled: "Probably the most complete collection of cliches possible. Every element we have seen many times. Main character totally unlikeable."

Despite the criticism, one supporter rallied to the programme's defence on IMDb, penning: "Loved it. Bergerac is a great character and the actors are all well rounded. Haven't seen the original but judged on its own it's a fantastic free to air crime drama. Hope there is a follow up season. So much more to develop with some of the sideline characters. Not perfect but it holds up as a great binge."

Another hailed the show as "brilliant", confessing: "I have fond memories of the original with the gorgeous John Nettles (before he moved to Midsomer), so there is always a bit of anxiety regarding a remake. However, this Bergerac, with the mesmerising Damien Moloney is a different deal altogether."

A third viewer admitted being "glued to the box", stating: "Let me say at the outset, I have never seen the original Bergerac so I'm coming to this series from a fresh, unbiased viewpoint."

They continued: "Apart from the first (overlong) twenty minutes or so which was endeavouring to show the depth to which Bergerac had sunk, I really enjoyed the series. I'm glad I stayed with it."

The same fan added: "Yes, it was a bit predictable but that doesn't bother me. The highlight was the wonderful Philip Glenister who's brilliant in whatever he does."

All six episodes of Bergerac season 1 are available to stream now on U.